Malaysia Aviation Group nears order for about 10 Boeing 787-10s

The order taking shape

The order would put the Dreamliner into Malaysia Airlines' fleet for the first time and bring Boeing back into its widebody operations after the airline retired its last 777-200ERs in 2016. Ten 787-10s would be worth about USD 3.38 billion at list prices, a figure the industry trims substantially through discounts, engines and support packages.

For MAG, the order would do two jobs at once. It would replace seven leased Airbus A350-900s and add three jets for long-haul growth, the people told Bloomberg. The commercial case rests on delivery positions. Boeing offered slots beginning in 2031, earlier than Airbus could match, according to the people. Engine terms pointed the same way, with GE Aerospace said to have offered better conditions than Rolls-Royce. Neither manufacturer has confirmed anything. MAG did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Boeing and Airbus declined to comment.

That leaves the order short of a contract. The signature, the firm model breakdown, the engine choice and whether MAG buys or leases the aircraft are all still pending.

Why the A350s are in play

Malaysia Airlines flies seven A350-900s, all leased, and the leases run out early in the next decade. High lease rentals are the reason the type is being replaced rather than retained.

Captain Nasaruddin Bakar, MAG's president and group CEO, set out the arithmetic in August. "We've got seven [leased A350s] today. So of course, there will be a minimum seven to replace. But we're looking at growth as well. So there will be more than seven," he told The Edge Malaysia. The airline weighed the Airbus A350-1000, the Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 and the 777X before moving toward the largest Dreamliner.

What it means for the fleet

Malaysia Airlines does not fly the 787 today. Its passenger widebody fleet is entirely Airbus: 29 A330s and seven A350-900s.

The A330 side is mid-renewal. Ten A330-900s have arrived, alongside 13 A330-300s and six A330-200s, and MAG holds commitments for 40 A330-900s in total. The 20 ordered in 2025 are scheduled to arrive between 2029 and 2031. A 787 order would not reverse that. There is precedent for a false start: in 2017 Malaysia Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding covering eight 787-9s, and it never became a firm order.

Range and capacity trade-off

The 787-10 is the biggest Dreamliner. Boeing lists typical two-class capacity of 300 to 375 passengers, while Aviacionline put the figure at 300 to 336. Airbus gives the A350-900 a typical three-class figure of 332 to 352.

Malaysia Airlines fits 286 seats into its A350-900s across four cabins, so the density comparison is not like for like. Range is where the two diverge, and the published numbers do not agree. Air Data News put the 787-10 at 13,890 km against 15,750 km for the A350-900. Simple Flying gave 11,730 km for the 787-10 and the same 15,750 km for the A350-900. Either way the Airbus flies further, which matters for any future ultra-long route. Both types cover Malaysia Airlines' European and Australian network, according to Simple Flying.

Politics and what comes next

The order sits inside a trade story. US President Donald Trump has tied Boeing purchases to trade agreements. He and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced last year that Malaysia would buy 30 Boeing aircraft, with options on 30 more.

How the reported 787s would fit that commitment is not public.

Nasaruddin said in August that MAG expected to decide before the end of the year. Waiting costs delivery slots, he warned. The global backlog is about 18,000 aircraft, he said, and an order placed today can take five to seven years to arrive.