FAA expected to certify Boeing 737 MAX 10 on Oct. 20, 2026

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is slated to grant type certification for Boeing's 737 MAX 10 on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy set to announce the decision at Boeing's Everett plant. The certification clears the final regulatory hurdle for the largest 737 variant, which accounts for about one‑third of Boeing's pending 737 orders and close to 1,500 firm customer commitments. Boeing has already built several MAX 10 airframes awaiting delivery, and the approval will enable deliveries to start in 2027.

The certification will allow Boeing to convert the backlog of nearly 1,500 MAX 10 orders into revenue, supporting its commercial airplane segment and production ramp‑up. The company notes that the MAX 10 is critical for meeting its earnings and cash‑flow targets later this decade.

  • 1The FAA is expected to announce certification of the 737 MAX 10 on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, at Boeing's Everett factory.
  • 2Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will make the announcement.
  • 3The Type Certification Board meeting on Oct. 16, 2026 was the last major formal step before the type certificate is signed.
  • 4A software issue in the Flight Management Computer was deemed not unsafe, so it did not block certification.
  • 5The MAX 10 seats up to 230 passengers, is 43.8 m long, and has a range of about 3,100 nautical miles.
  • 6United Airlines has about 167 firm orders, Ryanair 150 firm plus 150 options, and Alaska Airlines 105 firm orders for the MAX 10.

Sources