United Airlines to buy 100 Boeing 787

United Airlines on Tuesday unveiled an order of 100 new Boeing 787 Dreamliners, with options for an additional 100 jets, as the company banks on rebounding demand for international travel following a years-long pandemic slowdown.

The huge order, the largest by an American carrier for this class of aircraft, marks a victory for Boeing after 346 people died in two major 737 MAX crashes that grounded the jet globally for more than a year and a half.

Boeing has targeted mid-decade to return to its pre-pandemic financial health after the 737 MAX scandal and other woes.

United Chief Executive Scott Kirby, who also announced a giant Boeing and Airbus order in June 2021 ahead of rivals, predicted the airline's ambitious 787 plan would pay off for the carrier during a capacity-constrained period.

"United is really uniquely positioned to grow in a way that's going to be a huge challenge for others," Kirby told reporters.

Speaking at a signing ceremony, Kirby said that Boeing remained a vital company for the United States and that the order was a vote of confidence that the company had turned the corner after a difficult period.

"As much as anything, I trust you and I trust your company," Kirby told a crowd of Boeing employees, most donning blue Boeing t-shirts.

United expects the jets to be delivered between 2024 and 2032, with the new aircraft targeted to replace the 767 fleet that will be removed from service by 2030.