Rolls-Royce has won back LATAM Airlines as a Boeing 787 engine customer, securing an order to power three new Dreamliners with its upgraded Trent 1000 XE engines.
The agreement marks a win for Rolls-Royce as it tries to rebuild confidence in the Trent 1000 after years of durability problems on earlier versions of the engine.
LATAM had previously selected GE Aerospace GEnx engines for a 2023 follow-on order of 16 Boeing 787-9s after long-running issues with Trent 1000 Package C engines on part of its 787 fleet.
Rolls-Royce announced the LATAM selection on April 29, 2026. The company said the Trent 1000 XE includes upgrades from a certified two-phase durability enhancement program, including a redesigned high-pressure turbine blade that increases cooling airflow by 40%.
Rolls-Royce said the new blade more than doubles time on wing compared with its predecessor.
“We’re proud that LATAM Airlines has returned to Rolls-Royce as its Boeing 787 engine partner,” Rolls-Royce CEO Tufan Erginbilgic said.
The LATAM selection gives Rolls-Royce a customer win it can point to as it seeks to rebuild confidence in the Trent 1000 with other 787 operators.
“This order demonstrates growing market confidence in the Trent 1000 XE and reflects the benefits that our ongoing transformation is delivering,” Erginbilgic said. “Our significant investments to improve Time on Wing and expand our MRO network mean we are giving customers like LATAM Airlines a truly competitive engine choice that can help them achieve their growth ambitions.”
LATAM CEO Roberto Alvo said the agreement reflects the airline’s long relationship with Rolls-Royce and the evolution of the Trent 1000 since 2012.
“The incorporation of the Trent 1000 XE on our Boeing 787 aircraft supports our efforts to enhance operational efficiency, while providing optionality to capture growth opportunities as we continue developing our long-haul network,” Alvo said.
The Trent 1000 XE improvements draw on operational experience from the Trent 7000, which powers the Airbus A330neo. Rolls-Royce said the re-engineered high-pressure turbine blade has accumulated more than 2 million flying hours on the Trent 7000.
Rolls-Royce has also expanded maintenance, repair and overhaul capacity for the Trent 1000, with new dedicated facilities in the UK, Singapore and Germany. The company said the investment has increased shop capacity, reduced turnaround times and expanded its global spare engine pool.
The engine maker said the work forms part of a broader £1 billion commitment to the Trent engine family.
The LATAM deal comes as GE Aerospace has dominated recent 787 engine selections. GE has won a series of GEnx orders from major 787 operators, including Delta Air Lines and United Airlines earlier in 2026.
