While United Airlines has had its ups and downs in terms of service and profitability, one area where the airline has always led is that it is an early adopter of the latest Boeing and Airbus aircraft. The Boeing 767-200 was no exception.
United Airlines was the launch customer for the Boeing 767-200, which launched at about the same time as its smaller twin, the Boeing 757-200. The Boeing 767-200’s first flight took place on 26 September 1981. Just under a year later, on 8 September 1982, the type entered service with United Airlines.
The Boeing 767-200 was very fuel-efficient for its time
In 1982, United didn’t miss a beat in highlighting its new fuel-efficient twin-jet. In this now very retro ad, United touted the advanced technology of the wide-body aircraft. The Boeing 767 was pretty groundbreaking. It had one of the first commercial cockpits with CRT technology (also known as a glass cockpit). The Boeing 767 shared commonality with the Boeing 757, allowing for a common type rating. United’s Boeing 767 also had ‘larger’ bins (tiny by today’s standards) for carry-ons and a more modern cabin. While United retired the 767-200 series in 2005. They still fly both the Boeing 767-300ER (34 in service as of September 2025) and -400ER (16 in service) today.
