The 777X in Everett

Where does the 777X stand in October 2026?

Late in certification, with first delivery expected in 2027. Boeing aims to finish flight testing by the end of 2026, except for ETOPS, which runs into next year.

In October 2025 Boeing pushed the first delivery to 2027 and took a $4.9 billion charge on the program (AP report). 2026 brought steady progress. The FAA moved the test campaign into its later phases, and in June FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency would certify the 777X after the 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10, which ruled out 2026 (Simple Flying).

CEO Kelly Ortberg's line since then: flight testing done by year end "with the exception of ETOPS", the extended-range tests a twin needs for ocean crossings (details). A seventh test jet joined the fleet on 29 July 2026 for exactly that job (report).

Which airlines are waiting for the 777X?

Lufthansa takes the first one. Emirates is the biggest customer with 270 777-9s, and Qatar Airways added 30 more in May 2025.

Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr said in March 2026 he expects the first 777-9 in the first quarter of 2027 and passenger flights that summer (Simple Flying). In May 2026 Boeing flew Lufthansa's first production jet, the first 777-9 with a full airline cabin instead of test equipment.

Emirates ordered 65 more at the November 2025 Dubai Airshow, which took its total to 270 (AP). Qatar Airways signed for 30 777-9s alongside 130 787s on 14 May 2025 (Boeing). Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, ANA and British Airways are in the queue too. More than 600 777X are on order across the passenger jet and the 777-8 Freighter, and none has been delivered.

What do visitors see of the 777X from the factory balcony?

The 777 and 777X final assembly line, from a balcony about 100 feet from the work stations. You get roughly 20 minutes up there.

The official tour page names one line: the 777/777X. The Herald reporter who went in December 2025 rode the bus from Future of Flight, walked an underground tunnel and climbed to the deck. Below, crews were joining forward and aft fuselage sections on a 777X due for Qatar Airways.

Expect big shapes, not small details. The guide fills in the process, and the Herald piece notes binoculars "would have helped". They are not allowed, and neither are phones or cameras. Guests on the shared tour this autumn mention it too: one wrote in September 2026 of "a detailed talk on the manufacturing process of the new 777x aircraft". Stop by stop, the tour is in what you see on the Boeing factory tour.

What are the 777-9's folding wingtips?

The outer 11 feet of each wing hinge upward on the ground. That cuts the span from 235 ft 5 in to 212 ft 9 in, so the jet fits the same gates as today's 777.

A longer wing burns less fuel. It also stops fitting airports. Boeing's answer was a hinge outboard of the fuel tanks and control surfaces, so the tips fold up once the plane slows after landing and drop back down before takeoff. The FAA wrote special conditions for it in 2018, since no airliner had done this before (MIT Technology Review).

Folded, the 777-9 fits Code E gates, the same class as the 777-300ER and 787. If you catch a finished 777-9 on the flight line from the Sky Deck, look at the ends of the wings: folded up, they are the easiest way to tell it from an older 777.

Which planes are built in Everett in 2026?

The 777 and 777X, the 767 Freighter until 2027, the 767-based KC-46 tanker, and since July 2026 the 737 MAX on the new North Line.

The Everett plant is the largest building in the world by volume, 472 million cubic feet (Guinness). It was built in 1967 for the 747, which ended there in January 2023. The 787 left for North Charleston, South Carolina, in 2021. Do not expect either on the tour.

Is it worth taking the tour to see the 777X before it enters service?

Yes, if planes are your thing. You watch a jet that no airline is flying yet being assembled, and the direct ticket costs $42 to $46.

Once Lufthansa starts flying the 777-9 in 2027, anyone can sit in one. Seeing the fuselages come together is a different thing, and only the Everett balcony offers it. Go on a weekday when there are fewer people on the deck.

Drive if you can: two adults pay under $100 in tickets and parking is free. Alone without a car, the shared tour at $135 is the simple way. Our guide to getting there from Seattle compares the options.

Coach from downtown Seattle, a driver-guide on Boeing history and the public 80-minute tour over the 777X line.

★ 4.5 · 4.5 hours · from $135

Explore the shared tour from Seattle → Tour details

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