Boeing says it has cleared one of the most important hurdles in its Boeing 737 MAX recovery, with CEO Kelly Ortberg telling a conference today that the manufacturer has met the requirements to increase production of its best-selling narrowbody to 47 aircraft per month.

The move marks another crucial step in Boeing’s slow climb back from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) production cap imposed on it after the January 2024 door-plug blowout incident. Boeing had already had the cap raised to a rate of 42 aircraft per month, but Ortberg says the company has now satisfied the conditions needed to move to the next level. Reuters also reported that Boeing is aiming to reach 52 aircraft per month in early 2027, helped by new certifications and a new 737 production line in Everett, Washington.

Boeing 737 MAX Production Is Ready To Move Higher

Credit: Boeing

Speaking at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference in New York earlier today, Ortberg said Boeing is increasing 737 production from 42 to 47 aircraft per month after consultation with the FAA. Ortberg said Boeing has “passed the capstone review for rate 47,” but also cautioned that this doesn’t mean an overnight transformation in its production numbers:

“It’ll probably take us a few months of stabilization there. … My guess is we continue to go up in rate. It may take a little bit longer, but we’re off and rolling now for the 47-a-month rate, and we should be there in the next couple months.”

The comments are significant because Boeing’s 737 MAX ramp-up is crucial to the financial recovery of its commercial aircraft division, which has suffered years of losses since the grounding of the type in 2019 following two high-profile crashes. Following the door-plug incident, Boeing’s production system has been under scrutiny by the FAA, and it was only able to move up to its current approved rate of 42 aircraft a month in October last year.

So while the increase from 42 to 47 may sound modest, it allows Boeing to produce an additional 60 aircraft a year, which equates to up to $5 billion in additional annual revenue. It will also help sustain the current surge in 737 MAX orders by instilling growing confidence in potential customers while opening up more near-term delivery slots, a key advantage that Boeing has over arch-rival Airbus.

Ortberg also indicated that Boeing is targeting its next step up to 52 aircraft a month in early 2027, but acknowledged that the manufacturer has “work to do” before it can get there, saying the process would take at least six months, if not longer, if the newly approved rate goes into effect in July or August:

“We’re highly confident that we can meet the new rate, but I think the whole world’s watching to make sure we make 47 and 52 successfully. Then we’d like to get someday to a 63-a-month rate, and so we’re looking forward to that. We know the market will support those higher rates.”

A Recap Of The Cap

Credit: Boeing

The path to 47 aircraft per month began with one of the most damaging episodes in Boeing’s recent history. In January 2024, a door plug blew out from a Boeing 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines, shortly after departure from Portland International Airport (PDX). The incident triggered renewed scrutiny of Boeing’s manufacturing and quality-control systems, and the FAA responded by capping 737 MAX production at 38 aircraft per month.

That cap was a direct brake on Boeing’s recovery. The 737 MAX is the company’s most important commercial aircraft program by volume, and the ability to produce more aircraft is central to delivering backlog, generating cash, and giving airlines the aircraft they need for growth and fleet renewal. But Boeing first had to prove that it could stabilize the line.

The next part of the plan depends heavily on Boeing’s plans to open a new 737 production line, known as the North Line, at its facility in Everett, Washington. This fourth line is slated to come online in mid-summer, with a focus on production of the Boeing 737 MAX 10, and extending single-aisle production beyond the long-running Renton site for the first time.

Boeing Will Expand Into The Higher Cap

Credit: Boeing

While the increase to production levels of 47 aircraft per month is positive news, it is worth noting that Boeing hasn’t been delivering at that rate this year so far. Based on Boeing delivery data through April, the manufacturer has handed over 147 737 MAX aircraft in the first four months of the year, averaging only 37 per month. Deliveries and production rates are not identical, but it does show that Boeing still has a gap to catch up even before the new increase.

However, the need for higher output will become even more important once the 737 MAX family is complete. Boeing still has two uncertified variants: the smaller Boeing 737 MAX 7 and the larger Boeing 737 MAX 10. Boeing said in its first-quarter results that it expects both aircraft to be certified in the second half of 2026, with first deliveries anticipated in 2027.

The MAX 7 is especially important to Southwest Airlines, which holds about 90% of the order book for the type, and has said it expects certification in August with plans to put the aircraft into service in the first quarter of 2027. Other important MAX 7 customers include Allegiant Air and WestJet.

The MAX 10 is arguably even more important to Boeing’s commercial position. It is the largest MAX variant and Boeing’s closest answer to higher-capacity A321neo-family flying. Ryanair has ordered 150 MAX 10s with options for another 150, and says it expects certification in the third quarter of 2026, with deliveries starting early next year. United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Delta Air Lines are also key customers for the type, with each having orders for 100+ of the type.

That is why the 47-per-month milestone matters beyond the headline number. Boeing already has a huge MAX backlog to work through, and the near-term certification of the MAX 7 and MAX 10 will only increase the pressure to deliver aircraft efficiently. Moving to 47, opening the new Everett line, and then reaching 52 in early 2027, are all crucial parts of Boeing’s recovery and the continued resurgence of its narrowbody program.