FAA certifies Boeing's 737 MAX 10 after years of delays, clearing the way for deliveries

Federal regulators on Tuesday signed off on the Boeing 737 MAX 10, the biggest version of the company's top-selling jet, ending a certification fight that dragged on for years. The Federal Aviation Administration approval means Boeing can start handing the plane over to airlines in the months ahead.

The FAA issued two documents. One is an amended type certificate, which says the jet's design meets federal safety rules. The other is an updated production record that lets Boeing build the plane for customers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy marked the moment at Boeing's factory in Everett, Washington.

Why the plane matters

The MAX 10 can carry as many as 230 people in its tightest seating layout. That is roughly 35 more than the MAX 9 and about 70 more than the MAX 7. In a more typical two-class cabin it will seat somewhere between 185 and 210 travelers. Boeing says it burns about 20% less fuel than the older jets it replaces.

Airlines have ordered more than 1,550 of the jets. That is close to a third of all the 737 MAX planes Boeing still owes customers, so the approval is a big deal for a company trying to rebuild its finances. United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and the European budget carrier Ryanair are among the largest buyers. Boeing has already finished a few of the planes, which are parked and waiting for delivery.

The delays gave rival Airbus room to win more sales with its A321neo in the market for large single-aisle jets. China's homegrown C919 is a distant third.

New safety features

Before it would approve the plane, the FAA made Boeing add upgrades tied to a 2020 aviation safety law and to recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board. The biggest change is an improved angle of attack system, the sensor setup that tells the flight computer how steeply the nose is pointed. Boeing plans to make the upgrade standard on every 737 MAX and add it to planes already flying over the next few years.

Boeing says the MAX 10 is the first airliner certified under every part of that 2020 law, which demands detailed paperwork on safety reviews and on how pilots interact with the cockpit. The company logged more than 2,000 hours of flight testing and about 1,000 hours of ground testing during the program.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency will keep holding Boeing to the highest safety standards as production ramps up. Duffy called the decision a major win for American manufacturing. He also said he wants regulators to approve new aircraft faster so U.S. planemakers can keep pace with competitors in Europe and China.

A long road

Boeing has been trying to get the MAX 10 approved since the early 2020s. Scrutiny of the company grew after two MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019 killed 346 people. It grew again after a door plug blew off a nearly new Alaska Airlines MAX 9 in midair in January 2024. A 2023 problem with the engine anti-ice system added more delay. In late September Boeing disclosed a glitch in new navigation software, but the FAA decided it was not a safety risk and did not hold up approval over it.

The smaller MAX 7 won FAA approval in August after a review that stretched more than eight years. With the MAX 10 cleared, the 737 MAX family is now complete.

What comes next

Boeing still needs sign-off from regulators in Canada and Europe, which a company executive said should take a couple of months. The first MAX 10 is expected to go to the Canadian airline WestJet early next year. Some of the engineers who worked on the MAX 10 will now shift to the 777-9, Boeing's largest jetliner in production, which is years behind schedule and is expected to win approval in 2027.