BEIJING - United Airlines announced Sunday that it will operate daily flights between Los Angeles and Shanghai with Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes for the first time.

The airline, a major US passenger carrier, will start the service from March 31, 2013. It will also operate several other flights with the 787 from 2013, including flights between Denver and Tokyo, Los Angeles and Tokyo, as well as between Houston and Lagos, Nigeria.

Greg Hart, the airline's Senior Vice-President of Network, said the 787 was the right aircraft for the routes because of its passenger-friendly amenities and sound operating economics.

The company has ordered a total of 55 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft and will use them in more routes in the future, Hart said.

The first flight of a Boeing 787 to Chinese mainland was from Tokyo to Beijing, operated by Japan Airlines in May 2012.