Delta Air Lines weighs potential addition of Boeing Dreamliners alongside Airbus A350 fleet

The Boeing 787-10 offers seating for up to 330 passengers in a two-class configuration and has a range suitable for medium to long-haul routes. This model is already used by airlines including All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, KLM, Korean Air, Saudia, Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines.

Historically, Delta inherited an order for Boeing’s Dreamliner after merging with Northwest Airlines but canceled it due to delivery delays at that time. Despite focusing on Airbus widebodies since then—without hampering network growth—the airline continues operating other Boeing families: seventy-seven 737-800s; one hundred sixty-three 737-900ERs; eighty-six total 757s (including eleven used primarily for charter); thirty-nine additional 767-300ERs; and twenty-one larger-capacity 767-400ERs.

Should Delta proceed with an order for the Boeing Dreamliner series now under consideration, deliveries would likely not begin until late this decade due to current backlogs at manufacturers. Such a move would support ongoing efforts at fleet modernization while maintaining operational flexibility across transatlantic and South American routes currently served by older models.

There has been no official confirmation from Delta regarding a new order for the Dreamliner as yet. However, industry observers believe that competitive pricing and favorable terms will be key factors if such an agreement materializes.