Delta Breaks Decade-Long Airbus Streak with 787-10 Order

Delta Air Lines has ended its decade-long streak of buying only Airbus widebodies by ordering 30 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, with options for up to 30 more.

The Atlanta-based carrier confirmed the firm order on January 13, 2026, marking a significant shift in its fleet strategy. The 787-10 is the largest member of the Dreamliner family and brings roughly 25% better fuel-efficient technology than older jets it's set to replace.

Delta plans to fly the new Dreamliners mainly on high-demand transatlantic and South American routes, using them as a bridge between its smaller A330neos and larger A350s. The jets will reportedly carry a premium-heavy cabin layout, though Delta hasn't finalized the exact seating configuration yet.

Deliveries of the new planes won't begin until 2031, so this is more of a next-decade bet than any kind of near-term network shakeup. Delta's leadership has framed this move as a way to add flexibility and cost-efficient scale across its widebody operations by splitting future orders between Airbus and Boeing.