FAA certifies Boeing 737 MAX 7 after nearly a decade of review, clearing path for 2027 deliveries

The certification milestone

Boeing's smallest single-aisle MAX jet received its long-awaited certification from the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday, 3 August 2026. The approval covers the 737 MAX 7, a variant that seats up to 172 passengers and was originally slated to begin deliveries in 2019. The FAA described the process as lasting "almost a decade" and involving an exhaustive review of the aircraft's design and safety analyses.

“This approval reflects years of sustained work to resolve complex technical issues and complete a thorough review of the airplane's design and supporting safety analyses.”

Boeing's commercial airplanes chief executive, Stephanie Pope, called the certification a validation of the design's rigor and of the development team's determination. The company is now preparing to deliver the first MAX 7 to Southwest Airlines, with entry into service expected in 2027.

The testing programme

To secure the green light, Boeing completed 441 flight tests totalling 686 hours of test flights, plus 349 hours of ground testing, figures the company confirmed in mid-July. The overall test programme, which began in 2018, exceeded 1,000 hours of testing. One of the last elements validated was the engine anti-ice system on the LEAP-1B engines built by CFM International, a joint venture between Safran and GE Aerospace, which had posed persistent engineering challenges.

A certification shaped by tragedy

The MAX 7's path to approval was upended by the crashes of two 737 MAX 8 aircraft in 2018 and 2019, which killed 346 people and grounded the entire MAX fleet for at least 20 months. Investigations identified a faulty angle-of-attack sensor and the MCAS anti-stall software as contributing factors. A 2020 federal law subsequently required Boeing to install a redesigned AOA sensor on roughly 2,300 MAX jets already in service within two years.

A near-catastrophic incident in January 2024, when a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines MAX jet in flight, further intensified regulatory scrutiny. The FAA said on Monday that safety inspectors would continue to monitor work at Boeing's factories.

What the MAX 7 brings

The MAX 7 typically seats between 135 and 160 passengers, with a maximum capacity of 172. It is the smallest member of the 737 MAX family, which also includes the MAX 8, certified for up to 189 seats, the MAX 9 at up to 220, and the still-uncertified MAX 10 at up to 230. Boeing's order book as of 30 June stood at 310 units for the MAX 7 and 1,678 for the MAX 10.

The MAX 10 and remaining challenges

Boeing now hopes the MAX 10, the largest variant with a maximum capacity of 230 seats, will follow quickly so deliveries can begin next year. United Airlines said in January 2025 that it was awaiting 277 MAX 10s by 2030. The MAX 10 also required the redesigned AOA sensor, and its certification remains a source of frustration for customers.

“This important certification validates the rigor of our airplane's design and recognizes the determination and resilience of our 737 MAX development team.”

Separately, the FAA disclosed on 28 July that seats on more than 400 US-registered 737 MAX aircraft pose injury risks to passengers, requiring inspections and remediation. Boeing's larger 777-9 wide-body jet is also years behind schedule. The company has appointed a new chief executive in the past two years, overhauled procedures, and expanded quality-control training, reporting a notable decline in production defects.