Boeing 737 MAX 8

Technical Specifications

• Total seats: 178 typical configuration
• Range: 6,570 km / 4,082 mi
• Cruise speed: 839 km/h
• Wingspan: 36 m
• Length: 40 m
• Engines: 2× CFM LEAP-1B

Cabin Features

• Economy seat pitch: 30–31 in (76–79 cm)
• In-flight Wi-Fi: Available on most configurations
• Power outlets: AC/USB available
• Lie-flat beds: Not typically equipped

Seat Selection Overview

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is the updated successor to the 737-800, featuring LEAP engines, improved fuel efficiency, and a slightly longer range. The cabin interior is largely the same as the 737-800, so seat selection advice is nearly identical — exit rows and bulkheads win.

Best Seats on the 737 MAX 8

• Exit row seats: Same logic as the 737-800 — exit rows offer 5–8 extra inches of legroom. Southwest 737 MAX 8 has no premium cabin, so exit rows are the only legroom upgrade available.
• Forward window seats (rows 1–10): Quieter than the rear of the plane, better overhead bin access (boarding is front-to-back on most carriers), and fastest deplaning.
• Bulkhead row economy (row 1 in economy section): Extra legroom and nobody reclining into you. No under-seat storage, but legroom is noticeably better.

Seats to Avoid on the 737 MAX 8

• Rear rows (last 4): Non-reclining seats, proximity to lavatories and galley. Rear galley noise on short-haul flights is manageable, but on a 4+ hour flight it becomes significant.
• Middle seats throughout: 737 MAX 8 uses the same 3-3 layout as the 737-800. Middle seats offer no advantages — window gets views and wall, aisle gets freedom of movement. Middle gets nothing.

Pro Tips

• Southwest's 737 MAX 8 has open seating — no seat assignments. Get an 'A' boarding position by checking in exactly 24 hours before departure or paying for EarlyBird Check-In.
• United's 737 MAX 8 has their Economy Plus section (extra legroom) in addition to exit rows. Economy Plus is worth the upgrade on flights over 3 hours.
• The MAX 8's new overhead bins (from the 737 MAX interior redesign) are larger — carry-on space is less of an issue than on older 737s.
• The LEAP engines are significantly quieter inside the cabin compared to older 737 CFM56 engines. Rear seats are particularly improved.

Range & Performance

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 has a range of about 6,570 km (3,550 nautical miles), roughly 20% farther than the 737-800 it replaces. That extra reach comes from a combination of more efficient CFM LEAP-1B engines, aerodynamic winglets, and a lighter airframe, and it's enough to open up longer domestic routes and short-to-medium transatlantic and transpacific hops that used to require a widebody or weren't flown nonstop at all. The MAX 8's fuel burn per seat is also roughly 14% lower than the 737-800, which is the main reason airlines are replacing older narrow-bodies with it as fast as Boeing can deliver them.

Airlines Operating the 737 MAX 8

2 airline seat maps available for the Boeing 737 MAX 8.

• Southwest Airlines — View Seat Map
• United Airlines — View Seat Map

Airlines Flying the 737 MAX 8

Southwest Airlines operates the largest 737 MAX 8 fleet in the US and uses it across its domestic network, including longer transcontinental routes. United and American also fly large MAX 8 fleets on domestic and near-international routes such as Hawaii and the Caribbean. Internationally, major operators include Ryanair (as the 737 MAX 8-200 high-density variant), Turkish Airlines, flydubai, and Copa Airlines. Because the MAX 8 is still being delivered in large numbers, its share of most 737-operating airlines' fleets continues to grow year over year.

Common Routes

The MAX 8's extended range puts routes within reach that older 737s couldn't fly nonstop. Southwest uses it on longer transcon routes like Baltimore–Honolulu (in MAX 8 configurations with auxiliary fuel), United on domestic transcontinental and Hawaii routes, and Ryanair on longer European routes to the Canary Islands and North Africa. It's also increasingly common on thinner routes between mid-size US cities that don't have enough demand for a widebody but benefit from the MAX 8's lower operating cost per seat.

History

The 737 MAX family was launched in 2011 as Boeing's answer to the more fuel-efficient Airbus A320neo, updating the decades-old 737 airframe with new LEAP-1B engines, split-tip winglets, and a modernized flight deck. The MAX 8 made its first flight in January 2016 and entered commercial service with Malindo Air in May 2017. The program was grounded worldwide from March 2019 to late 2020 following two fatal accidents traced to the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) software, prompting an extensive redesign, new pilot training requirements, and multiple layers of additional FAA and international regulatory scrutiny before the fleet returned to service. Since recertification, the 737 MAX 8 has resumed high-volume deliveries and is now one of the best-selling commercial aircraft in the world, forming the backbone of Southwest's, United's, and American's narrow-body growth plans.

Frequently Asked Questions