Because the return of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in November 2020, 4 American airlines have taken delivery of the latest-generation Boeing narrowbody as a part of fleet renewals and expansions. Southwest Airlines is the world’s largest operator of the MAX aircraft, while its Chicago-based competitor United Airlines has the world’s second-largest fleet. American Airlines operates the MAX 8, Alaska Airlines operates the MAX 9 and has the 8 and 10 on order, Delta Air Lines has the MAX 10 on order, and Allegiant Airlines has the 7 and eight on order.
Below is the breakdown of the MAX fleets of the American carriers:
United Airlines – 121
- MAX 8 – 56 energetic, 80 to be delivered
- MAX 9 – 65 energetic, 19 to be delivered
- MAX 10 – 294 to be delivered
American Airlines – 49 aircraft
- MAX 8 – 49 energetic, 81 to be delivered
Alaska Airlines
- MAX 9 – 51 energetic, 36 to be delivered
- MAX 8 – 10 to be delivered
- MAX 10 – 48 to be delivered
Southwest Airlines
- MAX 8 – 188 energetic, 189 to be delivered
- MAX 7 – 204 to be delivered
Busiest domestic routes in July
Unsurprisingly, several of the busiest MAX routes within the US are Southwest’s, using the aircraft on interisland flights in Hawaii. This month, Southwest has 341 flights scheduled between Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu and Kahului Airport in Maui. The short route covers 101 miles. The second-busiest MAX route within the US is Southwest’s between Honolulu and Lihue Airport in Kauai, only one mile longer than the Honolulu-Kahului route. Southwest has 207 Honolulu-Lihue flights this month.
Photo: Southwest Airlines
Routes three and 4 are also Southwest island hoppers, from Honolulu to Kona International Airport and Hilo International Airport, each on the island of Hawaii or the ‘Big Island.’ There are 186 and 155 flights scheduled on the 2 routes, respectively. At number five is United’s Newark-Las Vegas route, on which the MAX 8 is deployed 154 times this month.
Airline |
Origin |
Destination |
Flights (in July) |
Distance (in miles) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Southwest Airlines |
Honolulu |
Kahului |
341 |
101 miles |
Southwest Airlines |
Honolulu |
Lihue |
207 |
102 miles |
Southwest Airlines |
Honolulu |
Kona |
186 |
163 miles |
Southwest Airlines |
Honolulu |
Hilo |
155 |
216 miles |
United Airlines |
Newark |
Las Vegas |
154 |
2,227 miles |
Longest domestic routes in July
United celebrated the addition of its one hundredth MAX aircraft in April, with its fleet rapidly growing. The carrier uses its MAX planes on several international routes and has two of the longest domestic routes, each to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. United’s Anchorage service from Newark and Houston are seasonal and have a distance of three,369 and three,265 miles, respectively. The Newark route is serviced by the MAX 8, while the Houston route is serviced by the larger MAX 9.
Photo: Lukas Souza | Easy Flying
Breaking up the highest five is Southwest with its Phoenix – Honolulu route at 2,918 miles, flown by the MAX 8. The fourth-longest route is served by two carriers, American and United. Each airlines fly from their hub at Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Anchorage, but United uses its MAX 9s while American uses its MAX 8s on the two,846-mile route. Southwest rounds out the highest five with its Phoenix – Kahului flight, covering 2,845 miles.
Airline |
Origin |
Destination |
Flights (in July) |
Distance |
---|---|---|---|---|
United Airlines |
Newark |
Anchorage |
31 |
3,369 miles |
United Airlines |
Houston |
Anchorage |
31 |
3,265 miles |
Southwest Airlines |
Phoenix |
Honolulu |
31 |
2,918 miles |
United Airlines / American Airlines |
Chicago O’Hare |
Anchorage |
60 / 31 |
2,846 miles |
Southwest Airlines |
Phoenix |
Kahului |
31 |
2,845 miles |
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