Originally Posted by Longboater

Actually the 275 tonne A350-900 has slightly shorter range than the 787-9, coming in at 7,590 nm as opposed to the 787-9's 7,635 nm range. While the A350-900 has a roughly ten per cent higher capacity as compared to the 787-9, SQ's A350-900 configuration seats only one more passenger as compared to UA's 787-9. This will change when the 280 tonne A350-900 debuts in 2020. Unlike the ULR 280 tonne version, this does not have extra fuel tanks and will have a range of 8,100 nm. With SQ's low density on their A350-900s, the standard 280 tonne version could do LAX-SIN without blocking seats and could probably carry some cargo in the summer.

LAX-SIN and QF's upcoming PER-LHR will really stretch the limits of the 787-9. QF's configuration will seat 236 whereas UA seats 252. However UA's 787-9 seats more upfront than either QF's 787-9 configuration or SQ's A350-900 configuration. Granted its an outmoded 2-2-2 product and lack of a W product, UA should have no trouble selling upfront. It may become problematic in the future when SQ restarts LAX-SIN but its a good sign UA was able to hold its own on SFO-SIN when competing directly with SQ. Obviously, that probably won't be sustainable in the long run if the 787-9s are the last UA aircraft to receive the Polaris hard product. Sooner versus later UA will launch a W product and I imagine it would be installed on the 787-9 at the same time as the Polaris hard product.