Boeing delivered 60 aircraft in May, including 51 737 MAXs and six 787 Dreamliners — a significant jump from April’s 47 deliveries and the clearest sign yet that the manufacturer is clawing its way back to operational health.
The spike isn’t purely organic growth. Earlier this year Boeing discovered small scratches on wiring in some MAX planes caused by a machining error, briefly stalling deliveries while mechanics worked through repairs. With that backlog now cleared, May’s numbers reflect both the fix and Boeing’s ongoing production ramp-up from 42 to a target of 47 MAXs per month this summer.
The trajectory tells a bigger story. Boeing delivered 198 MAXs in the first five months of 2025, compared to just 101 in the same period of 2024 — the year the manufacturer was still reeling from the Alaska Airlines midair panel blowout that prompted the FAA to cap MAX production at 38 planes per month. That cap was lifted to 42 last October.
CFO Jay Malave said the wiring issue affected roughly 25 planes total and wouldn’t impact annual delivery targets — a projection May’s numbers appear to be backing up.
Why It Matters: More Boeing deliveries means airlines can take possession of planes they’ve been waiting on, which translates to new routes, increased capacity, and potentially more competitive fares — particularly on MAX-heavy carriers like Southwest, United, and Alaska.
Source: Seattle Times
