FAA Certifies Boeing 737 Max 10 After Five Years

The Federal Aviation Administration signed off on the Boeing 737 Max 10 on 20 October 2026, giving the aircraft final certification after more than five years since its first flight.

The approval followed a review of a navigation system glitch, which FAA officials said was not a safety‑of‑flight issue.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CNBC that the U.S. certification process should be faster, noting it takes about twice as long as in Europe and that China is gaining ground in aviation.

Boeing’s commercial airplane unit CEO Stephanie Pope said the certification clears the path to deliver the airplane to customers.

Customers for the Max 10 include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, and Boeing said the jet represents about 30% of its Max backlog.

The FAA had previously approved the smaller Max 7 in early August, and Boeing opened a fourth production line in Everett in July to ramp up 737 Max production.