Hawaiian Airlines Converts 787-9 Orders to Larger 787-10 Dreamliners

HONOLULU- Hawaiian Airlines (HA) has converted five Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner orders into five larger 787-10 variants. This upgrade promises greater capacity while still leveraging the efficiency of the Dreamliner family.

The move reflects strategic adjustments amid the carrier’s ongoing integration into the Alaska Air Group. It positions both carriers for expanded international service, using newer widebody aircraft effectively.

Photo: Hawaiian Airlines

Boeing 787-9 to 787-10 Conversion

Hawaiian Airlines originally ordered five Boeing 787-9s, but recently revised its plan to switch those orders to the larger 787-10 version. This decision aligns with the airline’s evolving fleet strategy under Alaska Air Group, which acquired the carrier a year or so ago.

The 787-10 offers higher seating capacity, which helps meet growing passenger demand on long-haul routes, while maintaining favorable fuel efficiency and operating costs compared to the -9 variant.

The 787-10 is assembled exclusively in Charleston, South Carolina, designed for higher capacity routes of approximately 7–8.5 hours duration, and shares much commonality with the 787-9. Hawaiian already operates four 787-9s that have an average age of 1.7 years.

According to Aerolopa, Hawaiian’s 787-9s have thirty-four Leihōkū Suites in the business class, which feature “a sliding privacy door, with centre seats separated by a retractable screen“, while the main cabin consists of “266 Collins Aerospace Aspire seats configured 3-3-3“.

In the 787-10s, on the other hand, Alaska hopes to include a premium economy cabin, fitting more than 300 seats with a 3-class configuration.

Photo: By Eric Salard – N408AS LAX, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43543100

Integrating Fleet Plans with Alaska Air Group

With the conversion underway, Hawaiian uses this as a building block in its integration strategy with Alaska Airlines.

The new 787-10s will expand long-haul service capabilities across Pacific and transatlantic routes. AAG said last month that it would introduce new products in its 787s:

This fleet reshaping supports a broader network vision. Alaska aims to establish Seattle (SEA) as a major international hub, enhancing connectivity together with Hawaiian’s established Pacific presence.

Capacity Gains vs. Range Trade-Offs

While the 787-10 increases passenger capacity, it does so at the cost of slightly shorter range.

However, most of Hawaiian’s long-haul routes—such as destinations in Asia, Australia, and Europe—still fall well within the 787-10’s effective operational envelope.

This trade-off often results in better economic yields on high-demand routes. The airline gains more seats per flight and can better match supply to demand without significant compromise in reach.

Sample 787-10 Seat Configurations

Photo: ca350 | Flickr

Strategic Implications for Network Growth

Hawaiian’s decision to upgauge its Dreamliner fleet coincides with the merged airline’s ambition to grow transpacific and transcontinental connections.

The greater seating on the 787-10 allows for more revenue potential per flight. Plans already include new services from Seattle to Rome (FCO) and Seoul (ICN), with Dreamliners playing a central role.

Bottom Line

Important details remain forthcoming, including delivery schedules for the newly converted 787-10s and their assigned routes. As the merger process continues, the full deployment strategy will become clearer.

Stakeholders can also expect updates on the status of Hawaiian’s remaining A330 fleet and how the combined airline will balance widebody operations across its hubs in Honolulu and Seattle.

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