Boeing introduced the 787 Dreamliner, which entered commercial service in 2011. Boeing launched the 787 program in 2004, promising an efficient wide-body aircraft built with extensive use of composite materials.
The first 787 flew on December 15, 2009, after a development program affected by production delays and supply-chain problems. Japan’s All Nippon Airways operated the first commercial 787 flight on October 26, 2011, between Tokyo and Hong Kong.
The aircraft was designed to use less fuel than earlier wide-body jets of similar size. Its features included electrically powered systems, larger passenger windows, higher cabin humidity, and a lower perceived cabin altitude compared with many older aircraft.
The Dreamliner is not Boeing’s first commercial jet or its first wide-body aircraft. The 707 and 747 came decades earlier. The 787’s major distinction is its emphasis on composite construction, efficiency, and long-range point-to-point routes.