Air India to introduce new Dreamliner aircraft on international routes from February

Air India announced that it will deploy a new Boeing 787-9 aircraft on international long-haul routes starting February this year, marking the first Dreamliner to join its fleet after privatisation.

The move is part of the airline's broader effort to upgrade its fleet and improve the overall flying experience for its passengers.

The first line of the aircraft was officially handed over to Air India at Boeing's Everett factory in Seattle, United States, on 7 January. After the transfer, the Dreamliner landed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on 11 January, completing a non-stop ferry flight of 16 hours and 58 minutes.

“The new Boeing 787-9 is expected to enter international, long-haul commercial service in February 2026, and the schedule of operations will be announced shortly,” the airline said in a press release.

Aircraft to feature three cabin classes, custom-made interiors

According to the airline, the new aircraft comes with 296 seats across three cabin classes: Business, Premium Economy, and Economy. It also features custom-made cabin interiors, which are installed directly on Boeing's production line.

More details about the aircraft are still awaited, which the company says will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

In aviation, line fit refers to an aircraft that is specifically built for a specific airline. Air India last received a line-fit Dreamliner in October 2017 when the carrier was still under government ownership, PTI reported.

However, the airline was later acquired by the Tata Group in January 2022, which continues to run its operations to date. As per the company, it expects to induct five more wide-body planes, including A350-1000s and B787-9s, this year.

Air India places orders for Airbus and Boeing planes

Air India has also placed orders for 350 Airbus and 220 Boeing aircraft. From the Airbus order, six wide-body A350s have already been inducted into the Air India fleet. Meanwhile, 51 narrow-body B737-8s have been delivered to Air India Express, the Tata Group-owned low-cost subsidiary of Air India that focuses on short and medium-haul routes.

In addition, Air India's legacy B787-8 aircraft are being retrofitted, meaning they are undergoing upgrades to their cabins, interiors and onboard systems. Many of these planes are expected to complete the process and return to service with a refreshed nose-to-tail makeover in 2026, the company noted.

“By the end of this year, nearly 60% of our wide-body fleet will have modern interiors,” the release said.

Air India operates 26 B787-8s and six B787-9s that were earlier part of Vistara, which has since been merged with the airline. The Air India Group currently has over 300 planes, including 185 aircraft operated by Air India and the remaining ones by Air India Express.