Boeing's 737-7 is finally certified, with Southwest first in line for delivery

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has certified the Boeing 737-7, the smallest and longest-range member of the 737 MAX family. Boeing announced the amended type certificate on August 3, 2026. The release names Southwest Airlines as the launch customer and says the two companies are preparing to deliver the first airplane. It gives no date.

For Southwest flyers, the jet matters less for what it is than for what it replaces. Southwest flies nothing but 737s. Its oldest, the 737-700s, are leaving the fleet, and the 737-7 is the airplane built to take their place.

What the 737-7 is

The 737-7 is the shortest of the four 737 MAX models. According to Boeing's announcement, it seats 135 to 160 passengers in a two-class layout and has a range of up to 3,800 nautical miles, about 10% more than its siblings. Boeing says it uses 20% less fuel and has half the noise footprint of the airplanes it typically replaces. It also says the jet is designed for strong performance out of high-altitude and hot-weather airports.

That last point lands close to home. The directory lists Denver, Phoenix and Las Vegas among Southwest's hubs. Neither Boeing nor Southwest has said where the plane will fly.

Certification took a long time. Boeing says the test program began in 2018 and included more than 1,000 hours of flight and ground testing, safety and human factors reviews, and an updated engine anti-ice system to address a condition found during flight tests. Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said the team "worked through challenges, an extended pandemic, and the transition to new certification processes." The FAA also added the 737-7 to Boeing's production certificate, the approval that lets the factory build it for delivery.

Who has ordered it

Boeing's release names one customer: Southwest. It does not list other airlines, and it does not say how many 737-7s are on order. The only figure is for the whole family, more than 7,200 737 MAX orders with more than 2,300 delivered through the end of June 2026.

We found no Southwest newsroom statement on the certification. The airline's latest fleet update is its second quarter results from July 22, 2026. That release covers the planes Southwest is taking now: 64 Boeing 737-8 deliveries expected in 2026, and about 60 retirements, 737-700s among them. It lists the MAX 7 certification among the things its plans depend on. It gives no 737-7 delivery count and no date.

When the first jet arrives

Boeing says only that preparations are underway. A team is "readying the first airplanes, including implementing updates to the airplane's final configuration." Our read is that the early-build jets need changes before handover, which is normal after a certification that ran this long. Neither company has said when the first delivery will happen or when the plane will carry its first paying passengers. Trade reports put Southwest's target in 2027, but that is not in either release, so treat it as unconfirmed.

What it means for Southwest flyers

Do not expect a new cabin. Southwest sells one class, and Boeing's two-class seat count is a generic figure, not Southwest's layout. Southwest has not said how it will configure the 737-7.

The cabin changes that matter are already happening on the planes Southwest has. The airline is moving to assigned seats with extra-legroom rows, and its second quarter release confirms it is pulling six seats from each 737-700 to make room for them. A new jet in the same size band keeps that product on the thinner routes the 737-700 serves today, rather than forcing a bigger 737-8 onto them. Boeing's release calls that 135-to-160-seat slot "an important market segment," and for Southwest it is the one its oldest planes fill.

Range is the other change. Boeing says the 737-7 can fly about 10% farther than the rest of the family. Whether Southwest uses that for anything new is unknown. The airline has not announced routes tied to the plane.

Where to wait before you fly one

Southwest has no lounges today. That changes in late 2027, when it plans to open its first four, in Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu and Nashville, built with Chase and tied to a new premium Southwest card. Our earlier story has the details and the open questions, chief among them whether Rapid Rewards elites get in without the card.

Until then, a Southwest ticket alone opens no lounge door. At Baltimore/Washington, The Club BWI on Concourse D takes Priority Pass and sells day passes when there is room. At Southwest's other hubs, Dallas Love Field, Chicago Midway, Denver, Phoenix and Las Vegas, check the airport page for lounges that take Priority Pass or a premium card.

Southwest's lounges have a date. The 737-7 does not yet. When one is set, we will update this story.