Boeing will load the first aircraft onto a fourth 737 Max final assembly line on July 6 at Everett's Paine Field, CEO Kelly Ortberg confirmed on June 5 in an interview with CNBC. The new line — known internally as the North Line — is scheduled to push the company's monthly output from its current rate of 47 jets toward a target of 52, which Boeing expects to reach in early 2027. For the airlines, investors, and aviation workers tracking Boeing's long manufacturing recovery, July 6 is the next concrete checkpoint in a process that has been under FAA scrutiny since a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 in January 2024.
What Boeing Opens July 6 at Paine Field
The North Line will occupy space at Boeing's sprawling Everett complex, roughly 40 miles north of the company's existing three 737 assembly lines in Renton, Washington. Ortberg described the addition in direct terms during the CNBC appearance, calling it "really a carbon copy of what you see here in Renton." The first aircraft to move through the line will be a 737 Max 10, Boeing's largest single-aisle variant, which carriers including United Airlines and Ryanair have been waiting years to receive.
Boeing designed the Everett facility to replicate Renton's build sequence as closely as possible. The one meaningful departure is a new Wing Transport Tool that moves partially completed wings from Renton to Everett for final integration — a logistical bridge between the two sites. In every other respect, the flow is intended to mirror what workers already do across the Puget Sound.
How Does Boeing Scale Production Under FAA Oversight?
Opening a new assembly line is not as simple as loading a jet and walking away. The North Line must first complete a phase known as Low Rate Initial Production, or LRIP, during which Boeing deliberately slows the build pace to allow additional checks and make any adjustments to the production system. The aircraft produced during LRIP are called conformity airplanes — they exist specifically to demonstrate to the FAA that Everett's processes match Renton's, satisfying the requirements of Boeing's existing production certificate, PC700.
Only after the FAA validates that conformity can the North Line be formally integrated into Boeing's overall 737 production network and begin contributing to rate increases above 47 aircraft per month. Jennifer Boland-Masterson, the production leader for the Everett line, described the logic to Boeing's own communications team: the process is like running — "you don't start with a marathon," she said. "You start with shorter distances and build up from there." That measured approach is precisely what the regulator has been watching Boeing implement since 2024.
FAA Shadow Still Over Boeing's Production Rate
Boeing's output is not limited only by factory capacity. The FAA imposed a cap on 737 Max production in January 2024 after the Alaska Airlines door-plug blowout exposed serious quality-control failures throughout the manufacturing system. The regulator has gradually lifted those constraints as Boeing demonstrated improvements. Most recently, on May 27, 2026, Ortberg announced at the Bernstein Annual Strategic Decisions Conference that the company passed the FAA's capstone review to ramp from 42 to 47 jets per month.
Ortberg acknowledged the industry's attention when he made that announcement. "I think the whole world's watching to make sure we make rate 47 and 52," he said. He has also been direct about the limits on Renton's capacity under the new quality-focused operating model, noting that the pre-2019 pace of 57 jets per month from Renton alone is probably no longer sustainable given the tighter safety and quality processes now in place. The Everett line is therefore not just a capacity addition — it is a structural feature of Boeing's new production philosophy: distributing volume carefully rather than concentrating it.
Supply-chain performance will ultimately determine how quickly Boeing can move beyond 52 jets per month toward its longer-range target of 63. Bank of America analyst Ron Epstein has cautioned that ramping back up takes time even when factory doors are open. CFM International, a 50/50 joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran, supplies the LEAP-1B engine that powers every 737 Max variant; engine deliveries must track Boeing's assembly pace step for step. Since Boeing completed its $4.7 billion acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems in December 2025, fuselage production is now an in-house function — which Boeing leadership has argued gives the company better visibility and control over quality at the point of manufacture.
Max 10 and Max 7 Certifications Converging on 2026 Deadlines
The first aircraft to move through the Everett North Line will be a 737 Max 10, the stretched variant measuring 43.8 meters in length — about 1.6 meters longer than the Max 9. More than 1,200 Max 10 jets are on order globally. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated on May 28, 2026, that the agency expects to certify the Max 10 before the end of the year, and identified no outstanding issues that would prevent approval. The Max 7 is expected to receive its certificate first, targeting August 2026, with Southwest Airlines — which holds approximately 289 Max 7 orders — preparing to begin operations in early 2027.
A key technical hurdle has been cleared. Boeing redesigned the engine anti-ice system on both variants after discovering the original configuration could cause inlet inner barrels to overheat and potentially fail during prolonged icing. Testing of the redesigned system is complete. Boeing also plans to retrofit the updated anti-ice system across its existing in-service Max 8 and Max 9 fleets. The Max 10's certification package is larger than the Max 7's because the stretched aircraft required a semi-levered main landing gear — an assembly that extends 241 millimeters upon rotation to prevent tail strikes — creating a unique design certification path that does not apply to other Max variants.
Record Backlog Drives the Urgency
Boeing's Q1 2026 earnings report, released April 22, placed the company's total backlog at a record $695 billion, including more than 6,100 unfilled commercial aircraft orders. The commercial airplane backlog alone reached $576 billion. Airlines that have waited years for deliveries — including carriers in China following a reopening of that market under orders for approximately 200 aircraft committed during Ortberg's visit — represent a strong commercial tailwind behind the production ramp.
Richard Aboulafia of AeroDynamic Advisory, a longtime Boeing critic during the company's crisis years, told reporters earlier this year that Boeing has made meaningful progress. "It's a long road back from a dysfunctional culture, but they're making big progress," he said. Scott Hamilton of Leeham Company — who has consistently cautioned against overstating certification progress — offered a more measured take when the Max 10 reached its second phase of certification flight testing: "It's progress, but until the MAX 10 is certified, it's not."
Both views capture the current moment: Boeing's recovery is measurable and real, the July 6 start date is the manufacturer's most specific near-term milestone in months, and the path to 52 jets per month depends on the FAA, the supply chain, and two aircraft certifications all proceeding on schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many 737 Max jets does Boeing produce per month in 2026?
Boeing reached a production rate of 47 737 Max jets per month as of late May 2026, following FAA approval of an increase from the previous rate of 42. The company is working toward 52 per month, a target it expects to reach in early 2027 with the addition of the fourth assembly line at Paine Field in Everett, Washington.
When will Boeing reach 52 planes per month?
Boeing targets 52 737 Max jets per month in early 2027. Reaching that rate requires the new Everett North Line to complete its Low Rate Initial Production phase, pass FAA conformity requirements, and be integrated into Boeing's overall production network. Supply-chain performance — particularly engine deliveries from CFM International — is the other principal constraint on the timeline.
When will the Boeing 737 Max 10 be certified?
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated on May 28, 2026, that the agency expects to certify the 737 Max 10 before the end of 2026 and has identified no outstanding issues that would prevent approval. Boeing's CEO Kelly Ortberg confirmed that roughly 80% of certification flight tests are complete and that no further FAA Type Inspection Authorizations are needed. First deliveries of the Max 10 are expected in 2027.
What is the Boeing 737 Max production backlog?
Boeing's total company backlog reached a record $695 billion as of the first quarter of 2026, including more than 6,100 unfilled commercial airplane orders. The commercial airplane segment alone accounts for $576 billion of that total, underscoring the scale of unmet airline demand that is driving Boeing's production recovery.
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