Avolon finalizes order for 140 Boeing 737 MAX 10s, the largest by a lessor

A lessor order, not an airline order

Avolon announced the Boeing portion on 9 October as part of a wider commitment for 250 new-generation aircraft split between Boeing and Airbus, FL3 reported. At the time it did not specify the MAX variant. The 4 November confirmation settled that all 140 will be the 737 MAX 10. The deal lifts Avolon's outstanding 737 MAX commitments to more than 240 aircraft.

Avolon is building a long-term delivery pipeline for airlines that cannot secure their own production slots or need more immediate capacity, Dj's Aviation reported. Chief executive Andy Cronin said the order expands its backlog for new single-aisle jets amid a crunch in availability and reflects airline demand. Avolon's portfolio stood at 1,092 aircraft owned, managed and committed across 138 airlines in 62 countries as of its 30 September 2026 filing.

Why certification mattered

The FAA certified the 737 MAX 10 on 20 October 2026, issuing a type certificate and an updated production authorization, the agency said. Certification removed the main US regulatory barrier to deliveries, FL3 reported. Boeing said the campaign involved more than 2,000 flight hours and about 1,000 hours of ground testing.

The FAA briefly paused certification in late September over a navigation-software issue that could affect automated vertical guidance in a landing scenario, Aviacionline reported. The agency concluded the issue did not pose a flight-safety risk. Certification completed the four-model MAX lineup after the smaller MAX 7 was cleared in August 2026. It also added an upgraded angle-of-attack sensor system and enhanced flight-control protections, FL3 reported.

Certification does not cover every factory. The 737 North Line in Everett must obtain its own FAA production certification before aircraft assembled there can be delivered, The Aviation Hub reported. Boeing brought the line into low-rate initial production in July 2026; Boeing has not given a timeline for that certification.

Why lessors want the 737 MAX 10

The aircraft carries up to 230 passengers in its maximum configuration, with 185 to 210 typical, and a published range of about 3,100 nautical miles, according to Boeing specifications. Boeing says it offers the lowest per-seat operating costs of any single-aisle jet currently in service. Boeing designed it to compete with the Airbus A321neo.

Boeing holds 1,555 MAX 10 orders from more than 30 customers, more than 30 percent of its undelivered MAX order book, according to the manufacturer. Lessors placed firm orders for more than 230 737-10s during 2026, a fivefold increase from the lessor backlog for the variant at the end of 2025, FL3 reported.

What happens next

Boeing expects to begin 737 MAX 10 deliveries in 2027. The first MAX 10s will go to WestJet through Aviation Capital Group in early 2027.