Alaska Airlines Receives Its 100th Boeing 737 MAX

Alaska Airlines has taken delivery of its 100th Boeing 737 MAX, marking an important step in the airline’s ongoing fleet renewal and expansion programme. The milestone comes as the carrier prepares for further growth in both its domestic network and international operations, supported by an expanding fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and 787 Dreamliners.

The latest delivery took place in Seattle, Washington, where Alaska Airlines employees joined Boeing personnel to mark the arrival of the milestone aircraft. For the airline, reaching 100 737 MAX aircraft in only five years demonstrates how quickly the type has become an important part of its fleet.

Alaska received its first 737 MAX in 2021. Since then, the aircraft has progressively replaced older-generation 737s while providing the airline with additional capacity and improved operating efficiency. The MAX family is now a central component of Alaska's narrowbody fleet, serving routes across the United States and supporting the carrier's plans for continued growth.

The milestone also underlines a Boeing-Alaska relationship that stretches back six decades. Alaska received its first Boeing aircraft, a 727-100, in 1966. Since then, Boeing aircraft have become a familiar sight throughout Alaska Airlines' history, ranging from the 727 and 737 to the 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner.

Shane Jones, Alaska Airlines' senior vice president of fleet, products and guest experience, said the relationship between the two companies is based on common priorities, particularly safety and quality. “We appreciate the fact that your values are the same as ours – leading with safety and quality,” Jones said. “The Boeing people are the difference makers.”

Today, the wider Alaska Air Group, which includes Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air, operates almost 250 Boeing 737 aircraft as well as five 787 Dreamliners. The group has also placed significant future orders with Boeing as it works towards building a larger and more modern fleet.

For Boeing employees involved in producing Alaska aircraft, the relationship has a more personal side. Nathan Gonzalez, a temporary preflight operations manager working on the 737 programme, said he takes particular pride in working on aircraft that he and his family use themselves. “I take a lot of pride in working on aeroplanes, but especially Alaska Airlines' aeroplanes,” Gonzalez said. He noted that he and his wife fly Alaska at least once a year to visit family during the holidays, making it particularly meaningful to know that he has helped produce aircraft they subsequently travel on.

Alaska's commitment to Boeing was reinforced in January 2026 when the airline announced the largest aircraft order in its history. The agreement covers 105 Boeing 737-10 aircraft, with options for a further 35, together with five Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

The order represents a substantial investment in Alaska's future fleet. The 737-10 will provide additional capacity for the airline's domestic network, while the 787 will support its expanding international ambitions.

Alaska has increasingly looked beyond its traditional US network as it develops its international operations. The arrival of additional 787s will provide the airline with greater flexibility to operate longer routes while offering a larger widebody platform for international markets.

The order also formed part of a series of milestones between Alaska and Boeing during 2026. These included the unveiling of a new livery for Alaska's 787 fleet and a visit by Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci to Boeing's 737 production facility in Renton, Washington.

During his visit, Minicucci told Boeing employees that he was encouraged by the improvements he saw in aircraft production and quality processes. “I have so much more confidence coming out of today in what you've done in the last three years,” Minicucci said. “I'm so impressed with all the quality improvements that have been put in place. I could see the hard work.”

During his visit, Minicucci told Boeing employees that he was encouraged by the improvements he saw in aircraft production and quality processes. “I have so much more confidence coming out of today in what you've done in the last three years,” Minicucci said. “I'm so impressed with all the quality improvements that have been put in place. I could see the hard work.”

The 737 MAX will remain the backbone of the carrier's narrowbody operation, while the 787 Dreamliner will provide a larger aircraft capable of serving longer international routes.

The delivery of the 100th 737 MAX therefore represents both a look back at Alaska Airlines' long relationship with Boeing and a sign of where the airline is heading. From its first Boeing 727 in 1966 to a fleet increasingly built around the 737 MAX and 787, the partnership has evolved alongside the airline itself.

With further aircraft already on order, Alaska's relationship with Boeing is set to remain an important part of its fleet strategy for many years to come.