Delta Air Lines orders up to 60 Boeing 787-10 as premium-heavy replacement for older widebodies

Delta Air Lines has announced an agreement with Boeing to order 30 787-10 aircraft plus an additional 30 options for the type. The carrier said it will be replacing some of its older widebodies with the 787-10, which will feature a premium-heavy cabin layout.

On January 13, 2026, in addition to publishing its quarterly and year-end financial results, Delta Air Lines also unveiled an order for up to 60 787-10 aircraft, which included 30 firm and 30 optional orders.

Deliveries are due to begin in 2031, the airline said. Delta Air Lines’ 787-10s will be powered by the GE Aerospace GEnx engines.

Ed Bastian, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Delta Air Lines, stated that the airline has been building “the fleet for the future” by securing replacements for older and less efficient aircraft “in the decade to come.”

The 787-10s will have 301 seats, 85 of which will be premium, the carrier detailed. The potential deployment of the type would be on “high-demand Transatlantic and South America routes.”

A premium replacement for Delta Air Lines’ older widebodies

With the airline’s 767-300ER fleet already due for retirement by 2030, the 787-10s could potentially replace the carrier’s remaining Boeing 767-400ERs and/or Airbus A330ceos.

Either way, the 787-10 will offer a more premium configuration with 85 premium seats compared to 54 premium seats on the 767-400ER aircraft and 55 on the A330-200 and A330-300s.

Less premium than United and American’s new 787-9s

American Airlines’ new premium 787-9s, known as 787-9P, offer eight Flagship Suite Preferred, 43 Flagship Suites, and 32 Premium Economy seats.  Despite being a smaller aircraft, that’s only two fewer premium seats than Delta Air Lines’ new 787-10s.

Meanwhile, United Airlines’ incoming premium-heavy 787-9s will feature 99 premium seats, comprising eight Polaris Studio suites, 56 business class, and 35 United Premium Plus. That will be 14 more premium seats than what Delta Air Lines will offer on its larger 787-10s.