Many major airlines operate the Boeing 737 MAX 8, including large U.S. carriers like Southwest, United, American, and Alaska Airlines, along with global players like Ryanair (using the MAX 8-200 variant), Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, TUI, and WestJet, with airlines worldwide utilizing this fuel-efficient workhorse for short to medium-haul flights.
Virgin Australia and fledgling budget startup Bonza currently operate the Max 8 aircraft, and are expecting to take delivery of more in coming months and years as airlines look to become more fuel-efficient for cost and environmental reasons. Bonza has six planes in its fleet, all of which are Max 8 aircraft.
Yes, Virgin Australia has a growing fleet of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which are fuel-efficient, quieter, and feature new interiors with modern amenities, serving both domestic and short-haul international routes like Fiji, Bali, and Tokyo. The airline began taking delivery of these next-generation jets in mid-2023 and plans to expand the MAX family, including future MAX 10 deliveries, as part of its fleet renewal.
After a lengthy investigation into the crashes and changes to the design and software, the FAA, EASA and Civil Aviation Authority in the UK deemed Boeing 737 Max jets to be safe to re-enter service.
On the Boeing 737 MAX 8, 12A and 12F are the ones to avoid. We also find this problem with easyJet. If you're flying on their Airbus A320, seat 31A is the one to avoid; 31F might also not have a window, depending on the layout. Unfortunately, you can also encounter this problem on long-haul flights.
Here's our advice:
United States
Qantas offers a more premium, all-inclusive experience with a wider network, better lounges, and lie-flat business seats on some routes, while Virgin Australia competes with lower prices, better value in economy/mid-tier business, and sometimes better punctuality/fewer cancellations, though Qantas often wins on overall punctuality. The choice depends on budget, priority (price vs. premium service), and route; Qantas for premium international/network, Virgin for cost-effective domestic travel.
I enjoy the roominess of an exit row seat
If my aircraft has two exit rows, one behind the other, which is the case for the Boeing 737 Max aircraft on which I often travel, I select the row closer to the back of the cabin.
The most obvious tip for identifying a 737MAX, by far, is the new Advanced Technology (AT) winglet. The 737MAX was the first Boeing narrowbody family to be designed with winglets, and the new AT winglet is the most fuel efficient winglet ever installed on an aircraft.
Look forward to an improved, next-generation inflight experience on our Boeing 737-800s as we embark on cabin upgrades of 42 aircraft. Upgrades will include new Business and Economy seats with charging technology, refreshed interiors and larger overhead locker space for your carry-on baggage.
Preliminary investigations revealed serious flight control problems that traumatized passengers and crew on the aircraft's previous flight, as well as signs of angle-of-attack (AoA) sensor and other instrument failures on that and previous flights, tied to a design flaw involving the Maneuvering Characteristics ...
United Airlines and Alaska Airlines have the most 737 MAX 9 airplanes in their fleet.
The 737 MAX is significantly quieter than the previous generation of aircraft. The 737-8 has a 50% smaller noise footprint than the 737-800 in part because of the higher-bypass ratio on the LEAP-1B engine as well as the unique chevron design on the nacelle—another advance inspired by the 787 Dreamliner.
For domestic flights, the sweet spot tends to fall around one to three months in advance, with many fares reaching their lowest price around 44 days out. International flights usually follow a longer timeline—three to five months ahead is often ideal, especially for trips to Europe.
Looking at domestic flights in Australia, our three main carriers (Qantas, Virgin, and Jetstar) all have very similar widths, between 43 and 46 centimetres.
Earlier this year AirlineRatings.com, “the world's only airline safety and product rating website”, announced Air New Zealand as the top of its list, followed by Qantas, with Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and Emirates equal third and Virgin Australia finishing in fourth.
Larger airlines have also struggled with flight cancellations and reliability. According to the data, Qantas, its subsidiary Jetstar and Virgin Australia respectively recorded on-time arrival rates of 73.85 per cent, 73.39 per cent and 72.70 per cent.
Yes, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 is considered safe by global aviation regulators, having been re-certified after significant software and design fixes, mandatory pilot training updates, and extensive testing, though some passengers still choose to avoid it for personal peace of mind. The fixes addressed the MCAS software, ensuring pilots have ultimate control and the system activates less frequently with more reliable sensor data, making it safer than before, according to Boeing and Singapore Airlines.
According to 2024 data, Airbus has a slightly better safety record than Boeing. Boeing's crash rate is 1.7 times higher than Airbus, and recent issues with the 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner have affected public trust. The Airbus A320 family also has a lower fatality rate compared to the Boeing 737.
Two 737 MAXs have had deadly crashes: Lion Air Flight 610 in late 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in early 2019, in which 346 people died.
To completely minimize your chance of turbulence, you should also avoid flying during peak daytime hours because that's when wake turbulence caused by air traffic is most common. Larger planes handle turbulence much better than smaller ones.
FAA spokesperson Tammy Jones told KOIN 6 News that passengers can simply check their ticket or booking information through an airline's website or app. The type of plane should be listed under “plane type” or “aircraft details.” If the plane is a 737 Max 9, the words “737 Max 9” should appear under the flight details.