China Airlines is continuing a major widebody fleet transition. The arrival of three ex-Sichuan Airlines Airbus A350-900 aircraft in 2026 has added capacity, but the aircraft formally designated to succeed the Airbus A330-300 fleet remains the Boeing 787 family. The extra A350s give the airline greater scheduling flexibility while its next-generation 787 program faces delays.
China Airlines explicitly identified the 787 as the replacement for its A330-300s when outlining the Dreamliner program in 2023. The current plan calls for 24 aircraft, comprising 18 787-9s and six 787-10s, to form the core of its medium-capacity widebody operation. The aircraft will support regional, medium-haul and selected long-haul routes. With a 787 orderbook larger than the existing A330 fleet, the program is intended to support capacity and network development as well as retirement of older aircraft.
According to China Airlines' published fleet figures for September 30, 2026, it then operated 12 A330-300s and 17 A350-900s. The third former Sichuan A350, B-18923, entered passenger service with China Airlines on October 22. The A350 additions strengthen the available widebody fleet, but there has been no airline disclosure assigning each newly acquired A350 to the direct retirement of a particular A330.
The retirement timeline has been affected by 787 delivery delays. China Airlines' May 2026 investor presentation anticipated eliminating the A330-300 fleet by 2027; at its August 20 investor conference, management revised the goal for both A330-300s and 737-800s to 2028. The initial target of five 787-9 deliveries during 2026 was also reduced to two, leaving older A330s in service longer than previously envisioned and requiring greater flexibility in aircraft lease returns.
In September, China Airlines President Chen Han-ming said the airline still hoped to receive two 787-9s by the end of 2026 and another 12 in 2027. The delays have involved seat crash-testing and associated certification work. These were management targets rather than confirmed delivery dates, and the A350 capacity already available helps bridge the period before the 787 fleet is fully introduced.
The A350-900 and 787 play different roles in China Airlines' fleet strategy. A350s serve high-demand and longer-haul widebody routes, while 787s are intended to take over the A330's medium-capacity role. The three acquired A350s may ease pressure on the wider fleet, but the final A330 withdrawal will still depend on actual 787 deliveries, operational needs and lease arrangements. The 2028 date is the airline's latest disclosed retirement target, not an unconditional guarantee.
