HONOLULU — Hawaiian Airlines is picking Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner over the Airbus A330 to be what it calls its “flagship aircraft of the future.”
Hawaiian said Tuesday it’s signed a non-binding letter of intent to buy 10 Boeing 787-9 planes. It has purchase rights for an additional 10 more.
The airline says the Dreamliner’s excellent fuel efficiency makes it an ideal choice for its long-haul flights from Hawaii to Asia and North America. The first 787 is expected to arrive in Hawaii in 2021.
Hawaiian considered buying the Airbus A330-900 but decided on the Dreamliner.
Hawaiian currently operates 54 aircraft made by both Boeing and Airbus. It has 24 Airbus A330-200 planes and 8 Boeing 767 wide-body aircraft. It also flies Airbus A321neo and Boeing 717 narrow-body jets.