After Years of Delays, FAA Certifies Boeing 737 MAX 10

Boeing’s biggest 737 planes can finally get to work for airlines. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified the 737 MAX 10 today, October 20, 2026, and that means Boeing will begin delivering the jet to airlines in the coming months.

This is a significant moment for Boeing and for the airlines that have waited multiple years for this plane type. The MAX 10 is the largest member of the 737 MAX aircraft family. With today’s approval, every variant is now certified.

Why It Took So Long To Certify the MAX 10

The Boeing 737 MAX 10 is incredibly late. Boeing first planned to deliver the jet in 2020. That obviously didn’t happen.

The worldwide grounding of MAX planes in 2019 came first, due to high-profile accidents. Then, tougher regulatory oversight entered the picture, and ongoing issues with the engine’s anti-ice system kept moving certification further and further back.

Then, back in September, Boeing revealed a glitch in the latest 737 MAX navigation software update. This issue put certification at risk of further postponement.

The MAX 10 is the first commercial airplane certified under the full requirements of the 2020 Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act. That law requires more detailed documentation of safety assessments and evaluations of human factors along the way. According to Boeing, the program included almost 1,000 test flights, more than 2,000 flight hours, and 1,000 hours of ground testing for the aircraft.

This newly certified plane type also introduces an enhanced Angle-of-Attack system, which Boeing plans to make standard across the MAX family. Existing 737 MAX aircraft from other variants have until October 2029 to receive the upgrades.

The 737 MAX 10 by the Numbers

• Maximum capacity: 230 passengers
• Typical 2-class layout: 185 to 210 passengers
• Range: Up to 3,100 nautical miles (3,567 miles)
• Efficiency: 20% reduction in fuel use and CO2 emissions, according to Boeing

For comparison, Boeing’s 737 MAX 9 seats 175 to 195 passengers in a typical 2-class cabin layout.

The MAX 10’s real rival is the Airbus A321neo. Airbus’s Cabin-Flex option means the A321neo can be certified for up to 244 seats. Boeing says the MAX 10 can fly 365 nautical miles farther than competing jets without auxiliary fuel tanks.

Even so, the repeated delays came at a cost. The A321neo grabbed a larger slice of the crucially important single-aisle aircraft market.

Who’s Buying It?

Presently, Boeing has 1,555 MAX 10 orders from more than 30 different customers. That’s over 30% of all unfilled 737 MAX orders across the various models.

United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Ryanair, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines are among the plane’s biggest customers. Delta ordered 100 MAX 10s back in mid-2022, and Ryanair’s order for up to 300 jets puts it second behind United among prospective customers.

United isn’t 100% certain, though. In early 2024, CEO Scott Kirby said the airline would create a fleet plan that leaves out the MAX 10, given uncertainty around the certification timeline back then. With the jet now certified, United could change course. That remains to be seen.

What This Means for Travelers

Don’t expect to fly on one of these planes next week. Boeing says deliveries will start in the coming months. Before today, it had pointed to 2027 for both certification and first deliveries. With 2027 just over 2 months away, both timelines could turn out to be true.

Boeing has already started work, however. Cirium reported that 9 MAX 10s had been built and parked as of late July. Still, airlines will need time to bring new planes into their fleets and schedules.

Once the MAX 10 enters commercial service, you’ll likely see it on busy domestic routes where airlines want to fit in more seats per flight. More seats on a plane isn’t a guarantee of more award space, though. Airlines decide how many seats they release for bookings with miles, and that’s unlikely to change much with a different plane type in service.

A new airplane also doesn’t promise a better cabin. Seat width, legroom, Wi-Fi, and power outlets all depend on how each airline configures the jet. Check the aircraft type and seat map before you book, and remember that aircraft swaps can (and do) happen regularly.

Final Thoughts

After years of frustrating delays, the FAA has certified the Boeing 737 MAX 10, and deliveries could begin taking place within the next few months. More than 30 airlines have ordered the jet, including major U.S. carriers. United’s plans are a bit uncertain, though.

For travelers, the impact will take time to be felt. When the MAX 10 does show up on your itinerary, the airline’s cabin setup will matter more to your inflight experience than the name of the aircraft model you’re flying.