Airlines That Use Boeing Planes: 2026 Fleet Guide
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Edited by Adiatma Sukwirahmanta
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TL;DR: Lists major Boeing operators (United, Southwest, American, Delta, Ryanair, Emirates, etc.) with United having the largest Boeing fleet. Covers which models anchor which fleets, the 747's near-retirement, and the still-undelivered 777X.
Which Airlines Fly Boeing Jets: The Short Answer
United, Southwest, American, Delta and Alaska Airlines all fly Boeing jets, and so do Ryanair, British Airways, Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Japan Airlines. Among the airlines checked for this guide, United had the most Boeing mainline aircraft on 31 December 2025 (863), ahead of Southwest (803, all 737s). Ryanair (606 737s in a February 2026 tracker estimate), American (529) and Delta (470) follow.
The Boeing 737 is the core of the biggest US fleets: Southwest, United and Alaska. The 777 and 787 Dreamliner are the long-haul types, flown by airlines such as United, American, British Airways, Qatar Airways and Japan Airlines. Boeing itself is not an airline. It builds the planes, and airlines operate them.
The table below gives each airline’s Boeing types, its Boeing fleet count and the date of that count. Airlines outside this list were not checked.
Boeing Fleets by Airline, With Counts and Dates
The counts are mainline Boeing aircraft from each airline’s annual report or fleet page, so regional jets are not included. The United, American, Delta and Alaska totals are our sums of the rows in those documents. The Ryanair figure is a flight-tracker estimate, not a company count. Where the table says “Not checked”, we did not verify a current count.
| Airline | Boeing types | Boeing aircraft | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 737, 757, 767, 777, 787 | 863 | 31 Dec 2025 | United annual report (10-K) |
| Southwest Airlines | 737 only | 803 | 31 Dec 2025 | Southwest annual report (10-K) |
| Ryanair | 737-800, 737 MAX 8200 | 606 (tracker estimate) | Feb 2026 | Flightradar24 |
| American Airlines | 737, 777, 787 | 529 | End of 2025 | American fleet count |
| Delta Air Lines | 717, 737, 757, 767 | 470 | 31 Dec 2025 | Delta annual report (10-K) |
| Alaska Air Group (Alaska and Hawaiian) | 737, 717, 787 | 273 | July 2026 | Alaska Air Group fleet page |
| British Airways | 777, 787 | Not checked | ||
| Lufthansa | 747, 787 (777-9 on order) | Not checked | ||
| Emirates | 777 (787 on order) | Not checked | ||
| Qatar Airways | 777, 787 | Not checked | ||
| Japan Airlines | 737, 767, 777, 787 | Not checked | Types as of March 2025 |
Airline by Airline: Which Boeing Jets Each Carrier Flies
United Airlines
- Boeing 737, 757, 767, 777 and 787: 863 mainline Boeing aircraft on 31 December 2025, out of 1,066 mainline aircraft in total
- 572 737s (243 of them 737 MAX 8s and 9s), 96 777s, 61 757s and 53 767s
- Heavy investment in Boeing Dreamliners: 81 787s (12 787-8s, 48 787-9s and 21 787-10s)
Southwest Airlines
- Boeing 737 only: Southwest describes the 737 as its single aircraft type
- 803 737s on 31 December 2025, 300 of them 737-8s, the most 737s of any airline checked here
Ryanair
- Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8200
- 606 737s out of 611 aircraft in February 2026 (410 737-800s and 196 MAX 8200s), according to a Flightradar24 tracker count
American Airlines
- Boeing 737, 777, 787: 529 Boeing mainline aircraft at the end of 2025
- 303 737-800s, 89 737 MAX 8s, 67 777s (47 777-200ERs and 20 777-300ERs) and 70 787s (37 787-8s and 33 787-9s)
- Its last MAX 8 on order arrived in May 2026, for 103 MAX 8s in total
Delta Air Lines
- Boeing 717, 737, 757, 767, with no 777 or 787 in service
- 470 Boeing mainline aircraft on 31 December 2025: 80 717-200s, 77 737-800s, 163 737-900ERs, 92 757s and 58 767s
- Ordered 30 787-10s in January 2026, with deliveries from 2031
Alaska Airlines
- Boeing 737 fleet at the core: 249 passenger 737s as of July 2026 (80 737-9 MAX, 79 737-900ER, 20 737-8 MAX, 59 737-800 and 11 737-700)
- The Alaska Air Group fleet page also covers Hawaiian Airlines and lists 5 787-9s and 19 717-200s
British Airways
- Boeing 777, 787
- Retired its Boeing 747 fleet in 2020: the last two 747s left London Heathrow on 8 October 2020
Lufthansa
- Boeing 747 and 787 in service; the 777-9 is on order and not flying yet
- One of the last airlines still using the Boeing 747 jumbo jet, with its 747-400s due to retire by 2028
Emirates
- Boeing 777 in service, 787 Dreamliner on order (35 aircraft: 20 787-8s and 15 787-10s)
- Said in September 2026 that it may convert the 787 order to 777X, which it expects from mid-2027
Qatar Airways
- Boeing 777, 787 Dreamliner
- Both types are in service; published fleet counts differ, so none is given here
Japan Airlines (JAL)
Boeing 737, 767, 777 and 787 (fleet types as of March 2025)
Which Boeing Jets Are Flying Today, and What Is Still Coming
Boeing builds single-aisle jets for short and medium routes (the 737 family) and wide-body jets for long-haul flights (the 777 and 787). The 737 is Boeing’s best-selling jet, although Airbus’s A320 family passed it in total deliveries in October 2025.
| Boeing model | Status | Airlines in this guide |
|---|---|---|
| 737-700, 737-800, 737-900ER | Flying | American, Delta, Alaska, Ryanair |
| 737 MAX 8 (737-8), 737 MAX 9 (737-9) | Flying | Southwest, United, American, Alaska, Ryanair (MAX 8200) |
| 737-7 (MAX 7), 737-10 | Not yet in service | Southwest targets early 2027 for the 737-7 |
| 717 | Flying | Delta, Hawaiian |
| 757 and 767 | Flying | United, Delta |
| 777 | Flying | United, American, British Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines |
| 777X (777-9) | Not yet in service; first delivery moved to 2027 | On order at Lufthansa and Emirates |
| 787-8, 787-9, 787-10 | Flying | United, American, Hawaiian, British Airways, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines; on order at Delta and Emirates |
| 747 | Retired by most airlines | Lufthansa still flies it; British Airways retired its 747s in 2020 |
The 777X, the newest Boeing airliner, with folding wingtips, is not in service yet. Boeing has moved first delivery to 2027, and FAA certification may also be delayed into 2027. For airlines that fly today’s 777, see Boeing 777 flights, routes and airlines.
On the 787, Delta has 30 787-10s on order for delivery from 2031. Emirates has 35 787s on order and has said it may switch them to the 777X.
The 747 jumbo jet has left most passenger fleets. British Airways flew its last 747s out of Heathrow in October 2020, and Lufthansa plans to retire its 747-400s by 2028.
Why Airlines Choose Boeing
Airlines pick a Boeing model for the job it has to do. The 737 is a single-aisle jet for short and medium routes and a favorite among budget carriers. Some airlines build almost their whole fleet around it: Southwest’s annual report describes the 737 as its single aircraft type, and 606 of Ryanair’s 611 aircraft were 737s in February 2026.
The 777 and 787 Dreamliner are wide-body jets for long-haul international flights, and United, American, British Airways, Qatar Airways and Japan Airlines fly both.
Many airlines fly Boeing and Airbus side by side. The Alaska Air Group fleet page, for example, lists Airbus A330s and A321neos next to its Boeing jets. For carriers built around Airbus, see airlines that fly Airbus planes.
Myths vs. Facts About Boeing Planes
Myth: Only U.S. airlines use Boeing planes.
Fact: Boeing jets fly with airlines worldwide: Ryanair, British Airways and Lufthansa in Europe, Emirates and Qatar Airways in the Middle East, and Japan Airlines in Asia.
Myth: The Boeing 737 MAX is banned everywhere.
Fact: The MAX is in regular service. On 31 December 2025, Southwest had 300 737-8s (the MAX 8) and United had 243 MAX 8s and 9s. To see which airlines don’t fly it, and its safety history, read airlines that don’t fly the Boeing 737 MAX.
How to Tell If Your Flight Is on a Boeing
- Before you book, open the flight details. Airlines and many booking sites list the aircraft type there, for example “Boeing 737-800” or “Boeing 787-9”.
- On a codeshare flight, look for the operating airline. The plane belongs to the airline that operates the flight, which can differ from the airline on your ticket.
- After you book, check the trip in the airline’s app or on its manage-booking page. The aircraft type usually appears with the flight number.
- Check again shortly before you fly. Airlines can swap aircraft, even on the day of travel.
Every flight Southwest operates is on a Boeing 737, because the 737 is the only type it flies.
Final Thoughts: Find a Boeing Flight and Pay Later
Pick a carrier from the table, check the aircraft type in the flight details, and book. You might fly a Boeing 737 with Ryanair or an Emirates Boeing 777. Compare Southwest Airlines flights, United Airlines flights, Ryanair flights or Emirates flights.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which airline has the most Boeing planes?
Which airlines fly the Boeing 737?
Southwest flies only the 737, with 803 on 31 December 2025, and United had 572. American, Delta, Alaska Airlines, Ryanair and Japan Airlines also fly the 737.
Which airlines fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner?
United (81 on 31 December 2025), American (70 at the end of 2025) and Hawaiian Airlines fly the 787, as do British Airways, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and Japan Airlines. Delta has none yet: it ordered 30 787-10s in January 2026, with deliveries from 2031. Emirates has 35 787s on order.
What is Boeing’s newest aircraft, and is the 777X flying yet?
Boeing’s newest airliner is the 777X, with folding wingtips, and it is not in service yet. Boeing has moved first delivery to 2027, and FAA certification may also be delayed into 2027. Emirates has said it expects the 777X from mid-2027.
What is Boeing’s most popular airplane?
The Boeing 737 is Boeing’s best-selling jet and was the world’s best-selling jet for decades. Airbus’s A320 family passed it in total deliveries in October 2025.
Do any airlines still fly the Boeing 747?
Most airlines have retired the 747 from passenger service. Lufthansa is one of the last airlines still using it, and its 747-400s are due to retire by 2028. British Airways retired its 747 fleet in 2020, when its last two 747s left London Heathrow on 8 October.
Are Boeing planes better than Airbus?
It depends on the aircraft and the airline more than the maker. Both build single-aisle jets for short routes (the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320 family) and wide-body jets for long-haul flights. To compare, see the airlines that fly Airbus planes.
How can I tell if my flight is on a Boeing?
Open the flight details before you book, or check your trip in the airline’s app after you book: the aircraft type, such as Boeing 737-800 or 787-9, is usually listed there. Airlines can swap aircraft, even on the day of travel, so check again shortly before you fly.
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