FAA approves Boeing 737 Max 10 for passenger service after years of delays

Approval follows years of delays

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday that Boeing’s 737 Max 10 had been approved for passenger service. The certification follows years of technical and regulatory delays. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA’s decision followed extensive safety reviews and thousands of hours of test flights. Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Stephanie Pope said certification clears the way for the company to deliver the aircraft.

Duffy was expected to discuss the decision later Tuesday at Boeing’s manufacturing plant in Everett, Washington. The approval completes certification of the four-model 737 Max lineup; the smaller Max 7 was cleared for airline operations in August.

A larger aircraft for airlines

The Max 10 is the largest version of Boeing’s bestselling 737 family. Boeing says it will typically seat 185 to 210 passengers, compared with 175 to 195 on the Max 9 and 160 to 180 on the Max 8.

The plane is designed to carry more passengers while using less fuel than older aircraft. Airlines may be able to lower costs per seat, while travelers could eventually see more seats on popular routes; effects on fares will depend on airline decisions and competition.

Orders and delivery timeline

Boeing introduced the single-aisle jet at the Paris air show in 2017 to compete with Airbus. Its 2020 annual report projected a first delivery in 2023, but the company now expects deliveries to start in 2027.

More than 30 customers worldwide have ordered 1,555 Max 10s that Boeing has not yet delivered. Those orders account for more than 30% of the company’s 737 Max backlog.

United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Ryanair are among the major customers. Alaska Airlines joined them in January with an order for 105 planes and options for 35 more.

Safety oversight continues

The certification means the FAA has found the aircraft’s design meets safety standards after engineering reviews and flight testing. Boeing must still demonstrate that it can build the planes consistently to that design, and each aircraft needs clearance before carrying passengers.

Boeing’s safety and production challenges include two fatal crashes involving the smaller Max 8 in 2018 and 2019, which killed 346 people, and a 2024 incident in which a panel came off an Alaska Airlines Max 9 in midair. The events renewed scrutiny of the company’s manufacturing and safety practices.

After the Max 8 crashes, the FAA overhauled its certification process for Boeing aircraft. In recent months, the agency has eased some restrictions, including raising production limits and allowing Boeing to again issue airworthiness certificates for 737 Max and 787 aircraft at the end of production.