Alaska Airlines to buy more than 100 Boeing jets in carrier's biggest order ever

Alaska Airlines is ordering more than 100 Boeing jets, a purchase that the carrier's fleet chief said will ensure it has locked in sought-after order slots through the middle of the next decade to expand.

The order, Alaska's largest ever, which was announced Wednesday, includes 105 yet-to-be-certified Boeing 737 Max 10 jets. Alaska is also buying five 787-10 Dreamliners, using its previous purchase options for those long-haul jets as it charts an international expansion with nonstops to Italy, South Korea and elsewhere.

Shane Jones, who oversees Alaska Airlines' fleet, revenue products and real estate, told CNBC that the airline expects FAA certification of the Max 10 this year, with deliveries beginning in 2027.

Alaska, which acquired Hawaiian Airlines in 2024, said it has 413 aircraft in its fleet and plans to grow that to 475 in 2030 and 550 by 2035, with this and previous orders.

The new order includes options for 35 more 737 Max 10s. Fifty-three of the planes in Wednesday's order are new, and 52 are from options the airline is exercising.

Boeing has more than 6,000 aircraft on backorder, but Alaska's purchase plans are a vote of confidence in airplane maker, whose 737 factory 10 miles away from the carrier's headquarters handed Alaska a 737 Max 9 two years ago without key bolts installed in a door plug. That panel blew out of the plane on Jan. 5, 2024, as it climbed out of Portland, Oregon, stunning travelers, though there were no serious physical injuries.

The accident briefly grounded the 737 Max 9 and set Boeing back in production as it waded through another safety crisis during what was supposed to be its turnaround year in the wake of two deadly Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.

Under Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who replaced insider Dave Calhoun months after the accident, the manufacturer has improved its production rate and quality, airline executives have said. It plans to ramp up production this year. The FAA must approve Boeing's Max production increases, a requirement following the door plug accident.

Alaska's Jones told CNBC Wednesday's order is a sign of "our confidence in the Max 10 certification" as well as "our confidence in Boeing and their turnaround and their ability to produce quality aircraft on time."

The 737 Max 10 has a shorter range than some other models but it can fit more passengers than smaller variants, which can improve unit costs on high-demand flights and allows them to fly more customers in and out of congested airports where adding flights is challenging.

The Max 10 is years behind schedule and is still awaiting FAA approval. Jones said he expects certification this year with the first deliveries of the variant in the first half of 2027.

Jones said about half of the new aircraft orders are for replacement, with the rest for growth. He declined to disclose how much the airline paid for the aircraft. Manufacturers often share list prices, though big customers generally receive discounts for large orders.