Beijing will be one of the first destinations for Jetstar’s new Boeing 787 Dreamliners when the low-cost carrier takes delivery of the aircraft in 2013.

The Chinese capital became the first ever city to receive a scheduled international Dreamliner service when ANA flew its 787 to Beijing’s Capital International Airport earlier this year. And next year, Jetstar will launch the first ever low-cost Dreamliner flight to the city.

Jetstar’s B787-8 Dreamliners will gradually replace the Airbus A330s currently used on Jetstar’s long-haul international routes from Singapore to Beijing, Melbourne and Auckland. The new aircraft will be configured with business and economy class cabins.

The low-cost carrier is expected to receive the first of 15 Dreamliners as part of a Qantas Group order for 50 B787s.

“Innovation has been central to Jetstar’s success and so it’s a natural fit for us to be the first low fares airline to fly the Dreamliner,” said Jetstar CEO, Bruce Buchanan. “This aircraft will deliver significant savings in fuel and maintenance costs, which is the kind of innovation we rely on to help keep our fares low.

“It will deliver a quantum leap in passenger comfort through improvements like larger windows and better cabin pressure. Passengers can have this experience for less with Jetstar, which is why we refer to ourselves as the smart choice,” he added.

The B787-8 is the smaller version of the wide-body Dreamliner, seating between 210 and 290 passengers, depending on configuration.