Boeing and its broad network of suppliers have taken another step toward recovery, with the Federal Aviation Administration approving the aircraft manufacturer to increase monthly 737 Max production.
News that the FAA has permitted Boeing to produce 42 737 Max monthly, up from 38, continues what has been a series of positive developments for the company’s long-struggling 737 Max programme.
The FAA had set the cap at 38 last year in response to the January in-flight failure of a 737 Max 9’s mid-cabin door plug – a failure attributed to manufacturing quality oversights.
Boeing has for months been working to secure FAA approval for the rate increase, a process executives have said involved fixing quality issues, improving training, addressing supply chain troubles and otherwise returning its production system to stability.
“FAA safety inspectors conducted extensive reviews of Boeing’s production lines to ensure that this small production rate increase will be done safely,” the FAA says. “Our direct oversight of Boeing’s production processes, implementation of its safety management system and whistleblower protections has not changed. Safety critical personnel, including inspectors at Boeing, are continuing to work during the government shutdown.”
Boeing does not respond to a request for comment. The company has said it aims to increase monthly 737 production over time, first to 42, then to 47 and then to 52.
Boeing’s ability to do so, however, depends on how quickly its suppliers can also ramp output. Though Boeing was able to stockpile many parts last year during a machinists’ strike, some components such as engines remain in short supply, executives have said.
Boeing delivered 325 737 Max in 2025 through end-September, or roughly 36 monthly, though many of those had been produced earlier and held in Boeing’s inventory.
The company does not disclose actual month-to-month production rates, but Cirium fleets data shows that 309 737 Max completed first flights this year, or roughly 32 monthly. First flights provide a rough proxy of production rates.
In September, the FAA returned to Boeing partial authority to issue 737 Max airworthiness certificates – documents that clear specific jets to fly. The regulator had stripped Boeing of that ability in 2019 amid the 737 Max grounding.
Boeing has also made progress in the important work of offloading its inventory of undelivered 737 Max, which following the grounding stood at more than 400 aircraft.
The company now has only seven 737 Max 8s and 9s that had been produced prior to 2025, according to fleet data provider Cirium.
