Is the Boeing 737 safe?

The 737 is the most-produced commercial jet in history with over 11,000 delivered. Excluding the two MCAS-related MAX 8 crashes (Lion Air 610 and Ethiopian 302), the family's hull-loss rate per departure is comparable to other narrow-bodies. The MAX has flown over 4 million flights since returning to service in 2021 without a fatal accident attributable to MCAS.

How many fatal Boeing 737 accidents have there been?

Over 200 hull losses across all 737 variants since 1968. Most occurred during the 737 Classic (-300/-400/-500) era. The most recent fatal events were China Eastern 5735 in 2022, Ethiopian 302 in 2019, and Lion Air 610 in 2018.

Which airline has the largest 737 fleet?

Southwest Airlines operates the world's largest 737 fleet — over 800 aircraft, all 737 variants. Ryanair is second with over 500.

What's the difference between the 737-800 and 737 MAX 8?

The MAX 8 has the same fuselage length as the 737-800 but uses LEAP-1B engines (≈14% more fuel-efficient), redesigned split-tip winglets, larger displays, and a slightly longer range. From the passenger seat the MAX is recognisable by the dual-cone tail cone and the split scimitar winglets.

How many seats does a Boeing 737 have?

Capacity ranges from 126 (737-700 in dual-class) to 230 (737-900 in high-density single-class). The MAX 8 typically seats 162-178 in dual-class; some low-cost carriers configure it for 189.

When was the Boeing 737 introduced?

The original 737-100 entered service with Lufthansa in February 1968. The latest variant, the MAX 10, entered service in 2024.

Boeing 737 (all variants) — flights, routes and airlines

Every city pair operated by the Boeing 737 (all variants) worldwide. Live schedule data, recent safety events, and operator details.

The Boeing 737 (all variants) is operated by 227 airlines across 17847 city pairs in our observed-flights dataset (last 14 days).

Top routes: ANC-BET, ANC-SEA, ATL-EWR, ATL-ORD, AUS-DEN.

Variants and specifications

Variant	First flight	Typical seats	Range (nm)	Status
737-700	1997	126-149	3010	in service
737-800	1997	162-189	2935	in service
737-900	2000	177-220	2950	in service
MAX 7	2018	138-153	3850	in service
MAX 8	2016	162-178	3500	in service
MAX 9	2017	178-193	3550	in service
MAX 10	2021	188-204	3300	in service

Notable accidents and incidents

2018-10-29 Lion Air 610 Lion Air 737 MAX 8 189 fatalities

Crashed into the Java Sea after MCAS repeatedly forced the nose down following a single AOA sensor failure.
2010-05-22 Air India Express 812 Air India Express 737-800 158 fatalities

Overran runway 24 at Mangalore International Airport on landing, plunged into a gorge and caught fire; 8 survivors.
2019-03-10 Ethiopian Airlines 302 Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 157 fatalities

MCAS-related crash six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, triggering the worldwide 737 MAX grounding.
2022-03-21 China Eastern 5735 China Eastern 737-800 132 fatalities

Plunged from cruise altitude into a mountainside in Guangxi; cause remains under investigation.

About the 737 MAX

The Boeing 737 MAX entered service in 2017 as the fourth generation of the 737, with new LEAP-1B engines, redesigned winglets, and updated cockpits. Two fatal MCAS-related crashes (Lion Air 610 in October 2018 and Ethiopian 302 in March 2019) led to a worldwide grounding from March 2019 through November 2020.

Software changes to MCAS, mandatory simulator training, and FAA recertification preceded the return to service. Since 2021 the MAX has resumed normal commercial operations with carriers including Southwest, Ryanair, American Airlines, and TUI fly. A January 2024 door-plug detachment on Alaska Airlines 1282 (MAX 9) renewed scrutiny of Boeing's production quality, but did not result in a fresh grounding of the type.

Boeing 737 (all variants) — safety & facts

Safety record

Recorded occurrences: 2,261
Hull losses: 8
Fatal accidents: 143
Total fatalities: 9,310
Records span: 1980–2026

Based on 2,261 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

Last fatal hull loss: 2025 View full safety record →

Color reflects time since the last recorded fatal hull-loss involving this type, drawn from public datasets (NTSB, Aviation Safety Network, Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives, Wikidata). It is not a commercial safety rating and does not normalise for flights flown, hours, or fleet size — for those, see the manufacturer or IATA Safety Report.

Notable events

2018-10-29 — 191 fatalities. Source.
2018-10-29 — Lion Air — 189 fatalities. Source.
2020-01-08 — Ukraine International Airlines — 176 fatalities. Source.
2024-12-29 — Jeju Air — 173 fatalities. Source.
2010-05-22 — Air India Charters — 158 fatalities. Source.

Variants

737 Classic — Second generation of the 737 family.
737-800 — Most-produced 737 Next Generation variant.
737-900 — Largest 737 NG variant.
737 MAX 8 — Fourth-generation 737 with CFM LEAP-1B engines and improved aerodynamics, marketed as 14% more fuel-efficient than the 737-800.
737 MAX 9 — Stretched MAX variant competing with the Airbus A321neo.

Recent airline activity

Observed 27732 active routes flown by 214 airlines in the last 30 days.

Operators: Ryanair (3884), Southwest Airlines (1192), United Airlines (818), American Airlines (717), Jet2 (561)

Top routes: EWR–SAT, BNA–EWR, IAH–PIT, SFO–IAD, ORD–LAX

Based on live ADS-B observations collected by FlightFinder, as of 2026-06-04.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Boeing 737 safe?: The 737 is the most-produced commercial jet in history with over 11,000 delivered. Excluding the two MCAS-related MAX 8 crashes (Lion Air 610 and Ethiopian 302), the family's hull-loss rate per departure is comparable to other narrow-bodies. The MAX has flown over 4 million flights since returning to service in 2021 without a fatal accident attributable to MCAS.
How many fatal Boeing 737 accidents have there been?: Over 200 hull losses across all 737 variants since 1968. Most occurred during the 737 Classic (-300/-400/-500) era. The most recent fatal events were China Eastern 5735 in 2022, Ethiopian 302 in 2019, and Lion Air 610 in 2018.
Which airline has the largest 737 fleet?: Southwest Airlines operates the world's largest 737 fleet — over 800 aircraft, all 737 variants. Ryanair is second with over 500.
What's the difference between the 737-800 and 737 MAX 8?: The MAX 8 has the same fuselage length as the 737-800 but uses LEAP-1B engines (≈14% more fuel-efficient), redesigned split-tip winglets, larger displays, and a slightly longer range. From the passenger seat the MAX is recognisable by the dual-cone tail cone and the split scimitar winglets.
How many seats does a Boeing 737 have?: Capacity ranges from 126 (737-700 in dual-class) to 230 (737-900 in high-density single-class). The MAX 8 typically seats 162-178 in dual-class; some low-cost carriers configure it for 189.
When was the Boeing 737 introduced?: The original 737-100 entered service with Lufthansa in February 1968. The latest variant, the MAX 10, entered service in 2024.

Where the Boeing 737 (all variants) flies — and what it costs

Route	Median fare	Sample size
Madrid → Milano	€62	572 quotes
Frankfurt → Istanbul	€153	479 quotes
Madrid → Rome	€58	350 quotes
Frankfurt → Madrid	€137	283 quotes
Amsterdam → Madrid	€144	251 quotes
Istanbul → Madrid	€214	173 quotes
Tokyo → Seoul	€130	170 quotes
Madrid → Istanbul	€230	157 quotes
Lisbon → Madrid	€28	114 quotes
Madrid → Lisbon	€37	112 quotes

Top routes by sample size from the last ~30 days.

Fly on the Boeing 737

It's currently flying from Denver (DEN), Istanbul (IST), London (STN). See where to catch one and how to book →

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What you can do on Flight Finder

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