United Airlines has overtaken Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) to become the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, according to a report by Simple Flying.

United now operates 96 of the aircraft, against 92 in service at ANA, which launched the type commercially in 2011 and had led its operator ranking since, the report said.

United began 2026 with 81 Dreamliners and has added 15 787-9s so far this year, including five in September and October. It expects to have 99 by the end of the year, the report said, citing the airline’s latest filing.

The same filing lists 142 firm orders for the 787 still to be delivered, plus 50 options. Of these, 26 are due in 2027 and 112 after that. United plans to use them for international growth and to replace its Boeing 767s, which it intends to retire by the end of the decade. Delivery timing depends on Boeing’s production schedule.

United took its first 787-8 in September 2012, a year after ANA, and was the first North American airline to receive the type. It added its first 787-9 about three years later and its first 787-10 in late 2018, making it the first airline to operate all three variants.

Unlike ANA, which mainly flies its 787s on domestic routes, United uses them largely on international services. Only 17 percent of its 787 flights are domestic, mostly long-haul services to Hawaii. In the winter 2026/27 season the fleet is scheduled to serve 31 international destinations on 58 routes.

London Heathrow is the busiest, with six daily 787 flights. Tokyo Narita has the most links into the network, with daily flights from five United hubs. Newark Liberty accounts for more than 30 percent of the 465 weekly 787 departures across United’s seven mainland hubs, and Chicago O’Hare for about 20 percent more.

United’s longest nonstop flight, Houston to Sydney, is operated by the 787-9 and covers 8,593 miles (13,829 km), according to the report.

The fleet is also supporting new routes, particularly to Japan. United launched daily 787-8 flights between Chicago O’Hare and Tokyo Narita this week. A three-times-weekly San Francisco-Sapporo service starts on December 11 with the 787-9 and will be the first nonstop link between the continental United States and Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island.

In 2027, United plans daily Los Angeles-Osaka flights from March 27, three-weekly San Francisco-Tel Aviv flights the next day, and daily Denver-Paris flights from May 27, all on the 787-9.

United is also fitting its newest 787-9s with “United Elevated” interiors, which have 99 premium seats, including eight Polaris Studio suites and 56 Polaris seats.

Source: Simple Flying,