Alaska Airlines has taken delivery of its first longer-range Boeing 737 MAX 8, which forms part of the Seattle-based carrier’s plans to start operating longer nonstop flights, including a new service between Anchorage and New York JFK, which will clocks in at 3,386 miles – Alaska’s furthest flight to date.
The first 737-8 with registration N801AK was delivered factory-fresh to Alaska on December 27, 2023, from Boeing Field and has been sitting on the ground in Oakland while the airline completes the final steps to integrate the aircraft into its fleet.
One of between 20 and 40 Boeing 737-8s to join Alaska’s fleet over the next four years, the aircraft has the second furthest range in the 737 MAX lineup with the ability to fly up to 3,500 miles nonstop.
The 737-8 is certified to carry a maximum of 210 passengers, but Alaska has configured its version of the airplane with just 159 seats in a two-class configuration.
Alaska Airlines is expected to receive between 15 and 25 new 737s every year through 2027, with 80 firm orders and options to purchase 105 more, depending on fleet conditions. Seven more 737-8s will be delivered to Alaska throughout 2024, and the Anchorage to JFK service its touted to launch in June.
The airline initially only ordered the medium-range 737-9 version of the MAX family, but in 2022, the carrier decided to add the -8 and -10 variants to its order mix. The 737-10 has the shortest range of the family at just 3,100 miles but the largest capacity with a maximum certified configuration of 230 seats.
The first 737-10 is due to be delivered to Alaska next year and now makes up the bulk of the airline’s MAX order with between 120 and 140 due to join the fleet. In Alaska’s two-class configuration, there will be a capacity of 190 passengers.
The longest-range 737MAX family aircraft is the 737-7, with the ability to fly up to 3,800 miles nonstop. Like the 737-10, however, the variant is yet to receive FAA certified, although Boeing remains optimistic that this will be achieved early this year.
