Air Canada has announced it is expanding the use of its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to two additional Asian destinations in the new year.

The airline will begin using the aircraft on flights from Vancouver to Beijing in February and Vancouver to Seoul in March.

Air Canada started flying the 787 out of Vancouver in October on flights to Shanghai, and will fly from YVR to Tokyo beginning in December.

Air Canada has ordered 37 Dreamliners — at a total cost of $6 billion — and says it will bring six of them into service by year-end. It will take possession of the rest by 2019.

Built by Boeing, the Dreamliner can seat between 210 and 325 passengers depending on the configuration. It is made with carbon-fibre composite materials and features a sophisticated electrical system.

According to Air Canada and Boeing, the 787 is quieter, lighter and 20 per cent more fuel efficient than similar-sized planes, and has up to 45 per cent more cargo capacity.

Air Canada says the carbon-fibre allows for more humidity in the cabin, and allows the plane to fly at a higher altitude, away from turbulence.