The four B787-800 aircraft, due to be delivered from 2013 onwards, will now be replaced by the larger B787-900 aircraft.

The total number of aircraft on order remains at 55, split between 36 B787-800 aircraft and 19 B787-900 aircraft.

“The decision to order more of the larger variant will give ANA greater flexibility as it expands its international route network,” the airline said in a statement.

ANA is the launch customer for the Dreamliner and has so far taken delivery of seven of the 55 aircraft.

The aircraft has been operating on domestic Japanese routes as well as Haneda–Frankfurt since last autumn.

ANA plans to launch long-haul 787 services from Tokyo to Seattle and San Jose on the US West Coast in the current fiscal year.

The carrier flies to 77 domestic and international cities in a fleet of 232 aircraft serving a network of 168 routes.

It operates 1,000 flights a day and carried 43 million passengers last year, generating revenues of $17.1 billion.

ANA has been a core member of Star Alliance since 1999 and launched a joint venture with United Airlines on trans-Pacific and Asia routes in April 2011.

The airline also launched a joint venture with Lufthansa on Japan–Europe routes in October 2011.