Air TransportSouthwest expects Boeing 737 MAX 7 certification in August 2026, first flights in 2027
Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan said the airline now expects the Boeing 737 MAX 7 to receive certification around August 2026, with commercial operations starting in the first quarter of 2027. Jordan made the comments in an interview with Reuters.
The revised timeline comes as certification of the MAX 7 has faced ongoing delays, notably due to engine de-icing issues. Southwest, the launch customer for the MAX 7, has not included the type in its fleet plans for 2026.
The 737 MAX 7 is the smallest member of Boeing’s MAX family, built as a shorter, lighter version of the MAX 8. It keeps the same updated engines and flight systems but has a reduced fuselage length, which lowers seating capacity to roughly 138–153 passengers compared with the MAX 8’s typical 162–178.
The shorter airframe gives it more range and better performance from hot-and-high or shorter runways, making it a niche option for airlines that need MAX efficiency in a compact size.
Boeing has been working to increase output across its 737 MAX line, but both the MAX 7 and the larger MAX 10 have experienced setbacks in certification processes. Kelly Ortberg, Boeing CEO, said, “I anticipate the certification of the MAX 7 and larger MAX 10 jet in 2026.”
“Boeing has said kind of mid next summer,” Jordan noted, adding, “I would guess it’ll be certified, you know, maybe, August of (2026).”
The Federal Aviation Administration is preparing to propose changes aimed at expediting the certification process for new commercial aircraft. These regulatory adjustments come as airlines and manufacturers continue to adapt fleet and production strategies amid shifting certification timelines.
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