United Airlines is rethinking plans for its Boeing 737 MAX 10 fleet after years of certification delays pushed more aircraft beyond 2027 and left the carrier with premium lie-flat seats ordered for a jet that has yet to enter service.
United still has 167 MAX 10 aircraft on firm order. Its latest delivery expectations show 20 arriving in 2027 and 147 after 2027, meaning 27 more jets are now expected beyond 2027 than under the airline’s contractual timetable.
United’s original MAX 10 plan has changed
United’s premium strategy for the MAX 10 dates back to 2018, when Scott Kirby, then the airline’s president and now its CEO, discussed using the larger narrow-body jet on premium transcontinental routes with lie-flat seating. At the time, the MAX 10 was expected to enter service around 2020.
The long delay changed that plan. Kirby told CNBC that United has lie-flat seats intended for the MAX 10 that do not fit its other aircraft, forcing the airline to reconsider the cabin configuration once deliveries begin.
United has also continued investing in premium products elsewhere in its fleet, including a United Boeing 787-9 premium-cabin rollout as the carrier expands higher-value seating across different aircraft types.
27 more aircraft are now expected after 2027
United’s contractual schedule called for three MAX 10s in the second half of 2026, 44 in 2027 and 120 after 2027. Its current expectation is zero in 2026, 20 in 2027 and 147 afterward.
| Delivery window | Contractual | Currently expected |
|---|---|---|
| Second half of 2026 | 3 | 0 |
| 2027 | 44 | 20 |
| After 2027 | 120 | 147 |
| Total | 167 | 167 |
The shift does not mean United has cancelled 27 jets. It means those aircraft have moved into a later expected delivery window. The airline currently expects its first MAX 10 deliveries around summer 2027, although timing still depends on certification and Boeing’s production schedule.
United’s aircraft commitments are detailed in its quarterly filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The A321neo has already taken part of the premium role
United did not wait for the MAX 10 to expand its premium narrow-body offering. It has developed an Airbus A321neo subfleet called the Coastliner, featuring 20 Polaris suites, premium-economy seating and other upgraded cabin features for transcontinental flying.
That gives United another premium option before the MAX 10 enters service and raises a new question about how the Boeing jet should be positioned when it finally arrives.
Other airlines have faced similar planning pressure from delayed aircraft programs. Singapore Airlines has adjusted its widebody fleet plans around Boeing 777-9 delays, showing how late deliveries can affect capacity and long-term fleet decisions.
Why the stored seats are not an easy fix
Moving the unused MAX 10 seats to another United aircraft is not straightforward. Different aircraft types have different cabin dimensions and installation requirements, so the seats cannot simply be transferred to an Airbus A321neo or another jet.
United has not announced the final MAX 10 seating layout or confirmed which routes will receive the aircraft. That leaves the airline to decide whether the premium concept designed years ago still fits its current network and cabin strategy.
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Certification remains the key dependency
The MAX 10 is the largest member of Boeing’s 737 MAX family. Its certification has taken years longer than airlines originally expected, including work tied to an anti-icing system redesign and increased regulatory scrutiny.
Boeing has completed scheduled MAX 10 certification flight testing, with 976 certification flights and more than 2,060 flight hours logged. Other review work was still incomplete in the latest progress information.
For United, the delay is now about more than timing. The airline has a changed delivery schedule, a newer premium narrow-body product and specialized seats built for an earlier plan, so the MAX 10’s eventual role will need to fit the fleet United has built while waiting for it.
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