A major milestone for the long-delayed Boeing 777X program was reached as the first production-standard Boeing 777-9 for an airline customer successfully completed its inaugural test flight from Paine Field. The aircraft, registered N20080 and designated WH128, departed from Everett before landing safely just before 5:00 PM local time.
The aircraft will eventually join the fleet of Lufthansa, the launch customer for the Boeing 777X family. Lufthansa currently holds 20 firm orders for the Boeing 777-9, with WH128 expected to become the airline’s first delivered aircraft in early 2027. The flight was tracked live by aviation enthusiasts through Flightradar24 and confirmed by Paine Airport on X.
Originally expected to enter commercial service in 2020, the Boeing 777-9 program faced years of setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, certification pauses, manufacturing concerns, and Boeing’s wider regulatory and quality crises. Boeing has acknowledged the program is now nearly seven years behind schedule and approximately $15 billion over its original budget.
Despite the delays, the Boeing 777-9 remains one of the most advanced commercial aircraft ever built. Measuring 76.7 meters in length with folding wingtips extending its span to over 76 meters, it is currently the world’s largest twin-engine passenger jet. Powered by GE9X engines, the aircraft is designed to carry around 426 passengers over ultra-long-haul routes of nearly 13,500 kilometers.
The successful first flight of WH128 is being viewed as Boeing’s strongest sign yet that the troubled 777X program is finally progressing toward service entry. For Boeing, Lufthansa, and airlines awaiting more than 200 ordered aircraft worldwide, the flight represents one of the aviation industry’s most significant developments of 2026.