Where United Airlines Is Flying Its Boeing 787-9s

United Airlines is one of only a few carriers worldwide to use all three Boeing 787 variants: the -8, -9, and -10. The world’s largest carrier by available seat miles this year, it has 38 787-9s, making it the second-largest operator after All Nippon. United has firmed up an order for 50 additional 787-9s, taking up much of the production capacity. This is where it is using them this October.

San Francisco is #1 for flights

Analysis of schedules shows that San Francisco is the Star Alliance member’s primary hub for the four-class, 257-seat 787-9. It accounts for about 16% of the variant’s October flights. But in terms of the proportion of 787-9 services among all widebodies, Denver is top with 45%.

Photo: Carlos Yudica/Shutterstock

In contrast to the 787-9, Washington Dulles is number one for the smaller 787-8, and Chicago O’Hare leads for the 787-10. Neither airport is in the top five for the -9, and O’Hare does not see the variant this month.

23 international 787-9 routes: October

The following are set to operate from San Francisco, Denver, Newark, Los Angeles, Houston Intercontinental, and Washington Dulles. Note: there are various changes on/around October 29th, when airlines in the Northern Hemisphere, including United, switch to winter schedules. I have stated some of these.

• Denver-London Heathrow: double daily (daily from Oct 28th)
• Los Angeles-London Heathrow: double daily (daily from Oct 28th)
• San Francisco-Singapore: double daily
• Denver-Frankfurt: daily
• Denver-Munich: daily
• Denver-Tokyo Narita: daily
• Houston Intercontinental-London Heathrow: daily (777-200ER from Oct 28th)
• Houston Intercontinental-São Paulo: daily (777-200ER from Oct 28th)
• Los Angeles-Hong Kong: daily (resumes on Oct 28th after 15 years)
• Los Angeles-Sydney: daily
• Newark-Delhi: daily (double daily 787-9 from the end of Oct)
• Newark-Johannesburg: daily
• Newark-São Paulo: daily
• Newark-Tokyo Narita: daily
• San Francisco-London Heathrow: daily (777-200ER from Oct 28th)
• San Francisco-Melbourne: daily (777-300ER from Oct 29th)
• San Francisco-Seoul: daily
• Houston Intercontinental: three weekly (resumes on Oct 29th)
• Los Angeles-Auckland: three weekly (new route; starts Oct 28th)
• Los Angeles-Melbourne: three weekly
• Newark-Cape Town: three weekly
• San Francisco-Brisbane: three weekly
• Washington Dulles-Cape Town: three weekly

Photo: Kevin Hackert/Shutterstock

Seven domestic 787-9 routes

They are as follows, of which only a few operate before the change to winter schedules.

• Washington Dulles-Los Angeles: daily
• San Francisco-Newark: daily until Oct 27th (triple daily Oct 28th in this direction only, then no more)
• Houston Intercontinental-San Francisco: daily until Oct 28th (until 27th from San Francisco)
• Denver-Los Angeles: Oct 29th, 30th, 31st (then daily Nov+; from Oct 30th in the other direction)
• Denver-San Francisco: Oct 29th, 30th, 31st (then daily Nov+)
• Newark-Los Angeles: Oct 28th once, then twice on the 29th (only October 29th in the other direction)
• Houston Intercontinental-Newark: Oct 29th only (not in the other direction)

Photo: Markus Mainka/Shutterstock

Notice San Francisco to Newark, connecting United’s two main West Coast and East Coast hubs and gateways to enormous metro areas. Operating daily, the 787-9 is on UA2425 to New Jersey, which departs at 08:30. Returning, it is on UA1780, leaving Newark at 18:30.

There are three 787-9 flights to Newark on October 28th, departing at 08:30, 11:00, and 22:40. When writing, that day spells the end of the variant on the route, with no other flights scheduled by it this year or next – but that is likely to change.

Sources of information: Cirium, OAG, Google Flights, United’s website, ch-aviation.com, Flightradar24.com