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title: "Boeing 787 Dreamliner: specifications and range — OnlyPlanes"
description: "Boeing 787 Dreamliner (787-9 Dreamliner): 250-325 seats; range up to 15,370 km (8,300 nautical miles). Characteristics, engines and interior."
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Boeing · long-haul wide-body aircraft
# Boeing 787 DreamlinerBoeing 787 Dreamliner
Modern long-haul liner with a composite fuselage, electrical architecture and large windows with electronic blackout.
- Speed
- M 0,85
- Range
- up to 15,370 km (8,300 nautical miles)
- Capacity
- 250–325 seats in a two-class layout
*Boeing 787 Dreamliner - photo from the open aviation archive.*
## Specifications Boeing 787 Dreamliner
The figures in this table refer to one specific variant — **787-9 Dreamliner**. This avoids combining the range, capacity and dimensions of different versions into an inaccurate set of figures.
- Variant shown in the table
- 787-9 Dreamliner
- Type
- long-haul wide-body aircraft
- Family's first flight
- Year 2009
- Passenger capacity
- 250–325 seats in a two-class layout
- Flight range
- up to 15,370 km (8,300 nautical miles)
- Mach's Cruising Number
- M 0,85
- Length
- 62,8 m
- Wingspan
- 60,1 m
How the aircraft came about
## History Boeing 787 Dreamliner
The 787 first flew in 2009 and began commercial flights in 2011. The aircraft allowed airlines to open long-distance direct routes with less passenger traffic.
After abandoning the high-speed concept of the Sonic Cruiser, Boeing focused on the economical long-range 7E7 aircraft, which became the 787. All Nippon Airways was the launch customer. Development was delayed relative to the original schedule; the first flight took place in 2009, and commercial operation began in 2011.
Milestones and decisions
## Programme development
The development of the 787 required extensive coordination of international suppliers of large nodes and new onboard systems. After the first flight, the program underwent long certification. In 2013, the fleet was temporarily suspended due to battery issues; after system changes and inspections, operations resumed. This is part of the history of commissioning, not a characteristic of each subsequent aircraft.
Model features
## Design and variants
Composite materials are widely used in the fuselage and wing, and a significant portion of onboard systems use electrical architecture. In the cabin there are large portholes with electronic blackout. The boost and air conditioning system allows you to maintain conditions that differ from many aircraft of the previous generation.
The 787-8, the elongated 787-9 and the even longer 787-10 are designed for a different combination of capacity and range. For a longer aircraft is not necessarily characterized by the largest stock of the route. The table values refer to 787-9, so they should not be transferred to the other two options.
Powerplant
## Engines
Two GE Aerospace GEnx-1B or Rolls-Royce Trent 1000.
The engine variant fitted to an individual aircraft is recorded in its documentation. The powerplant affects thrust, fuel consumption, noise and maintenance requirements.
On board
## Cabin and passenger capacity
Two passes, a typical 3+3+3 pattern. Higher cabin pressure and higher humidity are designed to reduce fatigue on long flights.
Passenger capacity is 250-325 seats in a two-class layout. The exact number of seats is determined by the operator: business class, kitchens, toilets and recreation areas of the crew take place. Therefore, the layout of the cabin differs even with the same models.
In practice
## Operations and uses
The 787 was created for long-haul flights with fewer passengers than large wide-body airliners. It allowed you to open some direct routes without a transfer at a large hub airport. Variants -8, -9 and -10 differ in length and range: the most capacious -10 is not intended for the longest lines of the family.
Technical analysis
## How it works Boeing 787 Dreamliner
After abandoning the idea of a high-speed Sonic Cruiser, Boeing focused on a long-haul aircraft with less fuel consumption. Large fuselage sections and wing 787 use composites; their manufacture and assembly required a new organization of the supply chain. The programme faced delays, as the nodes manufactured in different countries needed to be aligned in a single airframe. This is part of the history of the project and an explanation of why several years have passed between the announcement and commissioning.
In 787, a significant part of the systems were made electric. The design of the cabin with large portholes and electronic blackout has become a noticeable feature for the passenger. New materials and boost system allowed to choose a different mode of pressure and humidity than on many older aircraft. These solutions should work together with ventilation, power supply and maintenance: the beneficial effect is evaluated throughout the aircraft, not on one fuselage material.
The aircraft is produced as a 787-8, a longer 787-9 and an even more capacious 787-10. The length changes the number of seats, the weight and the stock of the route; the longest option is not the furthest. Boeing has different engines for the family - Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 and General Electric GEnx. The airline chooses them when ordering, so two seemingly similar 787s may have different restrictions and service features.
History and operations
## Role Boeing 787 Dreamliner in airline service
All Nippon Airways first began commercial flights on 787 in 2011. The aircraft quickly interested carriers who need a direct long-distance route without the capacity of the largest wide-body machines. The ability to fly between cities without a mandatory transfer in a large node was one of the practical results of the program. However, the new line opens only when passenger demand and ticket price cover flight costs.
The initial period of operation was accompanied by a temporary stop of the park in 2013 due to problems with batteries. After engineering changes and inspections, the flights resumed. This episode is important for the history of certification, but does not replace the evaluation of a particular aircraft years later. Maintenance of late boards depends on the engine, manufacturer's bulletins and completed improvements.
For the passenger, the 787 usually means a two-pass cabin on a multi-hour route. The number of seats in a row, the distance between them and the organization of the kitchen differ from companies. A large porthole with electronic blackout is a common feature of the type, and the space of the legs is the result of the order of the carrier. On a long flight, it is useful to check the designated modification: 787-9 and 787-10 can have a similar interior, but serve routes of different lengths.
For comparison
## Location Boeing 787 Dreamliner among other aircraft
Boeing models in this catalog were created for different stages of development of route networks. The 737 serves mass lines with one pass; the 747 ushered in an era of very large long-haul passenger aircraft. The 757 and 767 were designed in parallel as aircraft of different sizes with close crew cabins. The 777 showed just how much passenger load the long-haul twin-engine airliner can carry, and the 787 relied on new materials and routes with less flow. This story explains why a later index doesn’t necessarily mean more capacity. The airline can choose 787 instead of 777 precisely because it needs a smaller cabin for a direct flight. Conversely, the 777 is appropriate where sustained demand allows you to fill more seats and take commercial cargo.
The Boeing family name often covers decades of technical change. The early 737, the Next Generation and the 737 MAX require separate characteristics; similarly, the passenger 747-8 cannot be replaced with 747-400 data. The 767-300ER, 777-300ER and 787-9 suffixes denote specific variants, but not one common range calculation standard. When comparing, it is useful to take into account payload, number of engines, airport restrictions and available spare airfields. The layout of the cabin also depends on the carrier: two aircraft of the same type can have a different number of seats and different conditions for the passenger. Historical facts about the first flight or the beginning of production give context, but for today's flight, the age of a particular board, the improvements made and its maintenance are additionally important.
In the 787, Boeing used a large proportion of composite materials in the design of the fuselage and wing, and also significantly changed the architecture of onboard systems. The family includes 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10 with different balance of size and range. This allowed airlines to open direct long-haul routes with a flow for which the larger liner would be too roomy. But choosing between the three versions requires a comparison of the full load: the longest fuselage does not mean the greatest possible range under the same conditions.
Where it flies
## Airline operators
Examples of current or historically notable operators of the model and its variants:
- All Nippon Airways
- United Airlines
- [Qatar Airways](https://onlyplanes.ru/en/airlines/qatar-airways)
- [Etihad Airways](https://onlyplanes.ru/en/airlines/etihad-airways)
Fleets change. Check the aircraft type and seat map on the airline's official website before your flight.
Updates
## News Boeing 787 Dreamliner on Telegram
New deliveries, routes and events with the participation of Boeing 787 Dreamliner are published in the Telegram channel at legkoenebo.
[Open the Telegram channel](https://t.me/legkoenebo)
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