Alaska Airlines has reached an important milestone in the renewal and expansion of its fleet by taking delivery of its 100th Boeing 737 MAX. The milestone aircraft was delivered in Seattle, just five years after the carrier received its first aircraft of the type in 2021.

The delivery comes during a period of strong growth for Alaska Air Group, which includes Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air. The group currently operates nearly 250 Boeing 737-family aircraft and five Boeing 787 Dreamliners, while almost 180 additional Boeing aircraft are expected to be delivered over the next decade.

The biggest step in the future development of the fleet came in January this year, when Alaska placed the largest aircraft order in its history. The agreement includes 105 Boeing 737-10s, with options for a further 35 aircraft, as well as five additional 787 Dreamliners.

The Boeing 737 MAX remains the backbone of Alaska Airlines’ narrowbody fleet and an important part of its plans to further develop its domestic network, while the Boeing 787 will play a key role in the carrier’s international expansion and the launch of new long-haul routes.

The delivery of the 100th MAX is part of a series of milestones marking the strengthening of cooperation between Alaska and Boeing this year. The airline has also unveiled a new visual identity for its future Boeing 787 fleet, while Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci highlighted the changes Boeing has implemented in recent years in the area of quality control during a visit to the manufacturer’s factory in Renton.

“I have so much more confidence coming out of today in what you’ve done in the last three years. I’m so impressed with all the quality improvements that have been put in place. I could see the hard work,” Minicucci told employees working on the 737 programme.

Alaska Airlines also emphasizes its long-standing relationship with Boeing. Cooperation between the two companies began in 1966 with the delivery of a Boeing 727-100, and over the following decades Boeing aircraft became the backbone of the carrier’s fleet.

“We appreciate the fact that your values are the same as ours – leading with safety and quality,” said Shane Jones, Alaska Airlines’ senior vice president of fleet, products and guest experience.

Reaching a fleet of 100 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in just five years also illustrates the pace at which Alaska is expanding its capacity. Following the integration of Hawaiian Airlines, the group is developing both its narrowbody and widebody fleets in parallel, gradually transforming Alaska from a carrier primarily focused on the US West Coast into an airline group with increasingly significant international ambitions.