In 2024, Mexico’s Toluca International Airport (TLC) was seen hosting Boeing 777X test flights. While the Boeing 777X was not the first aircraft to conduct flight testing at Toluca, it does appear to be uncommon for Boeing to test its aircraft there. The Boeing 777X has been flying for five years now, having first flown in 2020. Boeing had planned for it to already be in service, but the aircraft has experienced FAA certification delays.
The delays have been aggravated by a collapse in confidence in Boeing’s quality assurance and transparency after it misled the FAA about the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) software on its 737 MAX aircraft. New technologies like the 777X’s folding wingtips are also likely delaying its certification, requiring extensive testing. Here is what to know about why the 777X was tested in Mexico and why it needs to be tested outside of the United States.
What To Know About Mexico’s High-Altitude Toluca Airport
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Toluca International Airport (officially Aeropuerto Internacional Licenciado Adolfo López Mateos) serves the city of Toluca, not far from Mexico City. It also functions as a secondary airport for the Greater Mexico City area and is the fifth-busiest city in Mexico. In 2024, the airport served around 1.7 million passengers and hosts cargo, scheduled passenger, charter, and other operations.
While designated as an international airport, the only scheduled passenger airlines operating there are Viva and Volaris. These airlines operate flights to other domestic Mexican destinations like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Monterrey, San Jose del Cabo, and Tijuana. Notably for Boeing, Toluca is also located at an altitude of around 8,465 feet and has a 13,800-foot runway.
This makes it a great destination for testing aircraft in hot weather and at high altitude. These tests assess an aircraft’s performance operating in these environments. Here, the warm air is less dense, reducing the lift generated by the wings and the thrust generated by the engines. The tests determine the aircraft’s maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) at higher altitudes and the aircraft’s pressurization. This is all feeds into what is published in the aircraft’s operations manual.
Boeing’s 777X Tests In Toluca
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A year ago, in August 2024, Boeing conducted “Hot & High” testing with a Boeing 777X (specifically 777-9), WH003/N779XY aircraft in Toluca. While there, Boeing tested the 777X’s engine, aerodynamic, and overall handling performance. This was part of the (still ongoing) FAA certification process. After the Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, the FAA’s confidence in Boeing was shaken. The FAA is still withholding type certificates for the MAX 7, MAX 10, and 777X.
Toluca is not a primary testing site for Boeing, with Boeing Field in Seattle and Colorado Springs being more prominent test sites. However, it can be used for high-altitude testing thanks to its elevation and challenging conditions. Toluca is not a regular testing hub for Boeing, but has been utilized on occasion for specific programs like the 777X.
Toluca International Airport (TLC)
Altitude:
8,465 feet
Location:
Toluca, State of Mexico, Mexico
Passenger airlines:
Viva, Volaris
Passengers:
1.4 million in 2024
This suggests that Boeing’s choice of Toluca is not a routine decision, and it’s unclear why Boeing chose it in 2024. These high-altitude tests more commonly take place at the more extreme El Alto International Airport in La Paz, Bolivia. It is unclear what circumstances made Boeing select Toluca in 2024. There appear to be no open records of Boeing testing other aircraft, such as the Boeing 737 Next Generation, 737 MAX, 757, or 787 Dreamliner, at Toluca.
Airbus Testing The A330-900neo In Toluca
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Boeing is not alone in testing aircraft in Toluca. In March 2024, Airbus conducted similar “Hot & High” flight testing with its A330-900neo aircraft registered F-WTTN. This was part of a broader test program for the A330neo that included tests in La Paz. The tests allowed the A330neo to be certified to operate at airports up to 12,500 feet in elevation.
Like the 777X, the A330neo is a modernization of an older 1990s-era widebody aircraft. Both of these aircraft have received new wings for better aerodynamic performance and new engines. The A330neo’s new lengthened wing replaced the suboptimal wing it shared with the related A340 quad-engine. Being designed for both a twin and quad-engined aircraft, the old wing was suboptimal for both. Meanwhile, the 777X’s wing is notable for having folding wingtips, allowing it to have better aerodynamic performance and remain within airport Code E regulations.
The 777X is exclusively powered by the massive GE Aerospace GE9X turbofan. This is the largest commercial engine ever made. The A330neo is exclusively powered by the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000. The 777X has so far attracted around 551 firm orders, all of which are from international customers, with more than half being from Emirates and Qatar Airways. The A330neo has attracted fewer orders, although its orders have gained traction in 2025 as Vietjet, Malaysia Airlines, and aircraft lessor Avolon placed significant orders.
Aircraft Testing At El Alto International Airport
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La Paz is famously the highest capital city in the world, and at 13,325 feet, El Alto International Airport is the world’s highest international airport. This makes it a great destination for aircraft manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus to conduct high-altitude flight testing. High-altitude conditions at large commercial airports don’t get much more extreme than those at La Paz.
Boeing has tested the Boeing 737 MAX 8, Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, and several other aircraft. Although it’s unclear if Boeing has tested all its aircraft, like the 757 and earlier 777s, there. Airbus has tested the A330-900, the A350-1000, and other aircraft there. It’s unclear if all Airbus aircraft, like the A320 or A380, were tested at El Alto. Bombardier also tested some of its aircraft there, although it’s unclear if Embraer has used the airport for testing.
Boeing conducts many of its tests at Boeing Field, otherwise known as King County International Airport (BFI) in Seattle. It was the primary airport serving Seattle until Seattle-Tacoma opened in 1944. However, the airport is only set at 21 feet above sea level. By contrast, a large number of tests are conducted at Colorado Springs Airport (COS), which sits at 6,187 feet above sea level.
Boeing has tested the Boeing 777X, 787 Dreamliner, and other aircraft at Colorado Springs. But while it has a high elevation by US airport standards and is considered challenging conditions for aircraft, it is far lower than El Alto and even Mexico’s Toluca. It’s unclear if Airbus has tested aircraft at Colorado Springs. One of the 777X prototypes, registered as N779XX, conducted high-elevation testing at Colorado Springs Airport in February 2024.
At the time, the 777X operated under the callsign “Boeing 002 Heavy,” and it performed eight takeoffs and landings using Colorado Springs’ Runway 17L. After that, Boeing moved on to testing the 777X at Mexico’s higher Toluca airport. It’s unclear if the 777X then moved onto El Alto or not. While Boeing can conduct most flight testing in the US, it lacks the high-altitude airports of other countries where these aircraft are expected to operate.
Clearing The Way For The 777X Introduction
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FAA certification for the Boeing 777X is still expected to be granted later in 2025, and the aircraft is expected to enter service in 2026. That said, it is not guaranteed that the FAA will award the type certificate for the 777X (or MAX 7 and MAX 10) in the coming months. After the tests in early and mid-2024, Boeing resumed test flights on its 777X in 2025.
The Boeing 777X has failed to attract a single order in either North or South America. The 777X is seen as too big for giant airlines like United Airlines, which operate around half a dozen dispersed hubs. However, it is well-suited for long-haul carriers like Qatar Airways and Emirates that operate a massive, singular hub.
In 2025, Boeing is only delivering Boeing 737s (specifically MAX 8s and MAX 9s) and Boeing 787s as passenger aircraft. This is because the Boeing 767 is only produced as a freighter and military aircraft, and the final passenger orders for the previous-generation 777-300ER have been delivered, except for a few questionable Pakistan International Airlines orders still on the books. In 2025, Boeing is only delivering freighter 777s as it readies the 777X for service in 2026.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner (specifically the Boeing 787-9 variant) is currently the most popular widebody aircraft on the market. It was built to replace the Boeing 767, complement the Boeing 777, and compete with the Airbus A330 (now A330neo) and the A350 that entered service four years after the Dreamliner. It also helped to doom the Airbus A380 as well as the Boeing 747-8i.
Even though Boeing slashed production of the 787 during the pandemic by shutting the assembly line in Seattle, it is currently being delivered in higher numbers than other widebody aircraft. Boeing is also working to expand its production in North Charleston, South Carolina, and ramp up production. Here is what to know about the Boeing 787’s deliveries in 2025 and beyond.
The Number Of Boeing 787s Delivered By Mid-2025
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As of mid-2025, Boeing’s records show it has a total unfulfilled backlog of 993 Boeing 787s on order from a total of 2,199 firm orders. This has made the Boeing 787 the best-selling widebody aircraft in history. But while Boeing wins that accolade, Airbus’ A320 family is the best-selling commercial jet in history and is becoming the most delivered commercial jet.
When it comes to deliveries, Boeing has delivered 399 of its 787-8 variant Dreamliners, 681 of its mid-sized 787-9s, and 126 of the 787-10s. That is a total of 1,206 Boeing 787s delivered since the first example entered service in 2011. While the rival Airbus A350, which entered service in 2015, has proven to be a popular aircraft, the Dreamliner has continued to outperform it in both orders and deliveries. A total of 1,428 A350s have been ordered, of which 669 have been delivered.
Orders for the Dreamliner continue to roll in, and in 2025, Boeing has amassed a total of 243 new orders for its Dreamliners. These are thanks in large part to Qatar Airways, which ordered 120 new 787s, while British Airways and Korean Air have also placed substantial orders. All orders have been for its 787-9 and 787-10 variants, and none are for the 787-8.
Boeing’s Past Dreamliner Delivery Rate
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Before the pandemic, the Boeing 787 was delivered in much larger numbers. Boeing was building them in both Everett in Seattle, and in North Charleston. In 2019, the last “normal” production year for the Dreamliner, Boeing delivered a total of 158 aircraft. In 2020, that dropped to just 53 and to only 14 examples in 2021. In the pandemic, Boeing shut down its Seattle assembly line for the 787.
In 2022, deliveries recovered somewhat to 31 examples and grew to around half the prepandemic rate of 73 in 2023. 2024 was another bad year for Boeing deliveries, with its total deliveries falling back to just 348 commercial aircraft (Airbus delivered 766 that year). In 2024, Boeing delivered 51 Dreamliners, although it has delivered 45 by mid-year 2025.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner deliveries by year since 2019 (per Boeing)
2019
158
2024
51
2020
53
2025 (mid-year)
45
2021
14
2025 (estimated)
75-80
2022
31
Planned end of 2025 rate
84 (seven per month)
2023
73
Total delivered (mid-2025)
1,206
While 2019 was the last “normal” production year for the Dreamliner, 2018 was the last “normal” year for Boeing’s commercial aircraft overall. In 2019, the second Boeing 737 MAX crashed, and Boeing’s deliveries have not recovered since. From 2015-2017, Boeing delivered between 748 and 763 aircraft, rising to 806 in 2018. Since then, the most it has delivered was in 2023, when it shipped 528 aircraft.
At the start of 2025, Boeing projected deliveries of 75 to 80 Dreamliners in 2025. That number includes both new-build jets and those currently in inventory that it has been unable to deliver. At the start of 2025, Boeing had an estimated 25 Boeing 787s built in previous years but stored before delivery. If those jets are delivered, then Boeing’s 2025 production would be 50-55 new aircraft.
787 orders and deliveries per Boeing mid-2025
Boeing 787-8
Boeing 787-9
Boeing 787-10
Total
Total number ordered (per Boeing, may include orders later canceled)
In 2019, Boeing was delivering the Dreamliner at a rate of 14 per month; by the start of 2025, that was just five per month, with plans to increase it to seven per month. Even so, that is only half of the pre-pandemic levels. Part of the issue is that Boeing is trying to restore its world-class quality control to its aircraft to ensure things like the Boeing 737 MAX crashes and the Alaska Airlines door plug blowout don’t happen again.
Leeham News says that when the expansion is finished in 2028, Boeing will have the capacity to reach a rate of 16 per month. If Boeing could deliver the aircraft at a rate of 16 per month, that would translate to 192 aircraft a year.
Story Of The Boeing 787-8
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The Boeing 787-8 was the first to debut, and it attracted a large percentage of the orders. However, the 787-9 hit the market in 2014, and since then it has attracted more orders, with new orders for the Boeing 787-8 drying up over time. Boeing only has 28 orders for the 787-8 remaining on its order book, over half (15) of which are for Emirates.
Since 2020, Boeing has only recorded eight new orders for the 787-8 variant. This suggests that the Boeing 787-8 may soon go out of production. Increased Dreamliner production means more 787-9s and 787-10s and not 787-8s. One of the reasons why the 787-9 is more popular is that the wings are better optimized for that variant than the 787-8 or 787-10.
Boeing 787-8
Boeing 787-9
Boeing 787-10
Range
7,305 nautical miles
7,565 nautical miles
6,330 nautical miles
Typical 3-class seating
248
296
336
Length
186 feet
206 feet
224 feet
The 787-9 is the longest ranged variant with a range of 7,565 nautical miles, compared with the 787-8’s 7,305 nautical mile range and the 787-10’s reduced 6,330 nautical mile range. The 787-8 is being outcompeted by both the 787-9 and the cheaper-to-operate but still large and long-range Airbus A321XLR. The A321XLR comes with a range of 4,700 nautical miles.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner Production To Recover By 2028
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After a decade-long dip in production due to the pandemic and lingering concerns with Boeing’s quality controls, the Dreamliner appears set to meet and even exceed its previous delivery rates around 2028. In 2025, the Dreamliner’s deliveries will remain around half that of pre-pandemic numbers but above that of 2024.
The 2025 final delivery rate will hinge to some degree on when Boeing can move the already-built Lufthansa Dreamliners and any others it has lying around. The future appears bright for the Dreamliner (except the 787-8) with large numbers of orders continuing to be placed and Boeing looking to restore its previously high levels of production. One of the major areas of uncertainty for the Dreamliner and Boeing aircraft in general is the ongoing trade war.
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The Airbus A330-800neo is one of two variants in the Airbus A330neo family, with the other being the A330-900neo. The A330neo is an upgrade over the original A330 variants, with new engines, updated wingtips, interior improvements, and software upgrades. The A330-900, directly succeeding the A330-300, has proven effective and has even found love in the United Statesat Delta Air Lines. Contrastingly, the A330-800 has been shunned in the US.
In some ways, you can consider the start of the A330neo to be the original A350 program. To compete against the Boeing 787, Airbus took the A330 family and added new engines along with a carbon-composite wing and a new cockpit. Airlines largely rejected the concept, prompting Airbus to create a clean-sheet aircraft, the A350 XWB, and move up in size. The A330neo was developed in the 2010s to slot underneath the A350 in price and capability.
The Airlines That Don’t Want The Airbus A330-800
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The A330-800 is Airbus’s smallest widebody, and given that the US is home to more Boeing 767s (a similarly-sized twinjet) than any other nation in the world, you’d expect the European manufacturer to make significant efforts to sell this jet here. However, Airbus hasn’t sold a single A330-800to a US airline. This is especially surprising considering that the prior A330-200 has been reasonably successful in the country, being operated by Delta, Hawaiian, and, previously, American Airlines.
United Airlines currently flies 53 aging Boeing 767s, but has committed to the 787 to replace these planes. Hawaiian Airlines, a current A330-200 operator, ordered Boeing 787-9s to replace its Airbus widebodies, although these planes are now slated to remain in service while the Dreamliners get transferred to Alaska Airlines. For American Airlines, meanwhile, its 767 and A330 fleets were fully retired during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the 787 serving as their replacement.
Only four airlines in the US operate passenger widebodies in scheduled service, and by and large, they have opted for the similarly sized Boeing 787. This is despite the fact that these planes are replacing the Boeing 767 or Airbus A330, which are optimized for medium-haul routes, similar to the Airbus A330neo. Notably, Hawaiian Airlines formerly held orders for six Airbus A330-800s, but cancelled them in favor of the Dreamliners.
Why Delta Air Lines Isn’t Buying Them
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Delta Air Lines is the largest operator of the Airbus A330-900 in the world and the largest operator of the A330 series as a whole. It operates 11 A330-200s, 31 A330-300s, and 37 A330-900s with two more on order, but has never ordered the A330-800, and has not announced plans to obtain more A330neos. What’s surprising is that the A330-900s were slated to partially replace the Boeing 767-300ER fleet, an aircraft significantly smaller than the A330-900.
You’d expect Delta to replace these aircraft with the A330-800, given that it would be far closer in size to the 767. However, going with the larger A330-900 instead was a conscious choice. Delta is looking to upgauge its entire network, replacing A320s and 737s with A321neos and 737 MAX 10s, while 767s are to be replaced with larger widebodies. Delta is looking to lower per-seat economics, and larger aircraft variants are cheaper to operate per-seat than smaller variants.
Aircraft Types In Service With Delta
Aircraft Types On Order By Delta
Airbus A220-100
Airbus A220-300
Airbus A220-300
Airbus A321neo
Airbus A319-100
Airbus A330-900
Airbus A320-200
Airbus A350-900
Airbus A321-200
Airbus A350-1000
Airbus A321neo
Boeing 737 MAX 10
Airbus A330-200
Airbus A330-300
Airbus A330-900
Airbus A350-900
Boeing 717-200
Boeing 737-800
Boeing 737-900ER
Boeing 757-200
Boeing 757-300
Boeing 767-300ER
Boeing 767-400ER
Delta only has two A330-900s left on order. It’s expected that at least part of its remaining A350 order will displace existing A330-900s that can replace the remaining 767-300ERs, which would again be a system-wide upgauge. Meanwhile, it’s been heavily speculated that the Atlanta-based carrier is looking to order Boeing 787-10s. With a possible delivery date in the early 2030s, these could replace older A330s and the Boeing 767-400ER, while also being a significant upgauge over both types.
Why The Airbus A330-800 Is Not Selling
Photo: Markus Mainka I Shutterstock
In the US, Delta is looking to upgauge its entire network, while other carriers are focusing on the Boeing 787. However, the A330-800 has also sold poorly around the world, with only eight total orders, while the A330-900 has received nearly 440. Seven have already been delivered: four to Kuwait Airways, two to Uganda Airlines, and one to Air Greenland. One more example is reported to have been ordered in an executive configuration.
The A330-800 is a direct replacement for the Airbus A330-200, which, in Delta’s premium-heavy configuration, seats 223 passengers. At the other end of the spectrum, Hawaiian’s leisure-focused A330-200s seat 278. With the new winglets and more efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000, the A330-800 now has a range of 8,100 NM (15,000 km) at a Maximum Takeoff Weight of 251 tonnes, and this is the issue.
The A330-200 that the A330-800 is based on was developed as a shrink of the original A330-300 (replaced by the A330-900). As such, the A330-200/800 is more expensive to operate per-seat than its larger counterparts. In the past, the A330-200 sold due to its additional range, but as the A330-300 grew more capable, sales for the A330-200 dried up. With the A330-900 now having up to 7,350 NM (13,600 km) of range, almost no airline is willing to sacrifice economics for the extra miles.
The Decline Of Short-Fuselage Variants
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In airliner design, manufacturers typically create the base design (Airbus A320, Boeing 757-200, Airbus A330-300, Boeing 777-200), then they will either shrink the fuselage (Airbus A319, Airbus A330-200) or stretch the fuselage (Boeing 757-300, Boeing 777-300). Shrinking typically results in a more capable plane with higher per-seat costs, while a stretched variant boasts the best per-seat costs but also has less range.
Manufacturers don’t always develop their aircraft in this manner (both Airbus A350 variants are optimized for their size), but this is typically how commercial aircraft are designed. This approach generally proved successful, as the A330-200 made up 46% of passenger A330ceo sales, while the A319, A320, and A321 were all popular. For first-generation A320 variants, only the A318 was a sales flop, with this variant being a shrink of a shrink.
Today, however, the A330-800 is far from the only reengined shrink that’s been unpopular. The A319neo has only received 57 orders, while slightly over 300 orders have been received for the Boeing 737 MAX 7. The 777-8’s development has been paused, and even sales for the Boeing 787-8 have slowed down dramatically. As the larger version of an airliner becomes more capable, such as during a re-engine program, demand for the shrink disappears.
Why Airbus Doesn’t Care About Selling A330-800s
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From a manufacturer’s position, a shrink allows you to capture a broader segment of the market by addressing the shortcomings of the original model. However, such jets are priced lower than a larger model, but cost practically the same to produce, thereby generating lower profit margins. Manufacturers prefer to sell larger variants whenever possible, as they generate the highest profits.
When significant demand exists for a smaller aircraft that is more capable, manufacturers will price it competitively. The sale price is a significant component in whether an airliner wins an order, and, as such, selling an A330-200 may have yielded lower profits than an A330-300 in the past, but this was still preferable over losing an order to the Boeing 767.
With the A330-800, however, airlines aren’t lining up to buy it, and Airbus spent little on developing it. The A330-900 captures nearly all of the market, and this variant generates higher profit margins. As such, Airbus is incentivized to price the A330-900 competitively, while the A330-800 has low demand and generates lower profits, so Airbus likely budges little on pricing. This lowers demand for the A330-800 even further, but Airbus would still rather sell more A330-900s.
The Bottom Line
The Airbus A330-800 has been sold to three airlines. This is the only widebody in Air Greenland’s fleet and is used for flights to Copenhagen, directly replacing an Airbus A330-200. For Kuwait Airways and Uganda Airlines, the type serves as a small, efficient, cheap widebody that has incredible capability. Kuwait Airways also operates the A330-900, making it easier for the airline to integrate it into the fleet.
While the A330-800 has so far proven a sales dud, Airbus is not focused on the variant’s individual orderbook. Rather, Airbus aims to make money on the A330neo program as a whole, and selling more A330-900s appears to be a winning strategy for the European planemaker. As such, the A330-800 will likely go down as one of the industry’s rarest birds, similar to other reengined shrinks like the Airbus A319neo.
Delta Air Lines
