British Airways is reshuffling where its Boeing 787 Dreamliners fly, and the schedule changes landing from October 2026 onwards open up some genuinely interesting options for passengers who care about which aircraft they're on.

The airline runs one of the world's largest 787 fleets — 44 aircraft across all three variants: 12 of the smaller 787-8 (204 seats), 18 of the mid-size 787-9 (215-216 seats) and 14 of the stretch 787-10 (256 seats). Every one of them currently operates out of London Heathrow, though BA plans to eventually base 787-10s at Gatwick too, replacing its higher-capacity, fewer-premium-seat 777-200ERs.

The headline additions: Johannesburg gets the 787-9 up to daily from October 25, 2026, replacing the A380 through late March. The same day, two former Gatwick routes move to Heathrow entirely on the Dreamliner — San José in Costa Rica (up to five weekly) and Tampa (up to daily), both previously flown with 777s. The San José switch is notable: it's the first time Heathrow has had a direct Costa Rica service in the route's decade-long history.

From January 9, 2027, Melbourne via Kuala Lumpur returns as a daily 787-9 operation — the routing comes back after two decades away. Then from March 28, 2027, three more markets convert: Bahrain goes daily on the 787-9 (the route is currently suspended), Rio de Janeiro goes daily on the 787-8, and San Francisco gets a daily 787-9 mixed in with its 777s.

There's also a quirky short-haul twist. From October 28, 2026, the Dreamliner returns to the Heathrow–Madrid hop, a route it last served between 2017 and 2022. It's mostly about belly-hold cargo capacity for South American freight, and it's one of the few routes worldwide scheduled to see all three 787 variants. The widebody operates flight BA460, leaving Heathrow around 8:45am and arriving Madrid early afternoon, returning as BA461 mid-afternoon. Worth knowing if you're chasing a specific variant: BA occasionally swaps in an A320, so check Flightradar24 close to your travel date.

Why does this matter to travellers? The 787 is a newer, quieter, more fuel-efficient aircraft with better cabin humidity and larger windows than the 777s it's replacing on several of these routes. If you're booking San José, Tampa, Melbourne or Rio from late 2026, you're likely to get the Dreamliner by default — and on Johannesburg, you'll trade the A380's upper deck for a more modern twin-aisle experience. Aviation enthusiasts can also plan specific dates around the Madrid timetable, where BA has published which variant flies when.

One caveat: this reflects schedules as known in mid-November, and BA has already pulled the 787 from six other routes, so expect some movement before these dates firm up.