Boeing’s long-delayed 787 Dreamliner took off Tuesday on its maiden flight to Tokyo, where it is scheduled to go into commercial service next month for Japan’s All Nippon Airways.

The medium-size twin-engine aircraft is supposed to be more fuel-efficient than similar size jetliners, in part because of weight saved by the widespread use of composite materials instead of aluminum.

While those materials will make for a more comfortable passenger cabin, they were also a reason for three years of delays while Boeing and its suppliers around the world worked out manufacturing and other problems.

The plane will make its first commercial fight between Tokyo and Hong Kong October 26. Dreamliners will go into service on routes to Beijing and Frankfurt as the carrier receives more of the planes.

Boeing says it already has orders for more than 800 787s, making it the company’s best-selling new jet ever.