First Virgin 737 MAX 10 expected late next year, airline says

“The 737-10 will be the largest aircraft in Virgin Australia’s fleet and will give us more capacity and more flexibility across our network,” said Virgin Australia CEO Dave Emerson.

“This is an important next step in our fleet renewal program as we continue building a younger, quieter and more fuel-efficient fleet.

“Fleet renewal is the single biggest lever we have to reduce emissions in the near term, and the 737-10 will build on the benefits we are already seeing from the 737-8.”

Virgin currently operates 19 737 MAX 8s and is marking three years of 737 MAX family operations this month, with the first, VH-8IA “Monkey Mia”, having arrived in June 2023. The airline converted 12 of its 737 MAX 10 orders to MAX 8s in 2024 due to delays at Boeing.

“Across that period, Virgin Australia’s 737 MAX operations are estimated to have saved approximately 30 million litres of fuel and cut more than 77,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions when compared to the previous generation 737-800,” the carrier said in a press release.

“The airline will take delivery of an additional seven 737-8s before the end of the calendar year, bringing its total 737-8 fleet to 26.”

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Erika Pearson, Boeing’s vice president of commercial sales and marketing, Southeast Asia and Oceania, said the planemaker is “pleased to partner with Virgin Australia as its fleet modernisation continued, with the 737 MAX family as the backbone”.

“In addition to offering more seats, introducing the 737-10 will preserve commonality across the fleet, enhance flexibility, and improve environmental performance on both domestic and international routes,” she said.

“We remain committed to supporting Virgin Australia as they embark on this new chapter.”

The announcement comes after Virgin’s 100th current 737 and 150th in its historic fleet, VH-8VI “Lake Centenary”, which is painted red in a callback to the Virgin Blue days, entered commercial service at the end of last month.