Air Canada swapping freighters for passenger jets

In a recently announced order with Boeing, Air Canada is swapping two previously ordered freighters for passenger planes.

The two Boeing 777 freighter aircraft will be replaced with Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft, as part of a larger order of 18 of the planes.

Air Canada said it placed a firm order with The Boeing Company for the Dreamliners. Deliveries of the new aircraft are scheduled to begin in Q4 2025 with the last aircraft scheduled for delivery in Q1 2027.

They will be used to replace older, less efficient wide-body aircraft currently in the Air Canada fleet. The agreement also includes options for another 12 Boeing 787-10 aircraft, which will provide flexibility for growth to meet future customer demand.

Air Canada currently operates 30 787-9 and eight 787-8 versions of the Dreamliner, with two more 787-9 aircraft scheduled for delivery from a previous order. The 787-10 is the largest model of the Dreamliner family and can carry more than 330 customers depending on the seat configuration, and has 175 cubic meters (6,187 cubic feet) of cargo volume.

According to Boeing, the 787-10 has up to 25 percent lower fuel emissions per seat than the aircraft it replaces.

Michael Rousseau, the carrier’s president and CEO, said passenger comfort is the airline’s priority. “Our experience shows customers greatly enjoy flying on the Dreamliner, so we are pleased to offer them a larger version of this popular aircraft, which will premiere a new, state-of-the-art interior cabin design. As importantly, the 787 is highly fuel efficient and will generate operational savings as well as support our sustainability goals of reducing emissions,” he said.

Fleet renewal

The acquisition of the new aircraft is part of an ongoing fleet renewal program at Air Canada, with the airline continuing to take delivery of new Airbus A220 aircraft, as well as plans to acquire 28 extra-long range (XLR) versions of the Airbus A321neo aircraft, also beginning in 2025.

In addition, as previously announced, Air Canada has finalized a purchase agreement for 30 ES-30 electric-hybrid aircraft under development by Heart Aerospace, which are expected to enter service in 2028.

In total, Air Canada currently operates approximately 240 aircraft in its mainline and Air Canada Rouge fleet.