This Airline Is The Largest US Operator Of The Boeing 737-800

The Boeing 737-800 is one of the most influential narrowbody aircraft to ever enter commercial service. For more than two decades, over 5,000 737-800s have been produced and delivered, forming the backbone of airline networks across the world. Even as newer aircraft have entered the market, the -800 continues to play a critical role.

In the United States, American Airlines is the largest operator of the 737-800, with over 300 examples of the aircraft type in its fleet. From high-frequency hub to hub routes to short regional hops and longer international routings, the 737-800 remains a key part of American’s operational strategy.

The Boeing 737-800’s Global Success Story

Few commercial aircraft have achieved the level of global dominance enjoyed by the Boeing 737-800. As part of the 737 Next Generation (NG) family, an evolution of Boeing’s “classic” 737 series, the -800 variant entered passenger service at a time when airlines were looking for more efficient narrowbodies to replace aging aircraft while also offering improved economics and passenger comfort. Positioned between smaller classic 737s and larger single-aisle twinjets or trijets, the 737-800 struck a balance that made it a highly favorable addition to many airlines’ fleets.

With a typical seating capacity of 160 to 189 passengers and a range of 3,000 nautical miles (5,650 km), the 737-800 allowed airlines to open new routes and increase capacity on existing ones without significantly increasing operating costs. This flexibility made the 737-800 suitable for everything from short-haul business flights to longer leisure-focused ones.

Over time, the aircraft has become a central piece of global aviation operations. Low-cost carriers embraced the 737-800 for its high-density potential while full-service airlines valued its adaptability within hub-and-spoke networks. Today, the 737-800’s presence is so widespread that it is difficult to find any sector of the world where the aircraft does not play a significant role. Even as newer aircraft like the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX families dominate the headlines, the 737-800 continues to operate in large numbers.

A Closer Look At American Airlines’ 737-800 Fleet

American Airlines Boeing 737-800 departing Los Angeles International Airport LAX shutterstock_2579064499

Within the United States, no airline operates more Boeing 737-800s than American Airlines. The carrier is the largest US operator of the type, with an impressive total of 303 737-800 aircraft in its fleet at an average age of 16.2 years. This represents 77% of the carrier’s Boeing 737 fleet, with the remaining 23% being closely related to the 737-800 in the form of the 737 MAX 8. Of American’s 737-800s, ch-aviation data lists 291 as currently active, with just 12 aircraft inactive, most of which are in maintenance.

American’s relationship with the 737-800 dates back more than two decades, as the airline sought to modernize its narrowbody fleet and improve efficiency across its domestic network. Over the years, the aircraft has become an integral part of American’s operations across several of its largest hubs, including Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), and Miami (MIA). The sheer size of American’s 737-800 fleet allows American to standardize several operational complexities, like flight crew scheduling and aircraft maintenance. In addition, by operating so many 737-800s, American can more easily swap aircraft in case of a sudden technical problem, helping to increase operational reliability.

In terms of passenger seating, all of American’s 737-800s have the same seating configuration, contrasting with nearly all the carrier’s Airbus narrowbodies whose seating configurations can vary between aircraft. Inside, the first four rows of the aircraft contain 16 domestic first-class recliners, featuring 37 inches of pitch and five inches of recline. Behind the first class cabin, rows eight to 33 feature 156 Main Cabin economy seats. Aside from 24 extra legroom seats, each Main Cabin seat offers 30 inches of pitch and a limited two-inch recline. Notably, American’s 737-800s (or any other of American’s narrowbody aircraft) do not feature inflight entertainment screens, instead offering passengers on-demand movies and TV shows through an online portal accessible from a personal mobile device.

How Important Is The Boeing 737-800 At American Airlines?

The narrowbody twinjet accounts for around 30% of the carrier’s total fleet.

How Does American Use The 737-800 Across Its Network?

American 737-800 shutterstock_2540206749

American Airlines’ use of the Boeing 737-800 is spread across a wide variety of markets and routes, highlighting the aircraft’s versatility. In January 2026, American’s 737-800 fleet is scheduled to operate a whopping 31,808 flights, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. These flights will offer 5,470,976 total seats, demonstrating the scale at which the 737-800 supports American’s domestic and regional international capacity. Looking at available seat miles (calculated by multiplying seat capacity by distance flown), American’s 737-800s will generate approximately 5.23 billion ASMs during the month, placing the 737-800 among the most productive aircraft types in American’s fleet.

Much of this activity centers on the carrier’s largest hubs, particularly Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. As American’s primary hub, DFW operations rely heavily on the 737-800 to maintain connectivity across the United States. From DFW, the aircraft connects Dallas to other major American hubs across the country, as well as to a wide range of regional markets and leisure destinations, often with multiple daily frequencies. This pattern is repeated at other hubs where the 737-800 serves as a reliable backbone for the airline’s operations.

American’s Most Popular 737-800 Routes In January 2026

American Airlines Boeing 737-800 final approach shutterstock_1674484681

A closer look at American’s most popular Boeing 737-800 routes in January 2026 provides further insight into how the aircraft is deployed. Topping the list of most operated routes with the 737-800 is between New York LaGuardia (LGA) and Dallas/Fort Worth, two of American’s most popular hubs. During the month, this corridor will see 320 flights operated by the 737-800, offering 55,040 total seats. The return flight from Dallas to New York will see one fewer flight in January, for a total of 319 flights with the 737-800.

Behind LGA – DFW, American’s second most served city pair with the 737-800 is between Dallas and Chicago. In total, American will offer around 50 fewer flights than between New York and Dallas for a total of 272 flights in January. The prominence of both the LaGuardia and Chicago to Dallas routes highlights the importance of the 737-800 in serving key business markets in American’s network. Its global status as a workhorse aircraft holds true for American, with most routes in the top ten of most frequently served between American Airlines hubs across the U.S.

Route	Number of Flights (Jan. 2026)	Available Seats
LGA – DFW	320	55,040
DFW – LGA	319	54,868
DFW – ORD ORD – DFW	272	46,784
DFW – DCA	226	38,872
DCA – DFW	225	38,700
DFW – AUS AUS – DFW	215	36,980

Other popular 737-800 routes to kick off 2026 include Dallas to Washington DC (DCA), Dallas to Austin (AUS), Washington DC to Miami, and Miami to Charlotte (CLT). Of these, the Dallas to Austin route stands out for offering just seven million ASMs. This compares to 76 million on LGA-DFW, 37 million between ORD and DFW, and 46 million ASMs from DFW to DCA. This underscores the versatility of the 737-800 in American’s fleet, allowing the airline to operate both longer, high-demand routes, as well as short one-hour inter-Texas hops with the 737-800.

American Airlines' 10 Most Frequent Boeing 737-800 Routes From Charlotte 3x2

American Airlines’ 9 Most Frequent Boeing 737-800 Routes From Charlotte

The carrier operates these flights multiple times per day.

American’s 737-800 Is Just A Part Of The World’s 2nd Largest Aircraft Fleet

American Airlines 737-800 on short final at Miami International Airport

While American Airlines’ status as the largest US operator of the Boeing 737-800 is impressive, it is just one element of the carrier’s larger fleet picture. American operates one of the largest aircraft fleets overall, with a total of 1,015 aircraft across its mainline and regional fleets, according to fleet data from planespotters.net.

Within this context, the 737-800 plays a valuable role. Firstly, it helped bridge the gap as American phased out older aircraft and awaits new aircraft deliveries. When aircraft like the 757 were retired during the pandemic, American turned to alternatives like the 737-800 to take over hub-to-hub routes that the 757 used to service. As American continues to take deliveries of new aircraft like the Boeing 787 and Airbus A321XLR, the 737-800 will still be used as a multipurpose workhorse aircraft, serving whatever operational needs American needs filled.

From a passenger perspective, American has worked to keep its 737-800 fleet competitive through cabin upgrades and enhancements. Features like larger overhead bins, onboard WiFi, and a consistent seating layout have helped make the 737-800 as similar as possible to newer aircraft like the MAX 8. While the 737 MAX family will still boast numerous advantages over the legacy -800, like a quieter cabin and less fuel burn, American has ensured the 737-800 can continue to play a critical role in its fleet, despite its age

How Does American’s 737-800 Fleet Compare To Other Airlines?

Ryanair Boeing 737-800 landing at Dublin Airport DUB shutterstock_2503117167

While American Airlines leads the way in the United States in 737-800 fleet size, the title of world’s largest Boeing 737-800 operator belongs to Ryanair. After taking delivery of its first Boeing 737-800 on March 19, 1999, Ryanair now operates a total of 396 737-800 aircraft, 93 more than American Airlines. Of those, 190 are currently active, 15 are inactive, and 191 are operated through Ryanair’s subsidiaries across Europe.

As the most common aircraft type in its fleet, Ryanair’s 737-800s operate the bulk of the company’s flights. With a staggering 189 seats onboard, the 737-800 is a perfect aircraft for Ryanair’s ultra-low-cost carrier model. Commenting on the 737, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said:

“The 737’s unparalleled reliability and low operating economics have been instrumental in our ability to get passengers to their destinations on time and at the lowest possible fare. We couldn’t be more pleased with the airplane’s performance and its effect on our bottom line.”

As for utilization, Ryanair’s most frequent route with the 737-800 is between London Gatwick Airport (LGW) and Dublin Airport (DUB), representing two of Ryanair’s largest cities. In addition to the London to Dublin route, Ryanair also operates substantial numbers of 737-800s between Dublin and Manchester, Rome and Palermo, and various routes from Catania, including to Rome, Madrid, and Palma de Mallorca.

Within the U.S., Southwest Airlines is the second-largest operator of the 737-800, with 198 examples at an average age of just 10.3 years. However, Southwest operates the largest Boeing 737 fleet in the world, with 305 737-700s and 300 737 MAX 8s, with more Boeing narrowbodies on order. Behind Southwest, United Airlines is the third-largest operator of the 737-800 in America, operating 141 -800 aircraft.