Southwest expects Boeing 737-7 certification will be completed by August 2026.
The airline plans to start operating the aircraft starting first quarter 2027. Southwest holds firm orders for 249 737-7 aircraft with the company served as launch customer for the type. The timeline follows Boeing executive confirmation of a due delivery date.
Ryanair skipped the 737-7 in favour of the 737-8 with its large order book. The Boeing 737-7 (part of the 737 MAX family) typically seats 138 to 153 passengers in a two-class layout, with a maximum capacity of 172 passengers in a high-density, single-class configuration, although exact numbers vary by airline choice.
The Boeing 737-8 (often the 737 MAX 8) seats vary by airline, typically from 162 to 178 in two classes, but can go up to a maximum of 210 passengers in high-density layouts, with Ryanair’s 737 MAX 8-200 carrying up to 197. The first was delivered to Vietjet in September.
Bob Jordan, Southwest Airlines chief executive shared “Boeing has said kind of mid-next summer. I would guess it will be certified, you know, maybe August of 2026.”
