The Boeing 757 is often hailed as one of the most versatile narrowbody aircraft ever built. Capable of flying transatlantic routes as easily as high-density domestic services, the 757 can operate in challenging airport environments while carrying substantial payloads thanks to its exceptional performance characteristics. However, time is catching up with the type. Many airlines around the world have already retired their 757 fleets, leaving Delta Air Lines and United Airlines as two of the last major commercial operators.

By contrast, the Boeing 737 MAX represents the latest evolution of Boeing’s best-selling narrowbody family. Frequently positioned as the most direct 21st-century replacement for the 757, the MAX, particularly its largest variants, aims to deliver similar capacity with improved efficiency. But how closely does the 737 MAX actually compare to the 757, and when it comes down to size, which aircraft is truly larger?

What Is The Boeing 757?

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Now approaching its 45th birthday, the Boeing 757 is one of the most capable commercial airliners ever built. Since taking flight for the first time in 1982, over 1,000 757s have been produced and delivered to 54 customers around the world. Demand for the 757 was largely driven by airlines’ interest in a capable twin-engine narrowbody airliner that could replace the aging and expensive 727 series. With seating for around 160 to 180 passengers, the 757 quickly became a global workhorse on both domestic and international routes.

One of the most heralded features of the 757 is its impressive performance. With strong climb performance, short landing distance, ideal seating capacity and substantial range, the 757 provides airlines with operational flexibility to almost any airport in the world. Looking at the numbers, the 757-200, the smaller of the two 757 variants, is just around 155 feet long (47.30 m). With a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 255,000 pounds and a maximum range of 3,900 nautical miles (7,222 km), the 757 can pretty much be fully loaded without exceeding weight limitations, making it extremely versatile when operating in extreme environments.

The second 757 variant, the 757-300, is a stretched version of the original -200. With an impressive length of 178 feet 10 inches (54.50 m), the 757-300 can comfortably fit around 220 to 240 passengers in a standard configuration. Like the -200, the 757-300 also boasts an impressive MTOW of 272,000 lbs and a range of 3,395 NM (5,287 km). Additionally, both 757 variants are powered by either two Rolls-Royce RB211s or Pratt & Whitney PW2000s, producing over 85,000 pounds of thrust.

The Boeing 737 MAX: A Modern Narrowbody Workhorse

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The Boeing 737 MAX is the latest evolution of Boeing’s long-running 737 series, an aircraft family that can trace its roots back to the 1960s. While the overall design of the 737 has remained relatively similar over the past 65+ years, the 737 MAX introduced larger, more efficient CFM International LEAP-1B engines, updated aerodynamics, and more advanced aircraft systems, including an all-glass cockpit. With these improvements, the MAX family offers airlines a modern narrowbody workhorse, delivering a roughly 20 percent reduction in fuel burn and CO2 emissions, lowering operating costs, and providing passengers with an improved experience.

The 737 MAX offers four different variants, the medium-sized MAX 8 and MAX 9, both of which have been certified and in operation for around a decade; and the smallest MAX 7, and the largest MAX 10, both still in various stages of the certification process. Boeing’s four MAX variants range in size from just 119 feet 11 inches (36.56 m) long for the MAX 7 to 143 feet 8 inches (43.80 m) long with the MAX 10.

Given the significant difference in length, each MAX variant fills a specific role. The MAX 8 and MAX 9 offer the biggest balance between range and passenger capacity, each capable of flying 3,548 NM (6,570 km) carrying 178 to 193 passengers in a standard configuration. On the other hand, the MAX 7 trades capacity for range, seating 153 passengers with a range of 3,850 NM (7,130 km), making it perfect for routes with lower loads. However, Boeing’s closest replacement for its 757s is the MAX 10. With a range of 3,300 NM (6,110 km) and seating for 204 passengers, the MAX 10 is the most likely direct replacement.

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Side-By-Side Size Comparison: 757 Vs. 737 MAX

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When comparing the Boeing 757 and 737 MAX, the size differences become clear almost immediately. Even the largest 737 MAX variant, the MAX 10, falls short of the 757 in several key categories. The 757-200 is approximately 11 feet longer than the MAX 10, while the 757-300 extends even further, dwarfing all the smaller MAX variants and even the largest MAX 10. Beyond length, the 757 also delivers higher performance numbers. With a MTOW of 255,000 pounds for the 757-200 (and 272,000 pounds for the -300), the 757 operates in a different performance class than the MAX 10, which tops out at a MTOW of 203,000 pounds.

Further, the range of the 757-200 is around 600 NM (1,110 km) longer than the MAX 10, allowing it to more comfortably operate farther reaching routes, like from the US East Coast to Europe. Notably, however, both the MAX 10 and 757-200 have very similar seating capacities, with the MAX 10 possibly even beating the 757-200 in some dense seating configurations. On the other hand, while the 757-300 has a range very similar to the MAX 10, it does so while carrying 40 additional passengers.

However, range and seating capacity aren’t everything. The MAX 10 will offer significantly better operating economics than the older 757 family, making routes cheaper and more efficient for airlines to operate. While the MAX 10 likely won’t be used on many transatlantic routes, there is already relatively limited use of the 757 on those routes, with most of the 757s in commercial operation used on high-density domestic routes within the US. These high-capacity domestic routes are perfect for a direct replacement of the 757 with the MAX 10, which can comfortably operate most US domestic routes.

Other Possible 757 Replacements

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Boeing is not the only manufacturer that has developed a 21st-century alternative to its 757 family. European competitor Airbus’s A321XLR has also been touted as a suitable replacement for the 757, offering a comparable range and slightly smaller seating capacity than the 757-200. As promoted by Airbus, the Airbus A321XLR offers a range of 4,700 NM (8,700 km), which is much greater than the 3,900 NM (7,220 km) range offered by the 757-200. However, this is simply an advertised range, and commercial operations will likely not reach this figure.

In terms of passenger capacity, the A321XLR has the potential to match the 757’s capacity of around 180 passengers. However, given the increase in demand for premium travel, many carriers are configuring their XLRs with a high-density premium cabin. For example, United Airlines, which will operate both the A321XLR and 757-200, is reportedly planning a 150-seat layout on their A321XLRs. While this includes a new 1-1 configured business class and a new premium economy product compared to the 757’s aged 2-2 business class, it represents a significant decrease in capacity.

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What’s Going On With The 737 MAX 10?

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With certification of the 737 MAX 10 expected years ago and more recently slated for the end of 2025, anticipated FAA certification for Boeing’s largest MAX variant is now not expected until at least the end of 2026, with sometime in 2027 seeming more realistic. This ongoing delay is due to a series of issues Boeing has encountered during the testing process. Combined with increased regulatory scrutiny of the 737 MAX after the two fatal MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019, as well as other major incidents like the Alaska Airlines door plug explosion, certification has been a long and difficult road for Boeing and the MAX 10. However, Boeing is making progress toward certification, including passing a major milestone in its certification journey this past year.

In November 2025, Boeing completed a crucial fix for its anti-ice engine system, critical to preventing ice buildup inside the MAX 10’s engines. During earlier testing, Boeing discovered that directing heated air into the engine inlet cowel, meant to prevent ice buildup as part of the anti-ice system, could damage the composite structure of the nacelle, or engine casing. With that design update completed and submitted to the FAA for approval, the 737 MAX 10 is one step closer to final certification.

While the anti-ice issue has been resolved, Boeing is still working through the FAA’s recently announced formal review of its crew alerting system. This new alerting system will see 737 MAX aircraft be installed with a third angle of attack reference, aiding in detecting faulty sensor data, an error that led to the MCAS failures on both the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 crashes. With the new system, Boeing will also install ways for pilots to disable stall warnings and overspeed alerts in certain scenarios. Given the changes and the background of the MAX 8 tragedies, the FAA is taking additional steps to ensure the safety of the MAX 10 and future 737 variants, adding additional complexity to an already complex certification process.

As for a final certification date, Boeing and regulators are pushing for entry into service by the end of this year or early next year. Perhaps offering a bit of hope is Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan, who told Reuters in December 2025 that he expects the smaller 737 MAX 7 to be certified by August 2026, in line with Boeing’s previous forecast of certification by mid-2026. If MAX 7 certification is achieved by August, it is expected that the MAX 10 certification will be close behind, as many of the issues encountered by both aircraft variants are largely similar.