The commercial aviation industry has changed drastically over the past several decades. When the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 were introduced, these aircraft helped to push the commercial market into the jet age in the 1950s and 1960s. Additionally, Boeing introduced the Boeing 747 in the 1960s, the first widebody airliner. These innovative aircraft designs helped to connect passengers around the world and truly helped shape the definition of long-haul travel for years to come.

However, one of the most innovative aircraft designs in recent years was the introduction of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. This aircraft utilized cutting-edge composite materials, enhanced fuel efficiency, and improved passenger comfort. This helped allow airlines to open new long-haul routes and optimize these operations. Additionally, over the years, one major carrier has become the leading operator of the aircraft type. Let’s take a closer look at this airline, All Nippon Airways (ANA), and the extensive fleet of Boeing 787s the airline flies.

A Look At The All Nippon Airways Fleet Of Boeing 787s

Currently, All Nippon Airways is operating the largest fleet of Boeing 787s in the world. According to ch-aviation, the airline is flying a total of 88 Boeing 787 aircraft. ANA flies all three variants, including 34 Boeing 787-8s, 44 787-9s, and 10 787-10s. According to ch-aviation, the active 787s in ANA’s fleet have the following average ages:

As the Boeing 787-8 variant was the first in the family to be introduced into commercial service, it makes sense that ANA’s oldest aircraft type is the 787-8. ANA typically operates these aircraft in a two-class configuration, carrying 198 passengers in its economy class and 42 in its business class, which leads to a total of 240 passengers. The airline also operates a high-density configuration, carrying 323 passengers in its economy class and 12 passengers in its business class, totaling 335 passengers.

The airline’s Boeing 787-9 fleet is slightly younger, while ANA also has an additional four aircraft on order. ANA operates these aircraft in a three-class configuration. These aircraft are also broken into several different configurations, carrying either 215 passengers or 246 passengers.

ANA also has a small fleet of Boeing 787-10, although it also has two more yet to be delivered. The airline typically operates these in a high-density configuration, flying 429 passengers with 401 economy seats and 28 business class seats. Its other, less prominent configuration is a three-class configuration. This aircraft type seats 235 passengers in an economy class, 21 passengers in a premium economy class, and 38 passengers in a business class.

Where All Nippon Airways Flies Its Boeing 787s

Typically, ANA flies its fleet of Boeing 787s on a wide variety of routes. Most of these operations are based from its two major hubs in Tokyo, Japan, Haneda Airport (HND) and Narita International Airport (NRT). According to Cirium, ANA’s most frequently flown flights using the Boeing 787 in November 2025 are:

Historically, ANA utilizes its Boeing 787 fleet on long-haul routes. This includes various routes to Europe and North America, enabling the airline to offer nonstop or one-stop services on long sectors. For example, the airline plans to fly new routes to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) and Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN) using the Boeing 787.

The airline also uses the 787 series for medium-haul routes from Japan into Asia and nearby regions. This includes targeted routes like Narita-Singapore and Narita-Bangkok. Additionally, ANA began deploying the Boeing 787 on major domestic routes, a significant strategic shift based on the aircraft’s improved fuel efficiency and higher seat count. Some of the airline’s most popular routes with the Boeing 787 are domestic routes.

Other Aircraft In The All Nippon Airways Fleet

All Nippon Airways (ANA) has established itself as a premier global air carrier. Because of this, the airline flies a mix of both narrowbody and widebody aircraft, which helps the airline conduct both domestic and international operations. Overall, according to ch-aviation, ANA currently operates a total of 242 aircraft, although it also has an additional 103 aircraft on order that have yet to be delivered.

Beyond the Boeing 787, ANA operates several other widebody aircraft. This includes the Airbus A380, of which ANA flies three. The other widebody aircraft in the ANA fleet are Boeing aircraft. According to ch-aviation, this includes 15 Boeing 767-300ERs, along with several Boeing 767 freighters used for cargo operations. The airline also flies 18 Boeing 777s, a mix of freighter variants, the 777-300, and the 777-300ER.

On the narrowbody side, ANA again flies both Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The narrowbody aircraft the airline operates most of is the Boeing 737, of which it flies 39 of the 737-800 variant. According to ch-aviation, ANA also flies the following Airbus narrowbody aircraft:

ANA also has an active order for 20 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, 7 Airbus A320-200Ns, and 30 A321-200Ns. The airline also has an order for the Embraer E-Jet E2 regional jet, awaiting delivery for 15 E190-300s. Additionally, ANA also currently operates 24 de Havilland Canada Dash 8s on a wet lease.

Other Major Operators Of The Boeing 787

Over the years, the Boeing 787 has become one of the most popular widebody offerings. Global carriers around the world have taken delivery of this powerful aircraft to expand their long-haul operations. Although the 787-8 variant was introduced first, the 787-9 has grown to become the most popular. The 787-10 variant was the most recently introduced, after Boeing stretched the fuselage to increase the aircraft’s capacity.

ANA is currently the largest operator of the Boeing 787. However, beyond ANA, several other major carriers fly large fleets of the aircraft type. According to ch-aviation, the following airlines are among the largest operators of the Boeing 787:

The launch customer of the Boeing 787 series was ANA, which makes sense as the airline has become the largest operator. However, airlines around the world have begun flying the aircraft, including Air Canada, Hainan Airlines, Air India, Turkish Airlines, and Singapore Airlines. Many airlines are in the process of expanding their fleets. For example, Emirates has the largest active order for the 787-8, with 15 yet to be delivered. United Airlines has a large order of 141 787-9s, while Qatar Airways has the largest active order of the 787-10, with 75 yet to be delivered.

A Brief History Of The Boeing 787

Boeing has seen success with earlier introduced widebody aircraft. However, in the late 1990s, the manufacturer began to see declining sales of its popular Boeing 767 and Boeing 747-400, leading the airline to begin developing several new clean sheet designs.

The aircraft manufacturer officially launched the 7E7 program in 2003, later calling the aircraft the 787. ANA became the launch customer for the Boeing 787 in April 2004, placing an initial order for 50 total aircraft. Boeing initially chose its facility in Everett, Washington, as the final assembly location, although it would later be moved to the company’s Charleston, South Carolina, facility.

The first 787 completed its maiden flight in December 2009 before achieving type certification from both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in August 2011. Since its introduction, Boeing has produced over 1,200 total 787 aircraft, seeing service with airlines around the world.

Major Design Features And Performance Specifications Of The Boeing 787

When Boeing introduced the 787 Dreamliner in the early 2010s, it was the most technologically advanced widebody aircraft of the time. Overall, the airframe is made up of nearly 80% composite materials, which are used in the aircraft’s empennage, fuselage, wings, and doors. These composite materials are significantly lighter than aluminum alloys, meaning the aircraft’s overall light is much less than comparable aircraft types.

Like many other airliners, the Boeing 787 features two different engine options. The 787 can be powered by either the General Electric GEnx and the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000. Each provides the aircraft with up to 76,000 pounds of thrust, helping the aircraft achieve the following performance specifications:

With its efficient design and advanced materials, the 787 Dreamliner has become one of Boeing’s standout successes. It continues to attract new orders and will be a major part of long-haul air travel in the decades ahead.