FAA approves Boeing's long-delayed 737 Max 10 for passenger service

Certification clears the way for deliveries starting in 2027, giving Boeing a key tool to compete with Airbus

By LineZotpaper

Published21 October 2026

Read Time3 min

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved Boeing's 737 Max 10 for passenger service, ending nearly a decade of regulatory and technical delays. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the certification Tuesday at Boeing's Everett, Washington, plant, calling it a major win for American manufacturing after extensive safety reviews and thousands of hours of flight tests.

The FAA's approval of the 737 Max 10, the largest model in Boeing's 737 Max family, is a significant milestone for the company as it works to rebuild its reputation following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 and a midair panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines Max 9 in 2024.

Boeing introduced the Max 10 at the 2017 Paris air show to compete with Airbus's A321neo, but certification was repeatedly delayed by technical issues and heightened regulatory scrutiny after the Max 8 crashes, which killed 346 people.

"To think that it took us almost 10 years to get here. We all probably had a little less gray hair 10 years ago," Duffy said during his visit to the manufacturing plant.

The Max 10 typically seats 185 to 210 passengers, compared with 175 to 195 on the Max 9 and 160 to 180 on the Max 8. The larger plane offers airlines lower costs per seat and more capacity on popular routes. For passengers, the impact on fares will depend on how airlines deploy the jets.

Boeing has 1,555 unfilled orders for the Max 10 from over 30 customers worldwide, including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Ryanair. Alaska Airlines joined the list in January, ordering 105 Max 10s with options for 35 more.

Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said the certification "clears the path to deliver an airplane that will set a new standard in commercial aviation." She called the day "very, very special" and said it marks another major milestone in Boeing's recovery and unlocks key future growth.

Boeing expects to begin deliveries in 2027. Each aircraft must also receive individual clearance before carrying passengers. The certification completes the lineup of four 737 Max models; the FAA cleared the smaller Max 7 in August.

In response to the Max 8 crashes, the FAA overhauled its certification process for Boeing. Over the past 18 months, it has gradually eased some production restrictions and allowed Boeing to resume issuing airworthiness certificates for its 737 Max and 787 planes at the end of the production line.

Analysis

Why This Matters

Boeing's recovery depends on the Max 10 reaching airlines; more than a third of its 737 Max backlog is for this model.
Airlines need fuel-efficient, higher-capacity planes to manage rising jet fuel costs amid geopolitical tensions, including the U.S. war with Iran.
Passengers could see more seats on popular domestic and short-haul international routes, though fare effects are uncertain.

Background

Boeing unveiled the 737 Max 10 in 2017 to compete directly with Airbus's A321neo, which entered service that same year. The larger A321neo carries more passengers and flies farther, but Boeing designed the Max 10 to burn less fuel than previous aircraft. Certification stalled after two fatal Max 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019, which led the FAA to overhaul how it certifies Boeing planes. The January 2024 incident in which a door panel blew off an Alaska Airlines Max 9 renewed scrutiny of Boeing's manufacturing quality. The FAA approved the Max 7 in August 2026, and has gradually allowed Boeing to increase production and take back some responsibility for issuing airworthiness certificates.

Key Perspectives

Boeing: The certification is a vindication of years of work and a step toward restoring its reputation and financial health. CEO Stephanie Pope described it as a milestone in the company's recovery and a key to future growth. Airlines and passengers: Carriers like United, Delta and Ryanair have large orders for the Max 10, hoping to lower per-seat costs. For travelers, the larger plane means more capacity on busy routes, though any fare effects depend on competition and deployment. Regulators and safety advocates: The FAA conducted extensive safety reviews and thousands of test-flight hours before approval. The agency says the Max 10's design meets safety standards, but each individual aircraft must be cleared before flying passengers. Some critics may remain wary given Boeing's recent safety record.

What to Watch

Delivery timeline: Boeing says deliveries begin in 2027; any further delays would hurt airline fleet plans and Boeing's finances.
Production consistency: Boeing must show it can consistently build Max 10s to the approved design, a key test given past manufacturing problems.
Competition with Airbus: The A321neo already dominates the larger narrow-body segment; the Max 10's success depends on winning new orders and matching Airbus's performance.
FAA oversight: The agency is gradually easing restrictions, but any new safety incidents could reverse that progress.

Sources

FAA clears the way for airlines to put Boeing’s long-delayed 737 Max 10 into service · KUOW

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedThe FAA approved Boeing’s 737 Max 10 for passenger service.KUOW: “The Federal Aviation Administration approved the Max 10 for passenger service Tuesday, ending years of delays .”
SupportedThe approval clears the way for deliveries starting in 2027 and gives Boeing a key tool to compete with Airbus.KUOW: “The company expects to begin deliveries in 2027. The Max 10 is intended to compete with Airbus’s A321neo model family”
Partly supportedThe approval ended nearly a decade of regulatory and technical delays.KUOW: “Nearly a decade after Boeing unveiled its largest 737 Max jet”
Not in the sourcesSean Duffy announced the certification Tuesday at Boeing’s Everett plant.KUOW
SupportedDuffy said the certification followed extensive safety reviews, including thousands of hours of test flights, and called it a major win for American manufacturing.KUOW: “Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the certification followed “extensive safety reviews,” including thousands of hours of test flights, and called it a major win for American manufacturing.”
SupportedDuffy said, “To think that it took us almost 10 years to get here. We all probably had a little less gray hair 10 years ago.”KUOW: ““To think that it took us almost 10 years to get here. We all probably had a little less gray hair 10 years ago,” Duffy said during a visit to Boeing’s manufacturing plant Tuesday in Everett, Washington.”
SupportedThe Max 10 typically seats 185 to 210 passengers, compared with 175 to 195 on the Max 9 and 160 to 180 on the Max 8.KUOW: “The Max 10 will typically seat 185-210 passengers, according to Boeing, compared with 175-195 on the Max 9 and 160-180 on the Max 8.”
Partly supportedThe larger plane offers airlines lower costs per seat and more capacity on popular routes.KUOW: “For airlines, the larger plane offers a way to carry more passengers on a single flight, potentially lowering costs per seat. For travelers, it could eventually mean more seats on popular routes”
SupportedBoeing has 1,555 unfilled Max 10 orders from more than 30 customers worldwide.KUOW: “More than 30 customers worldwide have ordered 1,555 Max 10s that Boeing has yet to deliver”
SupportedPope said the certification “clears the path to deliver an airplane that will set a new standard in commercial aviation.”KUOW: “Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said during Duffy’s visit that the certification “clears the path to deliver an airplane that will set a new standard in commercial aviation.””
SupportedBoeing expects to begin deliveries in 2027.KUOW: “The company expects to begin deliveries in 2027.”
SupportedEach aircraft must receive individual clearance before carrying passengers.KUOW: “each plane must be cleared before it can fly passengers.”

Correction

21 October 2026An earlier version of this story said Boeing had more than 1,555 unfilled Max 10 orders. The total is 1,555.