More than eight years after its first flight, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finally certified the Boeing 737 MAX 7, clearing it for commercial service.
“This important certification validates the rigor of our airplane’s design and recognises the determination and resilience of our 737 MAX development team,” said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
“Our team of dedicated engineers and test experts worked through challenges, an extended pandemic, and the transition to new certification processes,” Pope added. “Through it all, our team stayed focused on completing all requirements and delivering a safe and more capable airplane to our customers.”
The smallest and longest-range member of the 737 MAX family, the 737-7 model offers capacity for between 135 and 160 seats (in a two-class configuration), while providing about 10% more range potential than its siblings.
The regulatory approval caps a hugely delayed certification effort in which Boeing demonstrated through comprehensive testing and analysis that the aircraft meets all commercial aviation regulations. The test programme, which began in 2018, included more than 1,000 hours of flight and ground testing, extensive system safety analysis and human factors reviews, and the addition of an updated engine anti-ice system to address a potential condition that was discovered during flight testing.
Boeing and Southwest Airlines, the 737-7 launch customer, are preparing for delivery of the first aircraft. A team is readying the first examples, including implementing updates to the airplane’s final configuration.
The FAA also updated Boeing Production Certificate No. 700 (PC 700) to include the 737-7.
Which airlines have ordered the 737-7?
Southwest Airlines is the largest – and effectively the only – customer for the 737-7. Out of the 282 on order as of June 30, 2026, the US low-cost carrier had firm commitments covering 262 examples.
Other customers include Luxair, China’s Ruili Airlines, and Ukraine’s SkyUp Airlines. Each have orders for four, two, and, respectively. There are also orders for 12 aircraft from undisclosed customers.
