WestJet Holds the 737 MAX 10 Launch Contract, but the First Passenger Flight Is Still Open

Travelers hoping to be on the first Boeing 737 MAX 10 passenger flight should treat every published date as a target, not a schedule. WestJet holds the stronger contractual claim to the launch-customer position, and Alaska Airlines has given the more detailed public timeline. Neither fact settles who flies paying passengers first, according to Simple Flying's October 11 analysis.

WestJet's edge is a lease, not a flight date

WestJet's position rests on a deal with lessor Aviation Capital Group that places 13 MAX 10s with the Canadian airline under long-term leases. The lessor said it expects to deliver WestJet's first MAX 10 from its own order book once the type receives certification. That would make WestJet its first customer for the jet (Simple Flying). WestJet has 101 MAX 10s on order in total. The type keeps commonality with WestJet's existing Boeing 737 operation.

A launch-customer title is still only a contractual designation. Simple Flying notes that it does not automatically mean that airline operates the first passenger service. Boeing's delivery sequence, final regulatory approvals, aircraft acceptance, crew preparation and airline-specific requirements can all change the order.

Alaska's dates have become targets

In September 2026, Alaska Chief Operating Officer Jason Berry said the airline expected certification by the end of that month. Alaska expected its first aircraft in spring 2027 and planned to start passenger service between April and mid-May. It also expected 22 MAX 10 deliveries in 2027, followed by 30 more in 2028.

That plan assumed approval was days away. On September 28, the FAA said it would delay certification until it was satisfied a software issue had been resolved. It declined to say whether that would take days, weeks or months (Simple Flying).

Alaska also faces separate work after the aircraft-level approval. It must complete certification for its specific head-up display configuration. Berry said that work could take a few months.

The software issue that paused things

The problem is a software issue in certain 737 MAX flight computers. Boeing told the FAA it was concerned the issue may affect certain landing procedures when aircraft are forced into a go-around. Simple Flying reported it could affect aircraft after a missed approach, a go-around or other changes to preprogrammed flight paths (Simple Flying). WestJet pilots identified the anomaly during a validation flight in 2024.

WestJet has confirmed that some of its current 737 MAX jets use the affected U14.1 software. It said it had received no reports of the condition in normal line operations.

On October 2, the FAA's Corrective Action Review Board ruled on the issue. It determined the software is not a safety concern because pilots retain full control and the indications to the crew are clear and unambiguous (Simple Flying). The FAA said it would issue a special bulletin telling airlines how to recognize and respond to the issue.

Boeing still has to implement the regulatory response and finish the remaining certification process before deliveries can begin. An October 3 Simple Flying report said certification was expected later that month, with first deliveries expected in 2027. Boeing had completed MAX 10 certification flight testing in July 2026 (Simple Flying).

United is the wildcard

United has a larger MAX 10 order book than either Alaska or WestJet. However, it has asked Boeing not to deliver aircraft with the software version under review and has suspended acceptance of jets carrying it. As Simple Flying puts it, order size alone does not decide which airline receives the first example.

What this means for passengers

Alaska intends the MAX 10 to add seats on heavily traveled routes without adding more flights. It has identified New York JFK and Boston Logan as potential markets. Separately, starting in 2028, Alaska plans to fit at least 25 MAX 10s with 12 lie-flat Aurora Suites each for selected transcontinental routes (Simple Flying).

Our inference, not a sourced fact: the Aurora Suites are slated for 2028, so travelers should not assume the earliest Alaska MAX 10 flights will have that cabin. Any first-flight date, from WestJet or Alaska, could still move until the type certificate and each airline's own approvals are in place.