Air Canada has announce it has placed a firm order for 18 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner Aircraft, with options for another dozen. The new planes are due for delivery beginning in late 2025.
The airline says the order is part of its fleet renewal and fuel efficiency strategies. The aircraft will replace older, less efficient wide-body planes currently in AC's fleet.
"Our experience shows customers greatly enjoy flying on the Dreamliner, so we are pleased to offer them a larger version of this popular aircraft, which will premiere a new, state-of-the-art interior cabin design. As importantly, the 787 is highly fuel efficient and will generate operational savings as well as support our sustainability goals of reducing emissions," said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada.
The 787-10 is the largest model of the Dreamliner family and can carry more than 330 pax depending on the seat configuration. According to Air Canada, one of the attractions of the Dreamliner is that it "provides exceptional passenger comfort with enhanced cabin pressurization and humidity controls, and the largest dimmable windows of any commercial aircraft." The airline says the new planes will feature "state-of-the-art interior cabin design."
On the fuel efficiency side, according to Boeing, the 787-10 has up to 25% lower fuel emissions per seat than the aircraft it replaces.
Air Canada currently operates 30 787-9 and eight 787-8 versions of the Dreamliner, with two more 787-9 aircraft scheduled for delivery from a previous order.
More Fleet Renewal News
The acquisition of the new Dreamliners is part of an ongoing fleet renewal program at Air Canada, with the airline continuing to take delivery of new Airbus A220 aircraft, as well as plans to acquire 28 extra-long range (XLR) versions of the Airbus A321neo aircraft, also beginning in 2025. In addition, as previously announced, Air Canada has finalized a purchase agreement for 30 ES-30 electric-hybrid aircraft under development by Heart Aerospace, which are expected to enter service in 2028.
In total, Air Canada currently operates approximately 240 aircraft in its mainline and Air Canada Rouge fleet.
