Ryanair Expects Boeing 737 Production to Reach 48 Jets per Month by 2026

Ryanair, one of Boeing’s largest and most influential global customers, has voiced confidence that the U.S. planemaker will soon secure regulatory approval to ramp up production of its 737 Max jets to 48 aircraft per month by April 2026.

The Irish low-cost carrier recently took delivery of ten Boeing 737 Max aircraft over a span of just ten consecutive days—a clear signal of its aggressive fleet expansion strategy and continued commitment to Boeing despite recent production setbacks. According to Reuters, Ryanair expects Boeing’s increased output to help accelerate its own growth trajectory, allowing the airline to strengthen its market position across Europe.

The Irish low-cost carrier, Boeing’s biggest European client, has faced repeated capacity setbacks due to ongoing delivery delays. Boeing is still working to stabilize output after a mid-air panel blowout on a 737-9 in January 2024, which exposed deeper quality-control and production issues across its manufacturing lines.

Ryanair Group Chief Executive Michael O’Leary told Reuters on October 8 that he expects the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to approve an increase in monthly production from the current rate of 38 jets to 42 in October 2025.

“Will the FAA then allow them to go to rate 48 next March or April? We’re pretty confident that will happen,” O’Leary said, following regular discussions between Ryanair and Boeing executives.

The FAA imposed the 38-per-month production cap in early 2024 after the Alaska Airlines incident. The regulator emphasized that any production-rate increases would require thorough on-site safety reviews and confirmation that Boeing’s quality systems meet required standards.

In a recent update, Boeing said it sees no major supply chain bottlenecks that would prevent achieving a 42-per-month rate by late 2025, aligning with its goal to steadily rebuild output to pre-crisis levels.

Certification Challenges Ahead

Beyond production ramp-up, Boeing continues to face regulatory scrutiny over certification of the 737-7 and 737-10 variants, the smallest and largest members of the Max family. These models remain unapproved for commercial service, pending FAA validation of their updated flight-control systems.

Ryanair has 150 firm orders for the 737-10, which it considers vital to its fleet expansion strategy. O’Leary said Boeing remains “very confident” about achieving certification for both variants in 2026, but he acknowledged that unforeseen regulatory or production setbacks could still occur.

“So we’re pretty confident,” O’Leary added, “but it could still be disrupted.”

Boeing’s Path to Stability

For Boeing, restoring 737 Max production and certification timelines is key to regaining financial stability and customer trust. The company continues to work under heightened FAA supervision and has expanded its in-house quality controls following a series of manufacturing audits.

The planned production ramp-up—from 38 to 42, then to 48 aircraft per month—would mark Boeing’s fastest sustained increase in narrow-body output since the grounding of the global 737 Max fleet in 2019. It would also help address a massive order backlog exceeding 4,000 unfilled 737 Max jets.

For Ryanair, whose growth depends heavily on timely deliveries, Boeing’s recovery is critical. Each delay limits the airline’s ability to expand its European network and add new routes.

If Boeing meets its targets, the coming year could mark a turning point for both companies—signaling renewed production discipline for Boeing and long-awaited fleet growth for Ryanair.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, reuters.com, finance.yahoo.com