The Boeing 737 MAX 10 is finally certified, and the airlines waiting on it are planning more than just extra seats — they're using it to rethink domestic first class. Four US carriers have 550 of the type on order, with WestJet expected to launch it in early 2027, followed closely by Alaska and United, Delta later in 2027 and American in 2029.
The headline change: Delta and American have both confirmed their MAX 10s will carry 24 first class seats instead of the 20 previously planned. That's notable because the MAX 10 is roughly the same size as an A321neo, which both airlines fit with just 20 first seats. Delta's own leadership has hinted the real 'sweet spot' lies somewhere between 24 and 44 seats, so future deliveries could push even further.
Delta's experiments with its A321neo fleet explain the confidence. A subfleet of seven aircraft originally meant for lie-flat business seats ended up with 44 recliner-style Delta First seats instead — by far the largest first class cabin at any US airline — and those cabins are consistently near full. The message is clear: premium demand on domestic routes is outstripping supply, and airlines are leaving money on the table with 20-seat cabins.
American is going premium across the board, announcing in August 2026 a narrowbody-wide refresh with seatback screens on every aircraft, Starlink WiFi, more first class seats and a bigger Main Cabin Extra section on the MAX 10. It has also said its A321neos will be reconfigured with more first seats, without specifying how many.
Alaska Airlines is the wildcard. The second-largest MAX 10 customer with 163 on order, Alaska will fit at least 25 of them with a three-cabin layout: 12 lie-flat 'Aurora' Suites and 12 Premium Reserve premium economy seats, plus seatback screens — a first on any Alaska narrowbody. It's a direct challenge to the legacies on premium transcontinental routes, though economy passengers will have to stream to their own devices.
United, the largest MAX 10 customer with 167 orders, is the quiet one. It has reportedly specced 20 first seats and hasn't announced anything new, and its premium transcontinental ambitions now sit with a 50-strong subfleet of three-class A321neos instead. But if Delta and American's bets pay off, United is likely to follow.
For travellers, this is genuinely good news. More first class seats means more award space, more upgrade opportunities and — thanks to competition — possibly softer premium fares on busy domestic routes. If you fly transcon or on trunk routes like New York–LA, keep an eye on Alaska's Aurora Suites in particular: lie-flat seats on a narrowbody at potentially lower price points than the big three is a compelling proposition when deliveries start in 2027.
