FAA Returns Certification Authority to Boeing for 737 MAX

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is delegating final safety certification authority back to Boeing for all remaining 737 MAX models, including the high-capacity MAX 10 variant, following years of heightened regulatory oversight. This shift marks a significant milestone in the manufacturer's effort to normalize operations after a prolonged period of intense scrutiny stemming from the 2018 and 2019 MAX crashes and the January 2024 Alaska Airlines door plug incident. The restoration of this authority, known as Organization Designation Authorization (ODA), allows Boeing to resume issuing airworthiness certificates for individual newly built aircraft after demonstrating consistent production quality, a capability that was partially restored in July 2026.

Certification Progress

The 737 MAX 10, the largest variant in the MAX family designed to seat up to 230 passengers, is currently undergoing its final regulatory review. On October 16, 2026, the FAA's Type Certification Board (TCB) held a meeting that represented the concluding step before the agency officially grants the aircraft its type certificate. This progress follows the successful conclusion of the MAX 10 flight test program in July 2026, which involved 976 flights and over 2,060 flight hours. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg stated at a September 2026 investor conference, "We're in close coordination with them [FAA], and I think you're going to see that certification very soon. We've completed all the flight testing. Now we're just in the documentation phase."

Market Impact and Competition

The pending certification of the MAX 10 is critical for Boeing's commercial strategy. According to figures shared by CEO Kelly Ortberg in September 2026, the MAX 10 accounts for approximately 30% of Boeing's total 737 backlog, with nearly 1,500 aircraft currently on order. The aircraft is positioned to compete directly against the Airbus A321neo in the high-capacity, single-aisle market. While the A321neo, which seats up to 244 passengers, has maintained a dominant position during the MAX 10's development delays, Boeing expects the certification of its own variant to unlock crucial revenue and stabilize network planning for major customers including United, Ryanair, and Alaska Airlines. The regulatory path for the MAX 10 was further smoothed by the FAA's granting of an amended type certificate for the smaller 737 MAX 7 in August 2026, which established the necessary technical baseline for the larger model. Following the anticipated final type certification in late October 2026, Boeing is projecting initial customer deliveries to commence in the spring of 2027.