Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner

Updated: October 2026 – A Dreamliner taxis to the runway, the engines have the typical serrations at the end, the wings end without winglets. But the fuselage looks unusually long, almost as if someone had stretched the aircraft lengthwise: then you’re very likely looking at a Boeing 787-10. This page shows you how to tell it from the 787-9, A350-1000 and 777-300ER and where your best chances are in Europe.

What is the Boeing 787-10?

The 787-10 is the third and longest version of the Dreamliner. Boeing derived it from the 787-9 and stretched the fuselage by around 5.5 meters, split between a plug ahead of the wing and one behind it. Wing, cockpit and engine options stayed the same. According to Boeing, a two-class cabin holds 300 to 375 seats, and the wingspan is 60.1 meters, as on its sisters.

The idea behind it: more seats and cargo per flight, in exchange for somewhat less range than the 787-9. The 787-10 is thus tailored for medium long-haul routes, typically flights within Asia, across the Atlantic or to the Middle East. For ultra-long-haul, airlines tend to reach for the 787-9. Boeing’s current website gives a range of up to 7,500 nautical miles, around 13,890 kilometers; earlier manufacturer figures were significantly lower. What an individual airline makes of that depends heavily on cabin and loading.

The program was launched in June 2013 at the Paris Air Show, with Singapore Airlines as launch customer. The roll-out followed in February 2017, the first flight on March 31, 2017 in North Charleston. On March 25, 2018, Boeing handed the first aircraft to Singapore Airlines, and in early April 2018 it entered scheduled service. One peculiarity: the 787-10 was built only in North Charleston, South Carolina from the start, because its center fuselage sections are too large to transport to the Everett factory. Since 2021, Boeing has assembled all Dreamliners there. You’ll find more on the manufacturer on the page about Boeing.

The three steps to a reliable ID

With the 787-10, you first identify the family and then the variant. The family is easy; the variant takes a practiced eye or the registration.

The proportions are a good hint but not proof – perspective and focal length distort lengths quickly. In the end, the registration confirms the variant. How to read registrations is explained in the guide Understanding aircraft registrations.

787-8, 787-9 or 787-10?

All three versions share the 60.1-meter wingspan and the basic layout. The decisive difference is length.

Feature	787-8	787-9	787-10
ICAO type designator	B788	B789	B78X
Length	56.7 m	62.8 m	68.3 m
Wingspan	60.1 m	60.1 m	60.1 m
Height	16.9 m	17.0 m	17.0 m
Seats (2 classes, Boeing)	200–275	250–325	300–375
Range (Boeing, up to)	approx. 14,820 km	approx. 15,370 km	approx. 13,890 km

Interesting for spotters: on the 787-8, the wingspan is greater than the fuselage length; on the 787-10, it’s the other way around – it is over eight meters longer than its wings are wide. It is exactly this impression of a “too long” fuselage that is the identifying feature in the field. We cover the middle sister on the page about the Boeing 787-9 and the compact original version on the page about the Boeing 787-8.

Technically, Boeing equipped the 787-10 with an adapted main landing gear that allows rotation over the rear wheels at takeoff, reducing the risk of a tail strike. From the outside this is barely noticeable; the wheel count stays at four per leg.

787-10, A350-1000 or 777-300ER?

The 787-10 plays in the same league as the big twinjets from Airbus and Boeing. From a distance, you’re most likely to confuse it with the A350-1000 or the 777-300ER. The finder helps narrow it down.

At 73.78 meters, the Airbus A350-1000 is around five and a half meters longer than the 787-10 and has a much larger wing. The Boeing 777-300ER is yet another size up, at almost 74 meters long with a wingspan of just under 65 meters. Next to both, the 787-10 looks slimmer and more delicate. The Airbus A330-900 can also look similar from a distance, but it carries curved sharklets on the wingtips and a cockpit mask. The guide Telling Airbus and Boeing apart collects general tricks for such cases.

Who flies the 787-10?

The largest fleets are in Asia, North America and the Gulf. Operators include Singapore Airlines as launch customer, United Airlines, Korean Air, ANA, Saudia and Etihad Airways. In Europe, there are two names:

• KLM was the first European airline with the 787-10 in June 2019. The Dutch carrier has gradually expanded its fleet since then and operates the type from its hub at Amsterdam Schiphol.
• British Airways took delivery of its first 787-10, registration G-ZBLA, in June 2020 and ordered twelve aircraft in total. Its home is London Heathrow.

Important for German, Austrian and Swiss spotters: Lufthansa operates the 787-9, not the -10. Swiss and Austrian Airlines don’t have a 787-10 in their fleets either. In the DACH region, the type is therefore always a visitor of foreign airlines. Your chances come mainly from long-haul connections by airlines that have the type in their fleet, for example from the Gulf or from North America. Which aircraft actually comes on a route changes with the schedule and aircraft rotations, though – don’t rely on a fixed 787-10 connection into the DACH region.

Location	Chance of a hit	Why
Amsterdam Schiphol	high	Home base of the KLM 787-10 fleet
London Heathrow	high	British Airways and international long-haul airlines
Frankfurt	irregular	Foreign airlines with changing equipment
Munich, Zurich	irregular	Heavily dependent on schedule and rotations

How to follow such flights live is explained in the article on flight tracking with ADS-B. What’s behind type codes like B78X, you can read in the guide IATA and ICAO codes explained.

Spotting tips: where to catch the 787-10 best

Amsterdam Schiphol is the most obvious address for spotters from Germany. At the Polderbaan spotter place, you often get long-haul jets from a short distance – provided the Polderbaan is in use at the moment. Schiphol changes its runway use depending on wind and time of day, so it’s worth checking the current runway direction. How to estimate it is explained in the article Understanding runway direction at airports.

At London Heathrow, Myrtle Avenue is the classic for landings with westerly operations: the aircraft come in low over your head, so you can judge the length of the fuselage very well. There you meet many international airlines in addition to British Airways.

In the DACH region, you need patience and a plan. In Frankfurt, the Zeppelinheim viewing platform is a good choice, in Zurich Spectator Terrace B, in Munich the visitors’ hill. First pick out a specific B78X flight in a tracking service and then plan spot and time around it.

Whether your vantage point is legally unproblematic is covered in the article Is plane spotting allowed?.

Photo tips specifically for the 787-10

The 787-10 is an elegant subject, but its length makes its own demands on framing and perspective.

When the light suits your spot, you can calculate in advance; how that works is covered in the guide Planning sun position for your photo spot. The article Lens and focal length for plane spotting discusses suitable focal lengths. And if you’re just starting out, Identifying aircraft types for beginners helps you get started.

Common mix-ups and how to rule them out

Conclusion

The 787-10 is the Dreamliner for spotters with a trained eye. You recognize the family instantly by the chevrons and winglet-free wings, the long fuselage tells you the variant, and the registration provides the confirmation. In German-speaking countries it is a rare visitor, which makes every sighting something special. If you want to see it for sure, plan a trip to Amsterdam or London.