The jetliner is recognizable for its large-diameter turbofan engines, raked wingtips, six wheels on each main landing gear, fully circular fuselage cross-section, and a blade-shaped tail cone.

In November 2013, Boeing announced the development of the third generation 777X (variants include the 777-8, 777-9, and 777-8F), featuring composite wings with folding wingtips and General Electric GE9X engines, and slated for first deliveries in 2026.

[15] In 1986, Boeing unveiled proposals for an enlarged 767, tentatively named 767-X,[16] to target the replacement market for first-generation wide-bodies such as the DC-10,[12] and to complement existing 767 and 747 models in the company lineup.

[16] However, airline customers were uninterested in the 767-X proposals, and instead wanted an even wider fuselage cross-section, fully flexible interior configurations, short- to intercontinental-range capability, and an operating cost lower than that of any 767 stretch.

[12] By March 1990, the group had decided upon a baseline configuration: a cabin cross-section close to the 747's, capacity up to 325 passengers, flexible interiors, a glass cockpit, fly-by-wire controls, and 10 percent better seat-mile costs than the Airbus A330 and McDonnell Douglas MD-11.

[44] Nine aircraft fitted with General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce engines[42] were flight tested at locations ranging from the desert airfield at Edwards Air Force Base in California[45] to frigid conditions in Alaska, mainly Fairbanks International Airport.

[45] The first Rolls-Royce Trent 877-powered aircraft was delivered to Thai Airways International on March 31, 1996,[53] completing the introduction of the three power plants initially developed for the airliner.

[25] New production methods were developed, including a turn machine that could rotate fuselage subassemblies 180 degrees, giving workers access to upper body sections.

[65] The -300ER, which combined the -300's added capacity with the -200ER's range, became the top-selling 777 variant in the late 2000s,[107] benefitting as airlines replaced comparable four-engine models with twinjets for their lower operating costs.

[109] On November 10, 2005, the first -200LR set a record for the longest non-stop flight of a passenger airliner by flying 11,664 nautical miles (21,602 km; 13,423 mi) eastward from Hong Kong to London.

[116][117] By the late 2000s, the 777 was facing increased potential competition from Airbus' planned A350 XWB and internally from proposed 787 series,[80] both airliners that offer fuel efficiency improvements.

General Electric improved the fan module and the high-pressure compressor stage-1 blisk in the GE-90-115 turbofan, as well as reduced clearances between the tips of the turbine blades and the shroud during cruise.

The outboard raked wingtip was to have a divergent trailing edge, described as a "poor man's airfoil" by Boeing; this was originally developed for the McDonnell Douglas MD-12 project.

[147] The wings are designed with increased thickness and a longer span than previous airliners, resulting in greater payload and range, improved takeoff performance, and a higher cruising altitude.

[165] The initial 777 models (consisting of the 777-200, 777-200ER, 777-300) were launched with propulsion options from three manufacturers, GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce,[166] giving the airlines their choice of engines from competing firms.

[178] The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aircraft type designator system adds a preceding manufacturer letter, in this case "B" for Boeing, hence "B772" or "B773".

[203][204][202] The 777F also features a new supernumerary area, which includes four business-class seats forward of the rigid cargo barrier, full main deck access, bunks, and a galley.

[183] Launched at the Paris Air Show on June 26, 1995, its major assembly started in March 1997 and its body was joined on July 21, it was rolled-out on September 8 and made its first flight on October 16.

Its higher MTOW and increased fuel capacity permits a maximum range of 7,370 nautical miles (13,650 km; 8,480 mi) with 392 passengers in a two-class seating arrangement.

The first program, the Quiet Technology Demonstrator (QTD) was run in collaboration with Rolls-Royce and General Electric to develop and validate engine intake and exhaust modifications, including the chevrons subsequently used in the 737 MAX, 747-8 and 787 series.

Values of 777-200ERs have declined by 45% since January 2014, faster than Airbus A330s and Boeing 767s with 30%, due to the lack of a major secondary market but only a few budget, air charters and ACMI operators.

[259] The aircraft, operated by British Airways, sustained fire damage to the lower wing panels and engine housing; it was later repaired and returned to service.

[255][265] The second hull loss occurred on July 29, 2011, when a 777-200ER scheduled to operate as EgyptAir Flight 667 suffered a cockpit fire while parked at the gate at Cairo International Airport before its departure.

[266] The third hull loss occurred on July 6, 2013, when a 777-200ER, operating as Asiana Airlines Flight 214, crashed while landing at San Francisco International Airport after touching down short of the runway.

[272][273][274] The fourth hull loss occurred on March 8, 2014, when a 777-200ER carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing as Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, was reported missing.

[281][282] On July 29, 2015, an item later identified as a flaperon from the still missing aircraft[283] was found on the island of Réunion in the western Indian Ocean, consistent with having drifted from the main search area.

[284] The fifth hull loss occurred on July 17, 2014, when a 777-200ER, bound for Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam as Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17), was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile while flying over eastern Ukraine.

[287][288] On the basis of the Dutch Safety Board and the Joint Investigation Team official conclusions of May 2018, the governments of the Netherlands and Australia hold Russia responsible for the deployment of the Buk missile system used in shooting down the airliner from territory held by pro-Russian separatists.

The pilots initiated a go-around procedure shortly after the wheels touched-down onto the runway; however, the aircraft settled back onto the ground, apparently due to late throttle application.

Media reports on legal proceedings attribute the fire to the ignition of chlorine dioxide disinfection tablets at high temperatures in a humid environment on ground.