Boeing will start production of the 737 MAX at its new final assembly line in Everett, Washington, on Monday. The facility becomes the second manufacturing site for the narrowbody family and will help meet record demand for the aircraft.
Known internally as the North Line, the facility initially will assemble 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 aircraft, both already in full-rate production. Boeing's long-term plan, however, is to dedicate the Everett line primarily to the 737 MAX 10 once the largest member of the family receives FAA certification, which the company expects by the end of this year.
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The new line replicates the three existing 737 final assembly lines at Boeing's Renton factory, which until now has been the aircraft's only production site.
Boeing currently builds 42 aircraft per month after the FAA authorized a gradual production increase following manufacturing improvements introduced after the January 2024 Alaska Airlines accident. The company intends to raise output to 47 aircraft per month before early 2027 and eventually to 52 monthly deliveries. Internal studies have also examined production rates of up to 70 aircraft per month.
The additional assembly capacity comes as Boeing seeks to recover from several years of production disruptions, certification delays and financial losses amid strong global demand for single-aisle aircraft.
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Everett has long been associated with Boeing's largest commercial aircraft. The site opened in the late 1960s for production of the 747 and later became home to the 767, 777 and 787 programs. The 747 left production in 2023, 787 assembly moved entirely to North Charleston, South Carolina, and the remaining 767 and 777 lines now produce mainly freighters and military variants in relatively low volumes. The plant has also assembled several 777X aircraft, although that program still awaits FAA certification.
The decision also marks a significant change in Boeing's manufacturing strategy. Unlike Airbus, which assembles the A320neo family in France, Germany, the United States and China, Boeing has concentrated 737 production exclusively in Renton for decades.
