For years, the Boeing 777-200ER has proven itself as a workhorse for airlines around the world. The aircraft’s combination of range, capacity, and efficiency resulted in a perfect fit to cover the gap between the smaller Boeing 767 and larger Boeing 747.

The first aircraft of this type was delivered to British Airways back in 1997, and since then, over 400 have been delivered to 33 different airlines. This makes the aircraft the second most popular in the Boeing 777 family after the Boeing 777-300ER. Today, the largest operator of the type is United Airlines, which operates a sub-fleet of 55 777-200ER aircraft.

A Look At The World’s Largest Boeing 777-200ER Fleet

According to data from ch-aviation, United Airlines currently operates a fleet of 55 Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, many of which have been in service for over two decades. As of writing, the youngest aircraft (N77022) is over 15 years old, while the oldest (N787UA) is 29. All aircraft in United Airlines’ sub-fleet were originally delivered to the airline itself or to Continental Airlines before the merger. And although all Boeing 777-200ER aircraft in the fleet are roughly the same age, those originally delivered to Continental are slightly younger on average.

Given the respectable age of United’s Boeing 777-200ER fleet, it is no surprise that retirement is imminent over the next few years. Per ch-aviation, it is expected that the largest portion of the fleet is to be retired by December 2027, with only the four youngest aircraft having no expected retirement date as of writing. However, it is questionable whether this expected retirement date can actually be achieved since United has delayed the delivery of the aircraft set to replace the 777-200ER fleet. In addition, United Airlines’ CEO Scott Kirby confirmed to Reuters that the large-scale replacement of the 777 fleet won’t start until the end of the decade.

Today, the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft in United’s fleet are primarily used for international flights. These aircraft seat 276 passengers across three cabin classes, with 50 seats in business class, 24 in premium economy, and 202 in economy. In addition to this configuration, there are also four aircraft equipped with a denser domestic cabin configuration, which features 364 seats with 28 seats in business class and 336 seats in economy class. This configuration is similar to the 19 regular Boeing 777-200 that the airline operates primarily on domestic routes.

The Characteristics Of The Boeing 777-200ER

After the first Boeing 777-200 aircraft was delivered to United Airlines back in 1995, it did not take long for Boeing to start the development of the Boeing 777-200ER. This “Extended Range” version of the original Boeing 777-200 has additional fuel capacity and an increased Maximum Take-off Weight (MTOW) of 656,000 lb (297,550 kg), enabling longer routes than the original variant of the aircraft. The Boeing 777-200ER has a range of 8,130 miles (13,084 kilometers), whereas the non-extended range version can cover a maximum distance of 6,030 miles (9,700 kilometers).

Besides this increased range as a result of the increased MTOW and fuel capacity, the differences between the Boeing 777-200ER and the original 777-200 are small. Both aircraft seat 305 passengers in a typical three-class configuration and have a maximum capacity (exit limit) of 440 passengers. Furthermore, both variants have a length of 209 ft 1 in (63.7 meters), a height of 60 ft 9 in (18.5 meters), and a wingspan of 199 ft 11 in (60.9 meters).

A year after the commercial introduction of the 777-200ER, Boeing also introduced the larger Boeing 777-300 seating up to 368 passengers in a typical three-class configuration. However, this variant had a reduced range compared to the Boeing 777-200ER, prompting the development of the Boeing 777-300ER. First introduced in 2004, this aircraft provided airlines with an even longer range than the Boeing 777-200ER offered before, combined with the increased capacity of the Boeing 777-300. A combination that turned out to be a success for Boeing, as it became the best-selling variant of the Boeing 777 family with a total of 838 orders placed. In addition to the 777-300ER, Boeing also introduced the long-range (LR) version of the Boeing 777-200 back in 2005, which had a similar range as the 777-300ER but with less capacity. This variant of the Boeing 777 was initially intended for high-yield routes requiring a longer range, but did not have enough demand for the large Boeing 777-300ER.

The Aircraft That Will Replace United’s Boeing 777-200ER

As mentioned earlier, the days of United Airlines’ Boeing 777-200ER fleet are numbered, and it is currently expected that the aircraft in this sub-fleet will be replaced by the A350-900. However, this is somewhat of an anomaly for United as it currently operates one of the largest fleets of wide-body aircraft in the world, consisting exclusively of Boeing aircraft. Something that would, of course, change if the airline were to receive the A350. And even though the A350 order is on the books, it remains difficult to see how the aircraft fits into United’s long-term fleet plans.

The four 777-200ER aircraft configured for domestic operation, as well as the 19 original 777-200 aircraft in United Airlines’ fleet, are expected to be replaced with the Boeing 787-10. Besides the replacement of United’s aging Boeing 777 fleet, there are more aging long-haul aircraft types in the airline’s fleet which are about to be replaced over the next years. These include the Boeing 767, which will be replaced by the Boeing 787-9, and the Boeing 757, which will be replaced by the Airbus A321XLR.

Currently, the airline has a sub-fleet of 80 which includes the Boeing 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10. Besides this, there are also still 141 787-9 aircraft on order as of writing. Considering this reliance on the Boeing 787 for the future of United’s, it appears to be plausible that the airline could cancel its A350 order in favor of the Boeing 787.

United Airlines And The Airbus A350

United Airlines and the A350 have a somewhat troubled history, with the first order for the aircraft placed back in 2009. This order comprised 25 units of the smallest A350 variant, the A350-900. A few years later, in 2013, the airline converted the order to the larger A350-1000 and increased the size of the order to 35 aircraft. However, only a few years later the airline changed the order again. This time, United converted the order back to the A350-900 and added another ten units to the order, increasing the total number of planes ordered to 45.

After the frequent changes to the order, it was not over with United’s doubts about the A350 order, as the scheduled delivery date was repeatedly pushed back by the airline. At first, deliveries of the A350 were due to start in 2022, but have now been pushed back until at least 2030, raising questions about whether the aircraft will be delivered at all. Contributing to the speculation about the A350 is that back in 2022, when United placed an order for an additional 100 Boeing 787 family aircraft to complement its existing 787 fleet, the airline’s CEO, Scott Kirby, told Reuters that a key factor in the decision between Airbus and Boeing for its widebody order was the current 787 fleet. When expanding on this decision, Kirby also highlighted that introducing a new fleet type would slow down the airlines’ growth by delaying the onboarding of new pilots.

« the right time for 350 versus (787) conversation is when we’re replacing the bulk of the 777s, which really doesn’t begin to the end of the decade. »

– Scott Kirby –

From an aviation economics perspective, the decision to choose the 787 over the A350 would not come as a total surprise, since it is well known that minimizing fleet complexity is a leading strategy to improve margins. However, as the airlines’ Boeing 777s age , they will need to reach a decision sooner or later.