Virgin Atlantic said to agree to buy 24 Boeing 787 Dreamliners

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Virgin Atlantic Airways VA.UL has agreed to buy 24 Boeing (BA.N) 787 Dreamliners, the Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site on Tuesday.

The deal, worth $3.6 billion (1.8 billion pounds) at list prices, is expected to be announced later Tuesday, the Journal said, citing unnamed sources.

The orders were previously booked on Boeing's Web site but the buyer had not been identified, the Journal said.

Virgin's Richard Branson and Boeing Chief Executive W. James McNerney are also expected to unveil a partnership to begin testing biofuel in a Virgin-owned Boeing 747 next year, the paper said.

A Boeing representative declined to comment. A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.