Alaska Airlines announced the addition of 23 737-9 MAX aircraft to its Boeing order on March 30, 2021. The added aircraft supplement the airline’s initial commitment in December 2020. The agreement also includes purchase options for an additional 15 MAX planes.
Together with the carrier’s previous firm order of 32 aircraft, Alaska Airlines’ total purchase now stands at 120 aircraft, including options for 52 aircraft and lease commitments. This includes a signed leasing agreement for 13 new 737 MAXs from Air Lease Corporation (ALC) and the simultaneous sale of 10 Airbus A320 jets obtained from Virgin America acquisition in 2016.
Deliveries of the 23 Boeing MAX jets are expected to take place between 2023 and 2024. Delivery dates for the purchase options are set between 2023 and 2026.
So far, Alaska Airlines has received four MAXs. Boeing confirmed that the airline received its first 737-9 model in January 2021 and placed the aircraft on commercial operations from March 1, 2021. Its second 737-9 entered service on March 18, 2021, while two additional 737-9s are scheduled to commence service ‘next week’, according to Boeing.