FAA prioritizes certifying Boeing 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 before 777-9 amid extensive delays

Boeing's long-delayed aircraft programs for the 737 MAX 7, MAX 10, and 777-9 continue to inch closer to certification after facing multiple setbacks since their launches. Initially slated for certification between 2019 and 2020, none of these models have entered airline service as of mid-2026. Boeing now expects the 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 to gain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification by the end of summer 2026, with the 777-9 following in 2027 according to updated company timelines released earlier this year.

The 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 are variants of Boeing’s existing narrowbody MAX family, which includes the MAX 8 and MAX 9 that have been active in service for several years. Due to this lineage, certification for the MAX 7 and MAX 10 is considered less complex, although FAA oversight has become more cautious after the global MAX grounding in 2019-2020. Both MAX 7 and MAX 10 completed certification flight testing by late July 2026, marking key milestones toward their imminent approval.

In contrast, the 777-9 represents the first in the new 777X family and involves substantial design changes including a new wing with folding wingtips, the GE9X engine, an extended fuselage, and redesigned cockpit and cabin interiors. These innovations, combined with stringent FAA scrutiny following previous Boeing safety concerns, have stretched the 777-9’s timeline, pushing its expected certification and delivery to 2027, several years behind the original 2020 target.

One of the major technical issues delaying the MAX 7 and MAX 10 certification involved their engine anti-ice systems. Discovered in 2023, the engine anti-ice mechanism posed risks of damage to the engine nacelle during extended use in dry conditions. Boeing developed a new hardware and software solution completed in November 2025, which the FAA required before allowing certification to proceed. Boeing plans to retrofit this system onto existing MAX 8 and MAX 9 aircraft already in service, alongside an updated crew alerting system mandated for the newer variants.

For the 777-9, technical hurdles have also contributed to delays. Early in the program, a cargo door failure occurred, followed by an in-flight engine shutdown incident in 2022. Additionally, a thrust link component designed by Boeing myself experienced a failure in 2024, necessitating redesign and retesting. These engineering challenges, coupled with reinforced regulatory oversight, have consolidated the FAA’s cautious approach to approving this new widebody.

Boeing and the FAA have strategically prioritized finishing certification of the MAX family variants before fully turning attention to the 777-9. The 737 MAX 7, despite limited orders mostly from Southwest Airlines and some business jet customers, completes the narrowbody family with approximately 300 orders. The MAX 10, with over 1,400 orders, is pivotal for Boeing’s competitiveness against Airbus’s dominant A321neo in the large narrowbody segment and is integral to several airlines’ fleet strategies, notably United Airlines' 277 orders.

The 737 MAX 10 is seen as Boeing’s crucial response to capture market share lost to the Airbus A321neo, which has sold over 7,700 units, dwarfing Boeing’s MAX 9 numbers. The narrowbody’s economic performance and capacity position it as a key product for carriers adapting route networks and fleet compositions in the post-pandemic era. Boeing’s certification of the MAX 10 is thus vital to fulfilling airline contracts and regaining commercial momentum in this segment.

With the final certification stages of the MAX variants nearing completion, Boeing is readying to shift focus and resources fully back to the 777X program. The 777-9’s certification in 2027 will mark the culmination of an unusually long development period that began with the program launch in 2013. Achieving this milestone hinges on resolving remaining technical challenges and satisfying the FAA’s rigorous safety requirements that have only intensified since the 737 MAX incidents.

The staggered certification approach, emphasizing completion of the 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 before the widebody 777-9, reflects both the relative complexities of the aircraft and the ongoing FAA emphasis on conservative risk management. While the MAX variants leverage an existing model lineage, the novel 777X requires extensive evaluation. Customers await delivery with interest, hoping these delays will finally end so fleet modernization and expansion plans can proceed without further uncertainty.