The long-haul UK air market is dominated by two key airlines: British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Both airlines operate a diverse fleet of widebody aircraft well-suited for international routes, like the Airbus A350 and, formerly, the Boeing 747. Despite the array of Boeing and Airbus aircraft in both airlines’ fleets, one stands out as the most commonly shared type between the rival airlines: the Boeing 787.

Over the past decade, the twin-engine composite jet has become a core workhorse for transatlantic and global operations, prized for its range, fuel efficiency, and passenger-friendly cabin environment. Given how central the type has become to both English carriers, it’s only natural to ask: which airline actually operates more Dreamliners?

Brief History Of The 787

At the turn of the century, Boeing sought to create a highly efficient aircraft that would revolutionize the twin-engine widebody market. In 2003, Boeing launched a clean-sheet aircraft program, initially dubbed the Boeing 7E7. This aircraft was promoted as the future of commercial aviation, promising to offer airlines a significant reduction in fuel burn, an improved passenger experience, and better per-passenger economics.

Rather than simply evolving an existing platform, like the Boeing 767 or Boeing 777, Boeing decided to introduce new technologies as part of the 787 “Dreamliner” program. The highlight of these advancements was the adoption of composite materials to construct the wings and fuselage of the new aircraft. As a result, the 787 was much lighter than any of Boeing’s previous aircraft, making it more fuel-efficient and opening up new medium to long-haul markets with its impressive performance.

After its first flight in 2009 from Boeing’s test facility in Everett, Washington, the Dreamliner entered service with launch customer All Nippon Airways and quickly became the backbone of many airlines’ international networks. However, the 787 isn’t a single aircraft; it’s a family of planes with the 787-10 being the largest variant, followed by the -9 and the smallest -8 variant.

787 By The Numbers

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner program is one of the most successful widebody aircraft families in the world. Since its launch with ANA in 2011, Boeing has delivered over 1,200 787 aircraft, with hundreds of orders from airlines still on the books. In comparison, since 2014, Airbus has delivered around 700 of its flagship A350 aircraft, the main competitor to the 787.

Powered by either two General Electric GEnx-1B or Rolls-Royce Trent 1,000 engines, the 787-9 has quickly become the workhorse for many airline’s long-haul operations. In a maximum 2-class configuration seating 296 passengers, the 787-9 boasts a range of nearly 7,600 nautical miles (14,000 km). Combined with its effective balance of payload, passenger comfort, and per-seat economics, the 787-9 can easily support ultra-long-haul operations as well as shorter transatlantic or inter-European flights.

In contrast, the much smaller -8 model, while offering a similar range to the -9, provides airlines with an aircraft that can serve far-flung destinations that may not have the demand to warrant a 787-9 or larger 777 aircraft, for example. With a maximum 2-class seating configuration of 248 passengers, the 787-8 is perfect for opening new nonstop markets from the UK to Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Meanwhile, the 787-10 delivers exceptional seat-mile cost efficiencies despite its much shorter range of 6,330 NM (11,730 km). The cost savings offered by the 787-10 makes it a favorite for high-density long-haul routes, like from the UK to the US West Coast.

British Airways And The 787

British Airways first introduced the 787 to its fleet in 2013, a 787-8 model registered as G-ZBJA, according to data from planespotters.net. Today, the English flag-carrier owns and operates a total of 42 Dreamliner family aircraft, split among all three 787 variants. Broken down between the -8, -9, and the largest -10, according to ch-aviation data, British Airways operates 12, 18, and 12 aircraft, respectively. In terms of aircraft age, British Airways’s 787-10 is the youngest with an average age of only 3.4 years. In comparison, the airline’s 787-8 fleet is the oldest, with an average age of 10.5 years.

For British Airways, the 787 allows the airline to operate long-haul routes to unique destinations. These routes are mostly ones that either may not have the demand to support a larger 777-300ER or where the 787’s unique economics make a route more viable. For example, British Airways deploys a 787-9 on its daily route connecting London Heathrow Airport (LHR) with Nashville International in Tennessee (BNA), a unique city pairing where the 787 offers the perfect combination of capacity, range, and efficiency.

Inside, British Airways’ 787-8 comes in two configurations, seating a maximum of 214 or 204 passengers. The former version is split between 35 older Club World business class seats, 25 World Traveler Plus premium economy seats, and 154 World Traveler economy seats, while the latter features 31 of British Airways’ newer Club Suites, 37 premium economy seats, and just 136 economy seats.

In terms of the 787-9 and 787-10, both aircraft feature eight first class suites at the front of the aircraft, followed by either 42 Club World seats or 38 Club Suites on the -9 variant or 48 Club Suites on the -10. Both versions of British Airways’ 787-9 feature 39 premium economy seats followed by 127 or 130 economy seats. The 787-10 boasts a premium economy cabin of 35 seats and an economy cabin large enough for 165 passengers.

Virgin Atlantic And The 787

In contrast to its UK rival, Virgin Atlantic operates a small but mighty fleet of 17 Boeing 787 aircraft, according to ch-aviation. However, while British Airways operates all three variants of the 787, Virgin Atlantic chose to stick with just the 787-9 for its Dreamliner fleet. Joining the Virgin fleet in October 2014, G-VNEW, named Birthday Girl, is the oldest 787 in Virgin Atlantic’s fleet. With an average age of 9.8 years, all of Virgin’s 17 Dreamliners were delivered between 2014 and 2018.

The introduction of the 787-9 to Virgin Atlantic’s fleet allowed the airline to expand its long-haul network more effectively across North America, the Caribbean, and Asia. The airline was able to open new routes or restore old ones that struggled to achieve profitability with older 747, A330, and A340 aircraft. By focusing solely on the 787-9, Virgin can serve premium-heavy transatlantic markets as well as several long-haul destinations, like Cape Town in South Africa.

Currently, Virgin utilizes the 787 on a wide range of city pairings, all from its hub at London Heathrow. Some destinations include Los Angeles (LAX), Mumbai (BOM), Las Vegas (LAS), Male (MLE), Cape Town (CPT), and Montego Bay (MBJ). As the airline continues to expand, the role of the 787 in Virgin Atlantic’s fleet may evolve, especially as Virgin takes delivery of more A350 and A330 family aircraft.

Modernized Virgin Atlantic 787 Coming Soon

In July 2025, Virgin Atlantic announced its entire 787 fleet would undergo a complete cabin refurbishment. This investment, part of the airline’s larger $17 billion fleet transformation, will see the carrier introduce a brand new Upper Class cabin, Virgin Atlantic’s take on business class. In addition, Virgin will refurbish and update it premium economy and economy cabins.

In Upper Class, Virgin Atlantic plans to introduce many of the same elements that can be currently found on its fleet of eight A330-900neo aircraft. This includes replacing the existing, outdated herringbone configured lie-flat seats with Vantage XL suites in a 1-2-1 cabin configuration. These are the same seats that can be found on SkyTeam partner Delta Air Lines‘ A350-900s and A330-900s, along with on China Eastern Airlines’s A350s and 787s and Shanghai Airlines‘ 787s.

Currently, Virgin Atlantic’s 787s have 31 business class seats. However, with the updated cabin, Upper Class will expand by 40% to 44 suites. This includes eight of Virgin Atlantic’s Retreat Suites, front row business class seats with extra legroom and a buddy seat for an additional fee. While Virgin Atlantic’s fleet of 787s will boast a larger business-class footprint, it will be at the expense of Virgin’s signature inflight bar.

In premium economy, capacity will increase from the current 35 seats to 56 seats, a 60% increase. These will be the same premium economy recliner seats the airline offers on its A330neo fleet, with up to 38 inches of pitch in a 2-3-2 layout. Further back, Virgin will decrease the size of its economy cabin from 192 to just 127 seats. These upcoming improvements are expected to begin in 2028 with a projected completion year of 2030.

One Clear Winner

While both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic operate the 787 Dreamliner, British Airways’ fleet of 787s is significantly larger than its fellow London-based rival. Where British Airways operates all three Dreamliner variants, Virgin Atlantic only operates the 787-9, accounting for its entire fleet of 17 787 aircraft compared to British Airways’ fleet of 42 787s.

Yet beyond the numbers, British Airways’ Dreamliners serve a unique role as part of the airline’s long-haul route network, serving both high-demand destinations with the largest 787-10, far-flung vacation spots with the 787-9, or long and thin routes with the smallest 787-8. On the other hand, for Virgin Atlantic, the 787 anchors its global route network and has become the backbone of its premium-driven brand, especially with the upcoming interior improvements. Each carrier uses the 787 in different ways, and, together with the difference in scale, explains why British Airways has a significantly larger Dreamliner fleet than its scarlet rival.