Boeing 737 MAX Production Tops 38 Jets Per Month For First Time In Years

Boeing’s 737 MAX production reached 38 jets in May, according to a new report, marking a stabilization at the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) monthly production cap. The company’s best-selling aircraft has seen monthly output fluctuate between the single digits and 30s amid a series of crises that have battered its finances and strained employee morale.

The Air Current, citing sources familiar with production figures, reported that Boeing’s narrow-body jet output hit 38 units in May—the first time the company has reached that level since late 2020.

Reaching 38 per month inside its Renton, Washington factory is a major industrial milestone for the struggling planemaker as it works to rebuild trust and regain solid strategic footing after years of safety crises, development delays, industrial issues, leadership, and toxic wokeism. 

Last month, Reuters cited sources saying Boeing was “on track to produce about 38” of the popular single-aisle airplanes in May.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg told investors last week, “We’re very close—getting very close to achieving that 38 per month rate.”

Since the mid-air panel blowout on a 737 MAX in early 2024, the FAA has capped production at 38 jets per month. Boeing must now demonstrate consistent output at that level for several months before it can request a higher cap.

After losing nearly $12 billion in 2024, Boeing must increase 737 Max output, which represents its biggest cash cow, to shore up its balance sheet. 

In early May, Goldman analyst Noah Poponak showed clients Boeing’s monthly aircraft deliveries by type (through April), which indicated that Max jet production had plunged to single digits in late 2024, then bounced between the 20s and 30s from January to April.

“For 2025, Boeing expects to deliver around 400 737 MAX and 80 787; and we think the company is tracking to the underlying production rate assumptions required to achieve those targets, then continue growing beyond this year. We are Buy rated on the stock,” Poponak said last month. His 12-month price target is $212