WestJet Secures Lease for Initial Boeing 737 Max 10
Photo: acefitt from Calgary, Alberta, Canada / CC BY 2.0 — via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · source
Canadian carrier WestJet plans to acquire its initial Boeing 737 Max 10 before this year concludes via a long-term arrangement with lessor Aviation Capital Group. Despite the upcoming physical delivery, the airline does not anticipate flying the jet in revenue service until at least 2027 because Transport Canada typically requires extra time following initial FAA approval. This milestone signals momentum for the heavily delayed variant, which is closely watched by commercial aviators preparing for future fleet upgrades and transition training across major North American operators.
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The impending arrival of the largest Max variant is a major development for the commercial aviation sector following a half-decade of regulatory and developmental hurdles. Boeing anticipates securing Federal Aviation Administration certification for the Max 10 shortly after clearing the smaller Max 7. While WestJet will take physical possession of its initial leased airframe soon, the operational timeline remains elongated. The gap between delivery and service entry highlights the increasingly stringent and independent certification processes adopted by international regulators like Transport Canada since 2019. For airline pilots and those building time toward a regional or major airline career, the Max 10 represents a significant portion of future narrowbody capacity. Major United States operators including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Alaska Airlines are also forecasting fleet integration for the stretched jet around 2027. Delta expects to have the aircraft painted in its livery by next year ahead of extensive proving runs. As these massive orders finally transition from the backlog to the flight line, flight training departments will need to adapt their simulator profiles and transition courses to accommodate the specific handling characteristics and automated system updates unique to the elongated fuselage. Pilots entering the airline industry in the late 2020s will likely find this variant a staple of their early commercial flying careers.