The Federal Aviation Administration certified increased maximum takeoff weight (iMTOW) options for Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 on March 23, 2026, enabling airlines to add payload or extend range on these widebody jets.
All 787-9 and 787-10 aircraft assembled since December 2025 are structurally capable of the upgrade. Airlines can activate iMTOW at delivery or later, as certified weight influences airport fees and route economics. The first such aircraft are advancing toward delivery after final assembly, inspections, and flight tests.
For the 787-9, the 10,000-pound (4,540 kg) MTOW increase to 571,500 pounds (259.2 metric tons) supports three metric tons of extra payload or over 300 nautical miles (560 km) added range. The 787-10 gains 14,000 pounds (6,350 kg) to 574,000 pounds (260.3 metric tons), allowing five metric tons more payload or over 400 nautical miles (740 km) range.
“We started this effort after airlines sent Boeing a clear message: they wanted greater flexibility,” said John Murphy, 787 Chief Project Engineer. “Some wanted the 787-10 to fly longer missions; others wanted the 787-9 to carry additional payload with range trade-offs. Boeing designed a solution that delivers both.”
Air New Zealand, 787-9 launch customer, leads adoption. One of its upgraded 787-9s has completed final assembly. “This upgrade gives us greater ability to carry additional payload on our ultra-long-haul routes,” said Baden Smith, Air New Zealand General Manager of Strategy, Networks, and Fleet.
The certification followed years of engineering, testing, and regulator coordination to verify structural loads, performance, and systems at higher weights. It arrives 15 years after 787 entry into service in 2011, with over 1,250 units delivered worldwide.