The 737 MAX 10 has had a long road. Wikipedia says the variant was launched on 19 June 2017 with 240 orders and commitments, unveiled to employees at Boeing's Renton factory on 22 November 2019, and made its maiden flight on 18 June 2021. On Tuesday the paperwork finally caught up with the aeroplane.

What was certified

Boeing's announcement, dated 20 October from Everett, Washington, says the FAA certified the 737-10 through an amended type certificate. Leeham News adds that the FAA also issued an updated Production Limitation Record, which authorises production. One Mile at a Time says that is what lets the aircraft be delivered to airlines at home and abroad.

The MAX 7 was certified first, in August 2026. Wikipedia and Leeham both say the MAX 10 follows it, and Boeing says the MAX 10 completes the 737 MAX family.

Seats and range

Boeing says the 737-10 seats up to 230 passengers in its maximum configuration, and typically 185 to 210 in a two-class layout. The same release gives a range of up to 3,100 nautical miles, about 5,740 km, and claims roughly 20 per cent lower fuel use and CO2 than the previous generation of jets it compares with.

Those are Boeing's figures. One Mile at a Time points out something practical: its author expects US airlines to stay well under 200 seats, to avoid needing more than four flight attendants. That is an expectation, not an announced plan. The same piece says American and Delta each plan at least 24 first-class seats, and that Alaska plans flat beds and premium economy on part of its fleet.

Who has ordered it

Boeing says 1,555 737-10s are on order, from more than 30 customers, which it puts at more than 30 per cent of the 737 MAX order book. Wikipedia's figure is lower, 1,444 orders as of September 2026, and One Mile at a Time says nearly 1,500, so the exact count depends on the day and the source. Either way it is a big number.

One Mile at a Time names Alaska, American, Delta and United as having 100 or more each on order, with Ryanair, WestJet, Pegasus and Akasa Air among others. AirlineGeeks names WestJet as the launch customer, and so do Leeham News and Wikipedia. One Mile at a Time does not use the phrase, and Boeing's release does not name one, so I would say most sources point to WestJet rather than leave it unqualified.

When will you fly on one?

Boeing says deliveries will begin "in the coming months". Leeham says early next year, and AirlineGeeks says 2027. One Mile at a Time says Alaska's goal is to have its first aircraft in service in April or May 2027, and that pilot heads-up display certification work still has to be completed, which it says could take a few months.

So the honest answer is spring 2027 at the earliest if you are flying Alaska, and nobody has yet put a date on the first passenger flight for the others. I could not find a firm entry-into-service date in any of the sources.

The aircraft in the photos

I could not find a free-licence photograph of a MAX 10 taken this week. The pictures I am using show the first MAX 10 at its roll-out in Renton on 22 November 2019, taken by lamblukas and licensed CC BY 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons. They are almost seven years old, not the certification.

Which airline first?

Between a launch customer in Canada, a spring date for Alaska and a long list of airlines still waiting, there is a lot of choice. Which airline do you most want to see one in first?

Sources

  • Boeing, "U.S. FAA certifies Boeing 737-10, largest member of 737 MAX family", 20 October 2026: https://investors.boeing.com/investors/news/press-release-details/2026/U-S--FAA-certifies-Boeing-737-10-largest-member-of-737-MAX-family/default.aspx
  • One Mile at a Time, "Boeing 737 MAX 10 Gets FAA Certification": https://onemileatatime.com/news/boeing-737-max-10-certification/
  • Leeham News, "Boeing 737 Max 10 Clears Certification with FAA", 20 October 2026: https://leehamnews.com/2026/10/20/boeing-737-max-10-clears-certification-with-faa/
  • AirlineGeeks, "FAA Certifies 737 MAX 10", 20 October 2026: https://airlinegeeks.com/2026/10/20/faa-certifies-737-max-10/
  • Wikipedia, "Boeing 737 MAX": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_737_MAX
  • Photos via Wikimedia Commons: lamblukas (CC BY 2.0)