Summary
- United’s most popular Boeing 787-8 routes are IAD to AMS, ORD to AMS, ORD to BCN, and ORD to ATH.
- The Boeing 787-9 operates routes like DEN to LHR, EWR to LAX, LAX to LHR, and SFO to SIN.
- The Boeing 787-10 serves routes such as ORD to FRA and features different classes with varying seat numbers.
Using data provided by Cirium, the world’s most trusted source of aviation analytics, we have listed Chicago-headquartered United Airlines most popular Boeing 787 Dreamliner routes for each variant. The routes listed below are for September 2024.
Boeing 787-8
IAD to AMS
United Airlines has 7,290 seats available in each direction from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Amsterdam Airport, Schiphol (AMS). On the 3,867-mile route, United Airlines faces non-stop competition from KLM on the 7 hr 35 min flight.
ORD to AMS
From Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Amsterdam Airport, Schiphol (AMS), United Airlines has 7,290 seats available in each direction. On the 4,120-mile route, United Airlines faces non-stop competition from KLM on the 7 hr 50 min flight.
ORD to BCN
United Airlines has 7,290 seats available in each direction from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN). On the 4,419-mile route, United Airlines faces non-stop competition from American Airlines on the 8 hr 45 min flight.
Photo: Thiago B Trevisan | Shutterstock
ORD to ATH
From Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH), United Airlines has 7,290 seats available in each direction. On the 5,168-mile route, United Airlines faces non-stop competition from American Airlines, which flies non-stop to the Greek capital in 10 hr 5 min. United Airlines Flight Number UA 982 requires a change of planes at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). The United flight time is 12 hr 56 min.
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
DEN to LHR
From Denver International Airport (DEN) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR), United Airlines has 15,420 seats available in each direction. On the 4,671-mile route, United Airlines faces non-stop competition from British Airways on the 9-hour flight.
Photo: United Airlines
EWR to LAX
From Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), United Airlines has 15,420 seats available in each direction. On the 2,454-mile route, United Airlines faces non-stop competition on the 6 hr 5 min from:
- JetBlue
- Alaska Airlines
- Spirit Airlines
LAX to LHR
From Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR), United Airlines has 15,420 seats available in each direction. On the 5,456-mile route, United Airlines faces non-stop competition on the 10 hr 20 min flight from:
- American Airlines
- British Airways
- Virgin Atlantic
SFO to SIN
From San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), United Airlines has 15,420 seats available in each direction. On the 8,440-mile route, United Airlines faces non-stop competition from Singapore Airlines on the 16 hr 40 min non-stop flight.
Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
ORD to FRA
United Airlines has 19,080 seats available in each direction from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in Germany. On the 4,344-mile route, United Airlines faces non-stop competition from German national flag carrier Lufthansa on the 8 hr 20 min flight.
About the Boeing 787 Dreamliner
During the late 1990s, Boeing sought a new aircraft to replace the 767 and the 747-400. Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, DC, there was a massive downturn in the number of people flying. Together with the rising cost of fuel, airlines were more interested in efficiency than speed. In response to the analysis of focus groups, Boeing wanted to build an aircraft that was smaller than the Boeing 747 that airlines could use on point-to-point routes.
Photo: United Airlines
In the spring of 2004, Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) placed an order with Boeing for what would later be called the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The first Boeing 787 rolled out of the company’s Everett, Washington plant on July 8, 2007. Following a series of delays, the Boeing 787 made its maiden flight on December 15, 2009, from Paine Field in Everett, Washington, at 10:27 and landed three hours later at 13:33 at Seattle’s Boeing Field.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) took delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner on September 25, 2011, making its first commercial flight between Narita International Airport (NRT) and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) on October 26, 2011.

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Boeing 787 Dreamliner variants operated by United Airlines
Boeing 787-8
United Airlines has 12 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliers with 248 seats divided into four classes of service:
- 28 x Polaris Class open suites with seats that convert to a lay-flat bed.
- 21 x United Premium Plus recliner-style seats that offer additional legroom and wider seats than the ones in economy class.
- 36 x Economy Plus seats that offer more legroom than standard economy.
- 158 x economy class seats with a width of 17.3 inches and a recline of 31 inches.
Photo: United Airlines
Boeing 787-9
United Airlines has 138 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliers with 257 seats divided into four classes of service:
- 48 x Polaris Class open suites with seats that convert to a lay-flat bed.
- 21 x United Premium Plus recliner-style seats that feature additional legroom and wider seats than the ones in economy class.
- 39 x Economy Plus seats that offer more legroom than standard economy.
- 149 x economy class seats with a width of 17.3 inches and a recline of 31 inches.
Boeing 787-10
United Airlines most significant variant of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner has 318 seats divided into four classes of service:
- 44 x Polaris Class open suites with seats that convert to a lay-flat bed.
- 21 x United Premium Plus recliner style seats that feature additional legroom and wider seats than the ones in economy class.
- 54 x Economy Plus seats that offer more legroom than standard economy.
- 199 x economy class seats with a width of 17.3 inches and a recline of 31 inches.
United Airlines fleet
According to the aviation data and statistics website ch-aviation, United Airlines has a fleet of 973 aircraft made up of the following planes:
- 81 x Airbus A319-100s
- 86 x Airbus A320-200s
- 15 x Airbus A321-200NXs
- 40 x Boeing 737-700s
- 101 Boeing 737 MAX 8s
- 141 x Boeing 737-800s
- 80 x Boeing 737 MAX 9s
- 12 x Boeing 737-900s
- 136 x Boeing 737-900ERs
- 40 x Boeing 757-200s
- 21 x Boeing 757-300s
- 37 x Boeing 767-300ERs
- 16 x Boeing 767-400ERs
- 19 x Boeing 777-200s
- 55 x Boeing 777-200ERs
- 21 x Boeing 787-10s
- 12 x Boeing 787-8s
- 38 x Boeing 787-9s

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