Air India to Upgrade Dreamliner Fleet in 2026, Retiring Eight Boeing 787-8 Aircraft

Air India Completes First Retrofitted Boeing 787-8 Plane

Air India has received the first of its retrofitted legacy Boeing 787-8 planes, a key aircraft in the airline's long-haul operations. The plane, which features a 250-seat configuration in three classes: business, premium economy, and economy, landed in the national capital on April 13.

The airline expects to complete retrofitting of seven more legacy Boeing 787-8 planes this year as part of its ambitious transformation plan. According to Air India's Chief Customer Experience Officer Rajesh Dogra, the airline expects to complete retrofitting of a total of eight legacy Boeing 787-8s this year.

The retrofitted plane, VT-ANT, underwent a nose-to-tail cabin refresh at Boeing's Modification Center in Victorville, California, and the painting was done at AeroPro, an aircraft paint facility in San Bernardino, California. The airline has a total of 33 Boeing 787s or Dreamliners in its fleet of over 190 planes.

The retrofit of legacy Boeing 787-8 planes is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, with 85% of the work expected to be finished by that time. The retrofitting of all such aircraft is likely to be over by the first quarter of 2028.

| Retrofit Status | Number of Aircraft | | --- | --- | | Completed | 1 | | In Progress | 7 | | Total Planned | 8 |

In a related development, the airline has also announced plans to retrofit its legacy Boeing 777 planes, which is expected to start in the second half of 2027. The airline's CEO and MD, Campbell Wilson, said that the retrofit of its first widebody aircraft is a visible symbol of the momentum behind the airline's transformation.

Air India Group, which comprises Air India and Air India Express, has plans to receive 6 new wide-body planes in 2026, including Boeing 787-9s and A350-1000s, along with 20 narrow-bodied aircraft.