Alaska Airlines buys more than 100 Boeing 737-10s in largest order for carrier

Alaska Airlines order more than 100 Boeing jets, a purchase that the carrier’s fleet chief says will allow it to secure sought-after order slots until the middle of the next decade to expand.

The order, Alaska’s largest ever, which was announced Wednesday, includes 105 Boeing 737 Max 10s not yet certified. Alaska is also buying five 787-10 Dreamliners, using its previous purchase options for these long-haul planes, as it eyes an international expansion with nonstop stops to Italy, South Korea and elsewhere.

Shane Jones, who oversees Alaska Airlines’ fleet, revenue products and real estate, told CNBC that the airline expects the FAA to obtain FAA certification of the Max 10 this year, with deliveries beginning in 2027.

Alaska, which acquired Hawaiian Airlines in 2024, said it has 413 planes in its fleet and plans to increase that number to 475 in 2030 and 550 by 2035, with this and previous orders.

The new order includes options for an additional 35 737 Max 10s. Fifty-three of the planes ordered Wednesday are new and 52 come from options the airline is exercising.

Boeing has more than 6,000 planes on order, but Alaska’s purchase plans are a vote of confidence in the planemaker, whose 737 factory 10 miles from the carrier’s headquarters delivered a 737 Max 9 to Alaska two years ago without the keyed bolts installed in a door plug. This sign exploded from the plane on January 5, 2024, as it was flying out of Portland, Oregon, stunning travelers, although there were no serious physical injuries.

The accident briefly grounded the 737 Max 9 and put Boeing back into production as it weathered another safety crisis in what was supposed to be its turnaround year following two fatal Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.

Under the leadership of Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who replaced Dave Calhoun a few months after the accident, the manufacturer improved its production rate and quality, airline executives said. It plans to increase its production this year. The FAA must approve Boeing’s Max production increases, a requirement following the door jam accident.

Alaska’s Jones told CNBC that Wednesday’s order was a sign of “our confidence in the Max 10 certification” as well as “our confidence in Boeing and its turnaround and its ability to produce quality aircraft on time.”

The 737 Max 10 has a shorter range than some other models, but it can accommodate more passengers than smaller variants, which can improve unit costs on high-demand flights and allow them to carry more customers to and from congested airports where adding flights is difficult.

The Max 10 is years late and still awaiting FAA approval. Jones said he expects certification this year with the first deliveries of the variant in the first half of 2027.

Jones said about half of the new aircraft orders are for replacement, with the rest for growth. He declined to reveal how much the airline paid for the plane. Manufacturers often share list prices, although large customers usually receive discounts for large orders.