Boeing Co gives a sneak peek of the first 787-9 Dreamliner for Air China.

The flag carrier's highly anticipated first 787 Dreamliner, Registration 7877, is scheduled to join the airline's fleet later this week, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Upon the first 787 delivery scheduled on May 18 in Boeing' South Carolina plant, Air China will become the first Chinese airline having stretched Dreamliner.

According to an earlier report, the Beijing-based carrier will operate its 787-9 aircraft to Frankfurt (July 15), Guangzhou (July 1) and Rome (August 1) after familiarization flights to Shanghai Hongqiao on June 1.

Meanwhile, Air China has removed planned 787-9 inaugural schedule on May 26. Chengdu will be the inaugural destination for its first 787-9 Dreamliner, with flight CA4114 from Beijing for crew training and familiarization purposes.

Air China's 787-9 will be configured with 293 seats in a three-class layout - 30 lie-flat seats in Business Class in rows of 11-15, 34 seats in Premium Economy Class, arranged 3-3-3 from rows 31 through 34, and 229 Economy seats also stacked 3-3-3 from rows 35 through 61.