It's official: Boeing 777X will take to the skies Thursday
UPDATE (Thursday, Jan. 23): Boeing delays first 777X flight
ORIGINAL POST: Boeing's updated 777 wide-body is set to fly for the first time Thursday, beginning a series of test flights needed before the aircraft can be certified for commercial service.
The flight is to take off around 10 a.m. local time (1 p.m. ET) at Boeing's assembly line facility near Everett, Washington.
The 777X is the latest update to the wide-body airframe that took its maiden flight in 1994 and first came into service about a year later with United Airlines.
Thursday's flight signals the start of "the next phase of its rigorous test program," according to Boeing spokesman Paul Bergman. But, he added, the flight could still get pushed to another day.
Sign up for the free daily TPG newsletter for more airline news.
"Flight testing is dynamic," Bergman wrote in a statement. "The date could change due to weather and other factors."
The test flight has already been delayed due to issues with General Electric's GE9X engines, which have had to undergo a redesign.
This newest version of of the 777 will be the biggest twin-engine passenger jet ever built, capable of seating well over 400 passengers for the larger variant, known as 777-9. The smaller 777-8 will be able to fly farther. Collectively, the two are referred to as 777X. Only the 777-9 has been built so far.
Overall – at 251 feet, 9 inches for the bigger "dash-9 variant" – the 777X will be longer than Boeing's current-generation 777 models.
Related:Video: Watch the Boeing 777X test aircraft stretch its wings
The 777X also will feature a wider wingspan. That's led to what's sure to become on of the jet's signature features: folding wingtips. The jet's wingspan of 235 feet is wider than any other Boeing – including the 747-8. It's so wide that the 777X would face a tight fit finding a gate at some airports. But, with the wingtips folded up, the wingspan drops to 212 feet, 8 inches – an easier fit for when it needs to navigate to a gate at a congested airport.
Boeing's 777X will compete most directly with Airbus' new A350 model, though it likely will become a candidate for airlines looking to replace older aging older jumbo jets like Boeing's own 747 and Airbus' discontinued A380.
The European-produced A350 has already gained favor among passengers, and operates on high profile routes like Singapore Airline's nonstop to Newark, the current longest flight in the world. Boeing also lost out to Airbus when Qantas announced it favored the A350 for its proposed Project Sunrise flights, which would provide nonstop service from Sydney to New York and London.
The 777X's range is listed at about 8,400 miles (7,285 nautical miles) for the dash-9 model, according to Boeing. The dash 8 would have a range of about 10,000 miles (8,730 nautical miles).
The 777X's story is also inextricably intertwined with the ongoing 737 MAX saga. The 777X was rolled out to the public on March 13 of last year, the same day that the Federal Aviation Administration grounded the narrowbody in response to two crashes that combined killed 346 people.
The test flight will present Boeing with its first relatively high-profile opportunity to exhibit the renewed commitment to safe engineering its new CEO has promised. In the last few months, the manufacturer's safety culture has been under scrutiny as internal communications were released that showed employees questioning the safety of the jets they were working on.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees