Southwest Sees Boeing Stabilizing, Targets 737 MAX 7 Approval by Mid-2026

Southwest Airlines Chief Executive Officer Bob Jordan said the carrier is seeing "good stability" from Boeing and remains confident in the plane-maker’s recovery efforts. Speaking after the company reported its latest quarterly results, Jordan added that travel demand has begun to show an "inflection back up" over the past month. Jordan reiterated that Southwest still expects the Federal Aviation Administration to certify Boeing’s 737 MAX 7 in the first half of 2026, positioning the jet for entry into the airline’s fleet as early as late 2026. The timetable is critical for Southwest, which relies exclusively on Boeing’s 737 models and has counted on the MAX 7 to support its growth plans.