Boeing · jetFIRST FLIGHT 1967

Boeing 737 (all variants) — safety record, routes and airlines

The Boeing 737 is the world's best-selling narrow-body — from the MAX 8 on short-haul hops to the 737-800 workhorses that still anchor most low-cost fleets.

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Occurrences · 5 yr532
Occurrences on file2,614
Hull losses274
Airworthiness directives344
Routes we track

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Boeing 737 (all variants) · London Stansted Airport10 of 189 destinations we track from STN
Operators14
Type variants5
HubDestinationLongest leg we see: STNAYT, 3h 45m. Open the route →
Occurrences · 5 yr532

A volume that reflects how widely it flies, not how dangerous it is — we do not publish a single safety score for it.

Full method →
Boeing 737 (all variants) aircraft
Photo: San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
01 / OVERVIEW

About the Boeing 737 (all variants)

The 737 has been in continuous production since 1967 and remains the most widely operated jet airliner in the world. Today's fleets split between the Next Generation family (737-700, -800, -900ER) and the current MAX line (MAX 7, 8, 9, 10). A typical 737-800 seats 162 to 189 passengers in two classes, while the MAX 8 carries a similar load with roughly 14% better fuel burn per seat. The type handles short and medium-haul missions up to about 3,500 nautical miles and forms the backbone of low-cost and legacy narrow-body operations on almost every continent.

Who flies it?

Ryanair operates the largest 737 fleet in Europe, running 737-800s and MAX 8-200s across intra-European leisure routes. Southwest Airlines is the largest 737 operator globally, flying exclusively 737s across the United States. United, American, and Alaska operate mixed NG and MAX fleets on domestic and near-international routes. Air Canada, TUI, and Norwegian use the MAX on longer narrow-body legs including transatlantic charter and leisure flying. In Asia, Lion Air and SpiceJet operate large 737 fleets on domestic and regional routes.

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02 / SAFETY

Recent safety events for the Boeing 737 (all variants)

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03 / FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the Boeing 737 (all variants)

Is the Boeing 737 (all variants) safe?

The Boeing 737 (all variants) has 532 occurrences in our most recent five-year window — a volume that reflects how widely it flies, not how dangerous it is, so we do not publish a single safety score for it. It has 274 hull losses and 2,614 recorded occurrences in total. See the methodology page for how the record is summarized.

How many passengers does the Boeing 737 carry?

It depends on the variant and configuration. A 737-800 or MAX 8 typically seats 162 to 189 in a two-class layout, or up to around 200 in a high-density single-class cabin. The smaller 737-700 and MAX 7 carry roughly 126 to 149 seats, while the stretched MAX 9 and MAX 10 reach 178 to 204 and 188 to 230 respectively.

What's the range of a 737 MAX?

The MAX 8 has a range of about 3,500 nautical miles, which covers most transcontinental US routes and many transatlantic sectors from the US East Coast to Western Europe. The longer-range MAX 8 ER and MAX 10 push closer to 3,300 to 3,800 nautical miles depending on payload, enough for routes like New York to Rome or Los Angeles to Honolulu with full passenger loads.

Is the 737 still flying in 2026?

Yes, very much so. The NG family (737-700/800/900) is still in service across most major and low-cost carriers, and the MAX family is in full production and continued deliveries. Between NG and MAX variants, the 737 remains the single most-produced and most-flown airliner worldwide, with thousands of daily departures.

Top reported systems

  • Fuselage 42.8%
  • Lights 18.9%
  • Equipment & Furnishings 7.5%

Report counts reflect fleet size and reporting activity, not relative safety or reliability. Source: FAA Service Difficulty Reporting System (public domain).

Full reliability report →

Engines

Fleet age (observed)

The observed Boeing 737 (all variants) fleet averages 12.2 years old, with the oldest flying example N54711 (1998) (sample of 2,752 tracked aircraft).

Fleet age is not a safety indicator. Sourced from the FAA aircraft registry and OpenSky/ADS-B Exchange metadata; the observed fleet reflects live ADS-B sightings over the last 12 months.

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Boeing 737 (all variants) safety record — FlightFinder
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04 / RELATED AIRCRAFT
05 / COMPARE

See how the Boeing 737 (all variants) compares

Put it side by side with another commercial type — key specs and recorded safety history, not a ranking.

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Boeing 737 (all variants) — safety & facts

Safety record

Occurrences, last 5 years
532
Airworthiness directives
344
Recorded occurrences
2,614
Hull losses
274
Fatal accidents
159
Total fatalities
8,299
Records span
1968–2026
Fatal accidents per 1M US departures
0.037 (2016–2025, US flights)

Based on 2,614 occurrences across NTSB, ASN, MAK, ATSB & Wikidata records. See full safety record →

Key facts

Manufacturer
Boeing
Typical seats
85-230 pax
Range
6,570 km
First flight
1967-04