FAA Certifies Boeing 737 Max 10 for Commercial Service

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration certified the Boeing 737 Max 10 on October 20, 2026, granting type approval for the largest single-aisle aircraft in the manufacturer’s lineup after years of regulatory delays. The decision clears the path for commercial deliveries to begin in 2027.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the amended type certificate during a visit to Boeing’s new 737 MAX production line in Everett, Washington. The sign-off marks the final step in securing government approval for the 737 Max family. It brings an end to an exhaustive certification campaign that included nearly 1,000 total test flights and more than 2,000 flight hours.

Certification Hurdles For The Max 10

The Max 10 was originally scheduled to begin commercial flights in 2020. Intense regulatory scrutiny following two fatal 737 Max 8 crashes that killed 346 people in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019 pushed back the timeline significantly. Manufacturing issues compounded those setbacks. Engineers had to resolve conditions involving an anti-icing system for the aircraft’s engines, prompting a redesign.

Testers also tackled a navigation system glitch and a flight-management software issue that threatened to delay approval. While the FAA determined the software quirk did not present a flight-safety hazard because pilots retained complete control, the agency’s concerns centered heavily on potential pilot workload. The aircraft stands as the first commercial jet certified to the full extent of the 2020 Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act. Following rigorous assessments that included nearly 1,000 total test flights, extensive safety evaluations, and tens of thousands of pages of documentation, the FAA confirmed type certification for the Max 10.

Major Airlines Adjust Plans for Max 10 Backlog

More than 30 customers have placed 1,555 firm orders and commitments for the Max 10, representing roughly 30 percent of Boeing’s unfilled 737 backlog. Major carriers awaiting deliveries include United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Ryanair.

Airlines adjusted their cabin plans during the prolonged wait. United Airlines noted that lie-flat seats intended for the aircraft sat unused in a warehouse. Conversely, Alaska Airlines announced plans to install lie-flat seats on select Max 10s as part of an expanded premium strategy.

Completing the certification program clears the path for us to deliver a Boeing airplane that will set a new standard in commercial aviation. The 737-10 offers greater capacity, longer range and the best seat economics in its class, a platform that will create more value and opportunities for airlines around the world.

Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes

Boeing Opens New Production Line to Increase Output

To handle the incoming workload, Boeing opened a fourth production line in July in Everett, Washington, complementing its existing assembly operations in Renton. The company aims for an overall narrowbody production rate of 52 jets per month in 2027.

The Max 10 seats up to 230 passengers in a maximum configuration—or 185 to 210 passengers in a typical two-class layout—and boasts a maximum range of approximately 3,100 nautical miles, or 5,740 kilometers. The aircraft introduces an enhanced Angle-of-Attack system intended to become standard across the 737 MAX family.

During the announcement, Transportation Secretary Duffy emphasized the economic urgency behind faster regulatory approvals, telling reporters that certification timelines in the United States lag behind those in Europe.

It takes Boeing, to certify an aircraft in Europe, about half the time, less than half the time that it does in the U.S. You have China now playing to take over in aviation. We have to certify aircraft more quickly if we’re going to compete as Americans.

Secretary Sean Duffy, U.S. Department of Transportation

Regulators granted Boeing permission in July to resume issuing airworthiness certificates for completed 737 Max and 787 aircraft. Federal oversight of the planemaker has eased gradually over the past year and a half. Carriers will need several months to integrate the new planes into operational schedules ahead of passenger flights next year.

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