Boeing received FAA approval to increase 737 MAX production to 47 jets a month, a milestone in the planemaker's turnaround after more than $35 billion in losses.
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Boeing boosts 737 MAX output to 47 jets after FAA approval
Boeing received FAA approval to increase 737 MAX production to 47 jets a month, a milestone in the planemaker's turnaround after more than $35 billion in losses.
Boeing increased 737 MAX production to 47 jets a month after passing a Federal Aviation Administration capstone review, CEO Kelly Ortberg said Wednesday.
"We've passed the capstone review for rate 47, so we are now in the process of running the line at the 47-a-month rate," Ortberg said at the Bernstein Annual Strategic Decisions Conference in New York. "It'll probably take us a few months of stabilization there."
The increase from the previous 42 jets a month follows the FAA's removal of a 38-plane cap imposed after a midair panel blowout on a 737 MAX 9 in January 2024 exposed significant production quality failures. Boeing aims to reach 52 jets a month early next year after opening a fourth production line in Everett, Washington, and has a long-term target of 63 a month.
Raising output is critical to Boeing's recovery after more than $35 billion in cumulative losses from 2019 through 2024. The company delivered 600 jets in 2025, up from 348 a year earlier but still below the 800-plus it delivered in 2018 before the MAX grounding. Wall Street projects about 860 deliveries by 2028, with earnings per share of roughly $8 and free cash flow of $10 billion.
Boeing shares rose 2.5 percent to $224.30 on Wednesday. The stock has gained about 12 percent over the past 12 months but remains roughly 50 percent below its March 2019 record high of nearly $440.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency supported the increase and expects further rate hikes. "It's important for the country that Boeing is successful," Bedford said at an aviation forum in Washington. He expects the MAX 7 to be certified this summer and the larger MAX 10 before year-end.
Ortberg said Boeing has largely completed certification flight tests for the MAX 7 and 10 as well as the widebody 777-9. He expressed confidence in the remaining phase of flight testing for the new engine anti-ice system. On the widebody side, 787 production is back at eight a month after dipping earlier this year due to engine delays from GE Aerospace.
China committed to an order of 200 Boeing jets earlier this month, the first large commitment from the country in nearly a decade. Ortberg said the initial quantity was less important than reopening the market, noting China needs hundreds of new aircraft annually to support economic growth.
The production increase signals Boeing's quality controls are improving after years of regulatory scrutiny. Investors will watch whether the company can sustain the 47-a-month rate and reach its 52-a-month target early next year, which would determine its ability to generate the cash flow needed to restore its balance sheet.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
[1] Boeing Hits a Key Milestone. The Stock Is Up. - Barron's[2] Boeing increasing 737 production after consulting FAA[3] FAA expects Boeing MAX 7 to be certified this summer, sees more production hikes[4] Boeing CEO says company met requirements to increase 737 Max production to 47...[5] Boeing CEO: Company Cleared to Increase 737 MAX Production
