Alaska Airlines Takes First 737 MAX 8, Plans 737-800 Updates

As it begins adding Boeing 737-8 aircraft to its fleet, Alaska Airlines will also modify cabins on aging 737-800s.

Its first 737-8 delivery, announced Jan. 4, joins 65 737-9s already in the fleet. The all-Boeing operator currently has firm orders for 80 more 737 MAX aircraft—a mix of -8s, -9s, and -10s—plus options and purchase rights for another 105. The airline expects its first -10 in 2025, with seven more -8 deliveries slated for 2024. The MAX variant will enable longer routes including seasonal Anchorage-New York JFK service launching June 13—which will be the airline’s longest nonstop.

“The addition of the 737-8 and eventually the 737-10 to our fleet creates new opportunities for us to fly longer nonstop routes and maximize our revenue potential,” said Nat Pieper, Alaska SVP-fleet, finance and alliances.

From 2024 through 2027, Alaska expects to add 15-25 new Boeing aircraft each year. At the same time, its regional carrier Horizon Air will grow, expecting to welcome nine new Embraer E175s over the three-year period. Forty of the type are currently in service at the carrier, according to the Aviation Week Network Fleet Discovery database.

Should Alaska’s acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines receive necessary regulatory approvals and proceed, it would inherit 37 narrowbodies and 24 widebodies upon closing, a mix currently comprising 717s, Airbus A321neos, and A330s, and soon to include 787s.

“The airplanes that [Hawaiian has] are well-suited for the missions in which they fly,” Pieper said during the merger announcement in early December 2023. “We’re excited to compare the economics of those airplanes and continue to deploy the right aircraft for the missions that are in place.”

Alaska will also invest in its older aircraft, having earmarked $130 million to overhaul its 737-800s cabins. The airline operates 56 of the type, according to Fleet Discovery, with an average age of 15.7 years. Enhancements include a move from a 159- to a 161-seat configuration with installation of new Recaro seats. Its first five 737-8s will also receive the retrofits after delivery, later in 2024.

“The updates we’re making to our older Boeing aircraft will provide a more consistent guest experience on our Boeing fleet by making the cabins look and feel more like our 737-9 and 737-8 aircraft,” said Todd Traynor-Corey, MD of guest products.

The modifications will begin in late 2024 and are expected to be completed in 2026. An initial “refresh” of existing cabins on 20 of Alaska’s ETOPS 737-800s will take place in the first half of 2024.