The Boeing 737 family is one of the most prominent series of aircraft in the world. The newest generation of aircraft, the 737 MAX series, represents a new generation of narrowbody aircraft. The 737 MAX combines greater fuel efficiency with lower operating costs, directly competing with the Airbus A320neo family. Even so, the 737 MAX has found a role in global airline fleets around the world.
Specifically, major carriers such as Ryanair and Southwest Airlines are prominent operators of the Boeing 737 MAX. For low-cost carriers with vast short-haul networks, the 737 MAX is a compelling choice for upgrading their fleets. As the model has risen to the top of the narrowbody aircraft market, major carriers, like Ryanair and Southwest Airlines, have both doubled down on their investment in the 737 MAX, each for their own strategic reasons. While both are among the largest operators of the 737 MAX globally, their approaches to fleet planning, aircraft utilization, and customer experience diverge in revealing ways. Let’s take a closer look at the fleet of each of these major carriers, as well as which airline operates the most 737 MAXs.
How Many Boeing 737 MAXs Does Southwest Airlines Operate?
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Currently, Southwest Airlines operates an extensive fleet of Boeing 737 MAXs. According to ch-aviation, the Dallas, Texas-based airline flies a total of 281 737 MAXs. These are all the 737 MAX 8 variant of the Boeing narrowbody. These aircraft have an average age of approximately 3.4 years. All Boeing 737 MAX 8s in the Southwest Airlines fleet have similar configurations, seating approximately 175 passengers in a one-class configuration.
The oldest 737 MAX 8 that Southwest Airlines operates is registered as N8701Q. This aircraft has a manufacturing serial number of 42554 and has an age of 9.7 years. The airline has also taken delivery of two 737 MAX 8s in recent months. Both N8970Q and N8971L have ages of 0.13 years old, meaning that each of these aircraft was delivered in September, earlier this year.
Additionally, Southwest Airlines has ordered a significant number of additional Boeing 737 MAX aircraft that are yet to be delivered. Currently, the airline has an additional 200 737 MAX 8s that are on order. It also has 274 of the 737 MAX 7 variant on order.
How Many Boeing 737 MAXs Does Ryanair Operate?
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Ryanair also operates an extensive fleet of Boeing 737 MAXs. According to ch-aviation, the airline operates a total of 197 737 MAXs, each of which is the Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 variant. However, 64 of these aircraft are wet leased in from various aircraft lessors, including from Malta Air and Buzz. Many of Ryanair’s owned aircraft have similar configurations, seating up to 197 passengers in a one-class configuration.
The 737 MAX 8 fleet of Ryanair has an average age of just 2.7 years. The oldest 737 MAX 8 in the Ryanair fleet, registered as EI-HGT, has a manufacturing serial number of 65083 and is 7.31 years old. The newest 737 MAX 8 in the Ryanair fleet is just 0.09 years old. This aircraft, registered as EI-ILJ, was delivered on September 22, 2025, and it has a manufacturing serial number of 62398.
Ryanair also has an extensive number of 737 MAXs on order. Currently, the airline has 13 total 737 MAX 8s that are yet to be delivered. However, Ryanair also has a large number of the newest 737 MAX variant, the 737 MAX 10, on order. According to ch-aviation, Ryanair has an active order of 150 737 MAX 10 variants, which are yet to be certified.
What Other Aircraft Does Southwest Airlines Operate?
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Southwest Airlines is well-known for only flying Boeing narrowbody aircraft. According to ch-aviation, the airline has flown several different types of Boeing 737 variants, including the 737-200, 737-500, and nearly 200 737-300s.
Additionally, the airline also once operated a small fleet of Boeing 717-200s, after acquiring AirTran Airways. However, it did not want the additional aircraft, as it flew a single-fleet strategy. Instead, the airline subleased its 717 fleet to Delta Air Lines.
Even so, Southwest still flies a large fleet of Boeing 737 NG aircraft. According to ch-aviation, this includes a total of 329 737-700s and 203 737-800s. The 737-700s are much older and have an average age of nearly 20 years. The oldest, N7824A, is nearly 25 years old, while the youngest, N969WN, is just 13.85 years old. The 737-800s have an average age of just over 10 years, although the oldest aircraft in the Southwest fleet include:
Registration
C/N
Age
N8301J
3952
13.63 years
N8302F
3979
13.58 years
N8303R
3993
13.55 years
N8305E
4009
13.52 years
N8600F
4007
13.50 years
What Other Aircraft Does Ryanair Operate?
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Overall, Ryanair operates an extensive fleet of narrowbody aircraft. According to ch-aviation, the European airline flies a total of 619 aircraft. The airline operates a total of 197 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, but it also has 163 737 MAXs on order. Beyond this, the airline also flies an extensive fleet of Boeing 737 NG aircraft.
Currently, Ryanair flies a total of 395 Boeing 737-800s, the most popular variant of the 737 NG family. This includes 205 owned aircraft alongside an additional 190 wet-leased narrowbodies. These aircraft have an average age of 13.1 years. According to ch-aviation, some of the oldest Ryanair-owned aircraft are the following:
Registration
C/N
Age
EL-DCJ
1562
21.16 years
EL-DCK
1563
21.15 years
EL-DCL
1576
21.09 years
EL-DCM
1578
21.08 years
EL-DCO
1590
21.02 years
The airline also flies several aircraft that are under seven years old, including EL-GXN, which is just 6.87 years old. Ryanair also flies a single Boeing 737-700, registered as SP-RUM, which is wet leased from Buzz and is nearly 27 years old. Beyond its Boeing fleet, Ryanair also recently began operating the Airbus A320-200, flying a total of 26 aircraft. These aircraft are all leased from Lauda Europe.
What Design Features Make The Boeing 737 MAX So Popular?
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The 737 MAX is the fourth generation of Boeing’s popular narrowbody family, succeeding the Boeing 737 Next Generation (NG) family. The program was first announced in August 2011, but was not certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) until March 2017. Overall, the family includes the MAX 7, MAX 8, MAX 9, and the yet-to-be-certified MAX 10. Boeing also introduced the MAX 8-200, which is configured with high-density seating, specifically for Ryanair.
The 737 MAX family utilizes several aerodynamic upgrades, such as split-tip winglets and a new tailcone. Boeing also introduced new landing gear on the series, which helps to maintain ground clearance with the aircraft’s new engines. Additionally, the 737 MAX utilizes a glass cockpit and fly-by-wire extended spoilers. Many of these upgrades, alongside the new engines, help the 737 MAX family to reach a fuel burn advantage of about 14.5%, which matches the aircraft’s main competition, the Airbus A320neo.
The popular narrowbody aircraft family is powered by the CFM International LEAP engine. This powerful engine is about 10% more efficient than the previous CFM International CFM56. It also utilizes a 9:1 bypass ration, helping to reduce the engine’s noise. Depending on the engine variant, each CFM LEAP engine can provide the aircraft with nearly 30,000 pounds of thrust, which helps the aircraft achieve the following performance specifications:
Specification
737 MAX 8
737 MAX 9
Length
129 feet six inches
138 feet four inches
Height
40 feet four inches
40 feet four inches
Wingspan
117 feet ten inches
117 feet ten inches
Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW)
182,200 pounds
194,700 pounds
Typical cruise speed
453 knots (521 miles per hour)
453 knots (521 miles per hour)
Range
3,500 nautical miles (4,000 miles)
3,300 nautical miles (3,800 miles)
Service ceiling
41,000 feet
41,000 feet
What Other Airlines Operate The Boeing 737 MAX?
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The Boeing 737 MAX series was officially introduced into commercial service on May 16, 2017, by Malindo Air, now Batik Air Malaysia. Since then, Boeing has delivered nearly 2,000 737 MAX aircraft, seeing service with airlines around the world. Currently, Southwest Airlines is the largest operator of the Boeing 737 MAX, flying a total of 281 737 MAXs. The airline also has an additional 427 aircraft on order, the largest order on Boeing’s books.
Several other US-based airlines are prominent operators of the 737 MAX. United Airlines is the second-largest operator of the 737 MAX, flying a total of 238 aircraft in its active fleet. United Airlines also has an additional 276 MAXs on order, the second-largest active order. Alaska Airlines, which flies 98 total 737 MAXs, and American Airlines, which operates a fleet of 79 737 MAXs, are also in the top 10 largest operators of the MAX series.
Ryanair finds itself as the third-largest operator of the 737 MAX, owning a total of 133 aircraft with an additional 163 on order. Several other global carriers are prominent operators of the 737 MAX. Aeroméxico operates 72 aircraft, flydubai flies 68 aircraft, GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes flies 58 aircraft, Air Canada flies 57 aircraft, and WestJet flies 56 aircraft. However, Lion Air, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet have some of the largest active orders, each with over 125 aircraft yet to be delivered.
