Alaska Airlines (AS), the Seattle-based U.S. carrier, has placed the largest aircraft procurement in its corporate history, committing to 105 Boeing 737-10 narrowbodies and five Boeing 787 widebodies with options for 35 additional 737-10 aircraft. The deal was publicly disclosed on 7 January 2026, locking in aircraft performance, delivery rights, and a strategic path for global expansion.
The order — spanning deliveries through 2035 and representing a significant capital investment — is designed to modernize Alaska’s fleet, support accelerated international route growth and sustain its competitive positioning as it transitions from a regional U.S. carrier toward a fourth global airline.
Alaska Airlines at a glance
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full legal name | Alaska Airlines |
| IATA Code | AS |
| Based in | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Primary hub | Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Seattle |
| Founded | 1932 |
| Parent group | Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK) |
| Fleet size (2025) | ~413 aircraft (including mainline + subsidiaries) |
| Total aircraft on order (post-deal) | 245 Boeing aircraft |
| Global alliance | Once unaffiliated; partnership focus on joint ventures and codeshares |
What Alaska’s 110-jet Order Means for Fleet Strategy
Alaska’s 110-aircraft order with Boeing — consisting of 105 firm Boeing 737-10 orders and five Boeing 787 widebodies — formalizes its intent to upgrade older aircraft and accelerate network expansion. Boeing Investors
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The 737-10 — the largest variant in the 737 MAX family — will replace older single-aisle jets and support dense domestic and short-medium haul markets.
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The 787 Dreamliner family — in all likelihood the 787-10 variant — will serve as the backbone of long-haul international services, supporting destinations in Europe and Asia.
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Alaska has secured options for 35 additional 737-10s, offering runway for further growth if market conditions warrant it.
Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group commented that this recent fleet investment “builds on the strong foundation Alaska has created to support steady, scalable and sustained growth“:
“…………….is another building block in executing our Alaska Accelerate strategic plan. These planes will fuel our expansion to more destinations across the globe and ensure our guests travel aboard the newest, most fuel-efficient and state-of-the-art aircraft. We are incredibly proud to be partnering with Boeing, a Pacific Northwest neighbor and a company that stands as a symbol of American innovation and manufacturing.”
Alaska’s Aircraft Order Breakdown: Order Details vs Current Composition
The following table gives us a glimpse of Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-10 & 787 order:
| Aircraft type | Quantity ordered | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-10 | 105 firm + 35 options | Fleet renewal & growth |
| Boeing 787 (widebody) | 5 | Long-haul international expansion |
According to Boeing, this order “kicks off the 60th year of the two companies’ partnership, which started when Boeing delivered a 727 to Alaska Airlines“. Alaska Airlines Group operates a fleet of 413 aircraft, and the group is expected to operate a fleet of more than 475 aircraft by 2030 and more than 550 aircraft by 2035.
| Aircraft | In service | On order |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737 variants (mainline) | ~248 | 174 MAX on order |
| Boeing 787-9 | 1 | 11 on order (future deliveries) |
| Horizon Air regional jets | 47 | 3 (Embraer 175) |
Alaska’s Boeing 737 variants have an average age of 10.1 years. The following table further breaks down the fleet further:
| Aircraft variant | Active aircraft | Parked / inactive | Total in fleet | Aircraft on order | Average age | Fleet count reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-700 | 12 | 2 | 14 | — | 25.6 years | 22 |
| Boeing 737-800 | 56 | 5 | 61 | — | 17.8 years | 61 |
| Boeing 737-900 | — | — | 12 | — | — | 12 |
| Boeing 737-900ER | 79 | — | 79 | — | 10.0 years | 79 |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 14 | — | 14 | — | 0.9 years | 14 |
| Boeing 737 MAX 9 | 78 | 2 | 80 | 1 | 3.3 years | 81 |
According to Stephanie Pope, the president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said that the order was “historic” and:
” underwritten by Alaska Airlines’ record of strong performance and strategic expansion. All of us at Boeing are proud of Alaska’s success and are honored they have placed their trust in our people and our 737 and 787 airplanes to help grow their airline”
Previous Large Aircraft Orders — A Historical Context
Much like Alaska’s recent order, some of the largest aircraft orders in commercial aviation history have been driven by the very things that drives the AS:
- Fleet Modernization
- Rapid network expansion
- Long-term fuel-efficiency strategies
IndiGo currently holds the record for the single largest aircraft order ever announced by an airline. In 2023, India’s largest carrier placed a firm order for 500 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft. The deal cemented IndiGo’s position as the world’s largest A320neo operator and highlighted the scale of demand emerging from the Indian aviation market.
Air India, which was involved in one of the most terrible accidents in flight AI 171, followed closely behind in 2023 with a sweeping fleet renewal programme covering both major manufacturers, as as part of its post-privatisation turnaround, the airline confirmed 470 firm aircraft orders, spanning:
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Airbus A320neo and A321neo narrowbodies
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Airbus A350 long-haul widebodies
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Boeing 737, 787 Dreamliner, and 777 aircraft
The following gives us a glimpse of the carrier’s largest aircraft orders by U.S. airlines:
| Rank | Airline (IATA) | Year announced | Aircraft involved | Firm aircraft ordered | Order significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Airlines (AA) | 2011 | Boeing 737 family & Airbus A320 family | 460 aircraft | Largest aircraft order ever placed by a U.S. airline; split between Boeing and Airbus |
| 2 | United Airlines (UA) | 2022 | Boeing 787 Dreamliner & Boeing 737 MAX | 200 aircraft | One of the largest single-OEM orders by a U.S. carrier |
| 3 | United Airlines (UA) | 2023 | Boeing 787 Dreamliner & Airbus A321neo | 110 aircraft | Major fleet expansion under the United Next strategy |
| 4 | Alaska Airlines (AS) | 2026 | Boeing 737-10 & Boeing 787 | 110 aircraft | Largest aircraft order in Alaska Airlines’ history; enables long-haul expansion |
How Does Alaska Configure the Aircraft it has ordered:
Alaska current has only one Boeing 787 that it received in December 2025. The aircraft is registered N784HA and is configured the following way (according to aerolopa):
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Business class: Thirty-four Elevate Ascent–based suites with sliding privacy doors and retractable centre dividers, each converting into a fully flat bed, arranged with a 45-inch pitch and 21-inch seat width, complemented by 18-inch HD touchscreens, universal AC and USB-A power outlets, and integrated Qi wireless charging.
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Economy class: A total of 266 Collins Aerospace Aspire seats in a 3-3-3 layout, offering a standard 31-inch pitch (expanded to 36 inches in selected rows), 17.1-inch seat width and 5-inch recline, paired with 12-inch HD touchscreens, USB-A and USB-C ports at every seat, and shared access to universal AC power.
We don’t quite know how the carrier will configure its 737-10 but according to Boeing, this fuel-efficient aircraft will:
“….grow and replace Alaska Airlines’ single-aisle fleet to support the carrier’s modernization strategy and enable future network expansion. By introducing the 737-10, Alaska Airlines will comfortably serve more passengers on more routes with the lowest cost per seat of any single-aisle airplane. The 737-10 will bring further network and fleet flexibility while maintaining commonality ─ complementing Alaska Airlines’ fleet of Next-Generation 737 and 737 MAX airplanes.”
All in All
This order modernizes Alaska’s fleet as it offers lower fuel burn per seat on 737-10 vs older models., whilst also generating greater revenue potential from international services. There are several challenges ahead, though
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Dependence on FAA certification timelines for the 737-10.
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Integration complexities following the acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines.