Boeing’s 737 Max 10 Receives Approval for Passenger Service

The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Tuesday that Boeing’s 737 Max 10 airliner has finally been approved for passenger operations after facing years of delays.

This certification marks a significant step for Boeing as it works to rebuild its reputation and regain its financial stability, following numerous challenges related to safety, quality, and production. Now that production is authorized, the aircraft can be marketed to airlines both domestically and internationally.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shared in a statement, “After rigorous safety reviews, which included thousands of hours of test flights, the FAA team is ready to give the green light for this vital aircraft.”

Duffy is schedule to discuss this decision further during a visit to Boeing’s manufacturing facility in Everett, Washington, later on Tuesday.

The Max 10 is seen as a crucial component of Boeing’s strategy to strengthen its position in the narrow-body aircraft segment.

Airlines are likely to benefit from the larger plane, which accommodates more passengers per flight, potentially reducing costs on a per-seat basis. As for travelers, this could mean more available seats on popular routes—though fares will ultimately depend on how airlines choose to use the planes and the competitive landscape they face.

This single-aisle jet, which can seat as many as 230 passengers, was first introduced at the 2017 Paris Air Show as Boeing sought to compete more effectively with Airbus. However, delays due to various technical and regulatory issues have repeatedly pushed back the certification timeline for this largest model in Boeing’s bestselling 737 family.

Boeing, in its annual report in 2020, had anticipated making the first delivery of the Max 10 in 2023, but it now expects to begin deliveries in 2027 instead. These setbacks have significantly affected an important segment of Boeing’s business.

At a recent investor conference, CEO Kelly Ortberg mentioned that around 30% of the company’s 737 backlog is made up of Max 10 orders, while the total backlog for this aircraft line exceeds 4,500 units.

With this latest certification, the Max 10 completes the lineup of four 737 Max models. Earlier, the FAA had already cleared the smaller Max 7 for airline operations in August.

Boeing has faced considerable challenges following two tragic crashes involving the smaller Max 8 that claimed 346 lives in 2018 and 2019, as well as new scrutiny following a midair incident involving an Alaska Airlines Max 9 in 2024.

This Max 10 model will now compete with the Airbus A321neo family, which has been in service since 2017 and can carry more passengers over longer distances than the Max 10. Boeing nonetheless designed the Max 10 to seat more individuals while consuming less fuel than its older models—a factor likely to appeal to airlines contending with rising jet fuel prices amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

The increasing costs have intensified pressure on airlines to manage expenses. With the FAA’s certification, it’s clear now that the Max 10 meets established safety standards based on engineering assessments and flight testing. However, Boeing still needs to demonstrate that it can consistently produce the aircraft according to approved designs, and each unit must be validated before carrying passengers.

Since the catastrophic crashes of the Max 8, the FAA has revised its certification procedures for Boeing aircraft, though it has started to relax some restrictions over the last 18 months. This includes an increase in the number of planes Boeing is permitted to manufacture.

Boeing received clearance in July for issuing airworthiness certificates for its 737 Max and 787 planes upon completion of production, which allows the company to regain some responsibility for deciding whether an aircraft is ready for flight.

Due to the unique length of the Max 10, Boeing’s Everett facility affords additional flexibility in production, a contrast to the Renton line where the 737 is typically manufactured. Ortberg mentioned that while the longer aircraft could not be arranged in the usual production setup at Renton, they could be effectively accommodated at Everett.

This capability will enable Boeing to produce a varied mix of longer aircraft as production ramps up. Major orders for the Max 10 have come from customers such as United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Ryanair, while Alaska Airlines has recently added 105 Max 10s to its order, with options for an additional 35.