The Boeing 737 family has reached 12,654 delivered aircraft and 17,507 orders, according to Boeing orders and deliveries data cited in the provided article.
That tally covers four generations of the 737, from the Original series through Classic and Next Generation to the 737 MAX family. Boeing reports the Renton factory continues to assemble MAX variants while a new Everett production line started in July 2026.
The 737 MAX line has been central to recent recovery efforts. The MAX was grounded worldwide in March 2019 after two fatal crashes that together killed 346 people, and regulators required design and training changes before approving returns to service.
The Federal Aviation Administration cleared the MAX to fly again on November 18, 2020. Boeing suspended MAX production in January 2020 and resumed assembly in late May 2020, according to the article. The first MAX delivery occurred on May 6, 2017, to Malindo Air, which flew the type commercially from May 22, 2017.
The MAX family expanded with several variants designed to compete with Airbus re-engined narrowbodies. Boeing places the MAX 8 and MAX 9 as direct replacements for older NG models, and the MAX 10 as the largest short‑to‑medium range offering in the family.
Background Context Impact And Market Position
The 737 began life as a short range jet to supplement the 727. Its prototype first flew on April 9, 1967, and Lufthansa introduced the -100 in February 1968, the article reports. The longer -200 followed weeks later and became the production staple.
Boeing developed the family through technical steps. The Classic series introduced CFM56 re‑engining in the 1980s. The Next Generation models from 1997 featured a larger wing, new avionics, and further fuel improvements. The MAX uses LEAP-1B engines and aerodynamic refinements to reduce fuel burn and noise.
The 737 was the world’s best-selling commercial airplane until the Airbus A320 family overtook it in orders in October 2019 and in total deliveries in September 2025, the article states. Major operators listed include Southwest, Ryanair, United, and American.
The family has a long safety record and incident history. The source notes hundreds of accidents and 5,779 fatalities through November 2023, and records specific safety actions such as rudder servo valve replacements after fatal rudder incidents in the 1990s.
