EL7.AI
StocksMediumUpdated×2•Originally published 20 October 2026•Updated 20 October 2026•
4 min read

Boeing MAX 10 Certification Clears Way for Deliveries of Jet With 1,555 Orders

Key Facts

1Boeing has received orders for 1,555 aircraft of the model from more than 30 customers.
2The model accounts for 31% of unfilled 737-family orders, according to aviation analytics firm data cited by Reuters.
3The testing program logged 976 flights, more than 2,060 flight hours and about 1,040 hours of ground testing.
4Boeing will announce its third-quarter 2026 results on Tuesday, October 27.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has certified Boeing's 737 MAX 10, clearing the way for deliveries of a model the company said has secured orders for 1,555 aircraft. Boeing said the orders came from more than 30 customers as it announced the aircraft's regulatory approval. The model accounts for 31% of unfilled 737-family orders, according to data from aviation analytics firm IBA cited by Reuters. The FAA's decision included issuing an amended type certificate confirming that the aircraft meets the design and safety requirements for certification. It also included updating the production limitation record, authorizing the aircraft's manufacture alongside approval of its design.

Before granting approval, the FAA required major improvements addressing requirements under the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act, as well as National Transportation Safety Board recommendations. Certification followed a flight-test program that logged 976 flights through completion of the planned flights, according to Boeing's statement on the conclusion of certification testing. Total flight time during the program exceeded 2,060 hours as part of testing before the model received approval. Alongside the flights, the company conducted about 1,040 hours of ground testing, according to the same statement. The FAA said the required improvements addressed "requirements under the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act and National Transportation Safety Board recommendations."

On the issue involving a navigation software update, the FAA concluded that it raised no safety concerns, Reuters reported. The agency did not require Boeing to fix the issue as a condition of certification, according to Reuters. On avionics, Boeing said the updated system reduces the likelihood of erroneous air data and eases pilot workload in the event of a malfunction. The company plans to introduce the engine anti-ice system and enhanced angle-of-attack system updates into production across the MAX family. It also plans to retrofit the operating fleet with these updates, according to its announcement on the aircraft's testing program.

The MAX 10 typically seats between 185 and 210 passengers and has a stated range of 3,100 nautical miles, according to Boeing's specifications. Its maximum capacity is 230 seats, according to the Associated Press's reporting on the certified model. Among customers, Alaska Airlines announced an order for 105 aircraft, with options to buy 35 more. Delta Air Lines also announced an agreement to buy 100 aircraft of the model, with an option for another 30. Ryanair's agreement includes 150 firm orders, along with options for 150 additional aircraft, according to the airline's announcement.

Boeing had previously expected to make the aircraft's first delivery in 2023, according to the Associated Press, before the expected date shifted to 2027. The agency reported that the company now expects deliveries to begin that year, while Stephanie Pope, head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, told Reuters they would start "in the coming months." For Ryanair, the contractual delivery period runs from 2027 to 2033, according to its announced agreement with Boeing. Before certification was announced, Michael O'Leary had said completing it would allow the airline to receive 16 aircraft in early 2027. O'Leary linked that timing to certification in remarks reported by Reuters shortly before the regulatory decision.

Each aircraft still requires individual clearance before it can carry passengers, according to the Associated Press, following certification of the model and its design. The FAA had restored Boeing's authority to issue airworthiness certificates at the end of production for all MAX and Dreamliner aircraft. That authority was restored with continued regulatory oversight of the company, according to the FAA's statement on the resumption of certificate issuance. The restored authority covers certificates for new aircraft at the end of production, while individual clearance remains required for each aircraft to enter passenger service. Boeing will announce its financial results for the third quarter of 2026 on Tuesday, October 27, according to the date set by the company in a statement to investors.