Why Did Delta Air Lines Cancel Its Order For Boeing 787s?

Delta Air Lines has no 787 Dreamliners, an aircraft that has been popular throughout the industry. Yet, when the carrier acquired Northwest Airlines, it was stuck with over a dozen firm commitments for 787-8 as part of the laughable diverse fleet that it inherited.

Delta immediately understood the problems that could be caused. A broad range of widebody aircraft would boost its costs to maintain aircraft, and it would have to invest in expensive training programs to have enough pilots to keep them in the sky. In December 2016, Delta decided to cancel this order. In this article, discover more about the order, why it was canceled, and the current direction of Delta’s widebody fleet. This includes speculation that a new 787-10 order could be on the minds of Delta executives.

Where Did The Order Come From?

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Delta Air Lines never actively ordered the 787 Dreamliner. Instead, it acquired an order for 18 787s when it merged with Northwest Airlines in 2009. The order also included options for 50 more. Northwest originally made its order in 2005, with a total list price of $2.2 billion, although we can assume that the order was sufficient to come with a discount. It hoped that the jet would be an efficient and flexible replacement for its aging fleet of Boeing 747s and McDonnell-Douglas DC-10.

These jets would have helped the airline build its Tokyo hub that it would service with trans-Pacific flights from the domestic US hubs. Flights from Tokyo Narita to New York were set to be the first operated by Northwest 787s. Had the order been fulfilled, Northwest would have become the first US operator of the jet. The airline was highly optimistic about how the 787 could push it into the cutting-edge, writing in a press release: “Northwest is the North American service launch customer for the 787, a fuel-efficient aircraft that will usher in a new era of customer comfort and convenience. The 787 will be one of the most environmentally-friendly commercial planes in the sky.”

However, Northwest never had to worry about receiving the jet. That is because they merged with Delta before the 00s were over. The first 787s suffered delays because of overweight airframes and lithium battery overheating. The issues stopped the aircraft from coming into Northwest’s hands before the merger.

What Did Delta Do With The Order?

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The Delta cancellation was not immediate, as everything was up in the air following the merger. Delta remained unclear about when the 787s would be delivered and where these aircraft would fit into their plans. The carrier was still adjusting to the financial issues it experienced after obtaining bankruptcy protection in 2005. It had also dropped services from Memphis and Cincinnati, which had previously been among its most important hubs. Boeing’s delivery delays for the Dreamliner played into Delta’s hands. It allowed them to negotiate a deferral on the delivery date to 2020 in 2010.

The table below includes specifications for the 787-8, the variant included in the order made by Northwest. It uses data issued by Boeing:

By 2016, the now-or-never moment for Delta and the Dreamliner had long passed. It announced cancellation in December 2016, and the terms of that cancellation have never been released. However, its public statements on the matter made clear efforts to smooth over any conflict with Boeing. Greg May, Senior Vice President – Supply Chain Management and Fleet, said: “Delta is one of the world’s largest operators of Boeing aircraft and our valued partnership with Boeing will remain strong as we safely and comfortably serve our customers across the world every day.”

What Explains The Cancellation?

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When Northwest reached the end of its life, it had an extremely diverse fleet that featured Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, Airbus and Bombardier aircraft. The fleet was totally lacking in modern examples. The widebody aircraft in the fleet skewed heavily towards Airbus, with a total of 31 A330s compared with 16 747s. Delta inherited these jets and decided to expand upon its Airbus widebody fleet with a further ten orders for A330-300s alongside 30 A321s. This was the first time Delta had made an Airbus order in 20 years and marked a significant shift towards the manufacturer. The pattern continued in 2014 when Delta placed an order for 25 A330-900s and 25 A350-900s.

The focus on Airbus models was a means to simplify its fleet, allowing it to negotiate better deals and reduce maintenance and training costs. The airline’s further simplification during the pandemic was also at Boeing’s expense. The carrier dispatched of its remaining 777s in 2020.

Boeing’s widebody aircraft are notably scarce among Delta’s current fleet of almost 1,000 aircraft. The only exceptions are the 39 767-300ER and 21 767-400ER. It has plans to operate these aging jets by 2030. Furthermore, the carrier has no Boeing widebodies on order. It only has 737 MAX 10s on order from the Boeing catalog, although this is a huge order for 100 planes, which will begin to be fulfilled in late 2027.

Delta Appears To Be Entering The Next Generation With Airbus’ Planes

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Following successful Airbus widebody operations, Delta has further made orders to ensure its fleet includes the latest Airbus has to offer. In January 2024, it announced orders for 20 A350-1000 with options for a further 20, and deliveries set to begin in 2026. Fulfillment of these orders will bring the airlines’ A350 fleet up to 60 by the end of the decade. The order also brings the airline up to 284 narrowbody and 48 widebody aircraft. Ed Bastian, Delta’s Chief Executive Officer, explained what the airline hoped to achieve with the order: “The A350-1000 will be the largest, most capable aircraft in Delta’s fleet and is an important step forward for our international expansion. The aircraft complements our fleet and offers an elevated customer experience, with more premium seats and best-in-class amenities, as well as expanded cargo capabilities.”

The table below includes the full range of firm commitments that Delta currently has as part of its ongoing fleet renewal:

Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 that outclass the A350-900’s engines, Delta claims these aircraft will have a 20% better fuel efficiency than its retiring jets. These planes will also be tailored more towards high-paying customers, with 15% more premium sets than Delta’s retiring aircraft.

Delta Could Be Moving Back To Boeing Widebody Aircraft

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Despite its public-facing commitment to Airbus widebody jets in the recent past, present, and future, rumors have been circulating that Delta is considering making Dreamliner orders to adjust to the coming retirement of its 767s by 2030. The speculation surrounds a 787-10 order. One Mile At A Time and JonNYC have both reported that the order could be confirmed by late 2025 or early 2026. It should be noted that Simple Flying contacted Delta for a response, but did not receive one. That means the 787 order remains just speculation.

All that can be done for now is to consider whether a 787 order would make operational and commercial sense. The 787-10 is a larger jet than the 787-9 with inferior range. That makes it a super-efficient option for high-volume but medium-haul routes. Examples in Delta’s network of such routes include trans-Atlantic flights like London-Heathrow to New York or Atlanta to Paris. Meanwhile, orders for A350-1000s and its existing fleet of A350-900s eliminate the need for further aircraft with an incredibly long range.

What Next For Delta’s Widebody Fleet?

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So, what do we know for certain about the direction that Delta Air Lines’ widebody fleet will go in the coming years and decade? Firstly, it will continue to commit to Airbus widebody aircraft. The active A350 orders are testament to its desire to stay up to date with Airbus’ widebody catalog. Given ongoing issues with the 777X and the absence of the aircraft from US airline order sheets, who can blame them?

Questions raised about a coming 787-10 order remain no more than speculation and gossip. It seems that this will remain the case for the foreseeable future. Should this order come to fruition, it would be a fascinating development in Delta’s fleet, but it will require some consideration. Without the maintenance and training infrastructure for the Dreamliner, operating the aircraft could be incredibly expensive. Perhaps Delta Air Lines needs to remember why it decided to cancel its 787 order almost a decade ago.