FAA Clears Boeing Jet for U.S. and Foreign Carriers

The Federal Aviation Administration approved Boeing’s 737 Max 10 for passenger service Tuesday, clearing the way for the aircraft to be sold to domestic and foreign carriers, with deliveries expected to begin in 2027. The federal regulator made the decision after engineering reviews and flight tests, concluding that the aircraft’s design meets safety standards. But certification doesn’t authorize every completed plane to carry passengers: Boeing must show it can build each aircraft to the approved design, and the FAA must clear each plane before it enters service.

FAA Authority and Safety Reviews

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA’s approval followed “extensive safety reviews,” including thousands of hours of test flights. During a Tuesday visit to Boeing’s manufacturing plant in Everett, Washington, he called the decision a major win for American manufacturing. “To think that it took us almost 10 years to get here,” Duffy said. “We all probably had a little less gray hair 10 years ago.”

The certification completes the lineup of four 737 Max models. The FAA cleared the Max 7 for airline operations in August, and Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, called certifications for the Max 7 and Max 10 in the same year a sign of Boeing’s resilience.

The FAA’s oversight follows fatal crashes involving the smaller Max 8. Two crashes, off Indonesia and in Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019, killed 346 people. In 2024, a panel flew off an Alaska Airlines Max 9 in midair, renewing scrutiny of Boeing’s manufacturing and safety practices. After the Max 8 crashes, the FAA overhauled how it certifies Boeing aircraft.

Over the 18 months before the report, the agency gradually eased some restrictions on Boeing and raised the limit on how many planes the company could produce. In July, the FAA said Boeing could once again issue airworthiness certificates for its 737 Max and 787 planes at the end of production, returning some responsibility to the company to decide whether finished aircraft were ready to fly.

Orders, Airlines and Competition

More than 30 customers worldwide have ordered 1,555 Max 10s that Boeing has yet to deliver. Those orders account for more than 30% of the company’s total 737 Max backlog. Major customers include 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.

Boeing unveiled the single-aisle jet at the Paris Air Show in 2017 to compete with Airbus. Technical and regulatory hurdles repeatedly delayed certification. The Max 10 is designed to compete with Airbus’ A321neo family, which entered service in 2017. The largest A321neo can carry more passengers and fly farther without refueling than the Max 10.

Capacity and Boeing’s Recovery

Boeing says the Max 10 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 larger plane could let airlines carry more passengers per flight and potentially lower costs per seat. It could eventually mean more seats on popular routes, but the effect on fares will depend on how airlines deploy the planes and the level of competition.

Boeing designed the aircraft to carry more passengers while burning less fuel than older aircraft. That combination may appeal to airlines facing soaring jet fuel costs amid the U.S. war with Iran, which have added pressure to control expenses.

The certification also forms part of Boeing’s effort to restore its reputation and financial footing after safety, quality and production challenges. Pope said it “clears the path to deliver an airplane that will set a new standard in commercial aviation.” She called the day “a very, very special day,” adding: “It caps years of hard work and dedication by many. It marks another major milestone in our recovery, and it unlocks a key to our future growth.”