Delta's New Boeing Order Signals a Bigger-Jet Future for US Air Travel
Delta Air Lines used its July 10, 2026 earnings call to detail how it will deploy two new Boeing jets, the 737 Max 10 and 787-10, replacing smaller aircraft with larger ones over the next decade. The plan starts with roughly 27 Max 10s arriving in 2027 and continues into the 2030s with a widebody order of up to 60 787-10s that will retire Delta's aging 767 fleet. Rival carriers are running the same playbook, reshaping the typical US flight and why fares aren't likely to fall.
What Delta Announced This Week
Announced: July 10, 2026 earnings call · Executives: CEO Ed Bastian, commercial chief Joe Esposito
Commercial chief Joe Esposito told analysts Delta will use both new Boeing types for "efficient" growth, swapping older, smaller jets for larger ones with more seats and cargo space. It's the latest phase of an upgauging push that began in the mid-2010s when Delta replaced 50-seat regional jets with Boeing 717s, according to FlightGlobal's reporting on the earnings call.
The 737 Max 10 Timeline
First delivery: expected 2027 · Order size: up to 130 aircraft, ordered at the 2022 Farnborough air show
Certification delays already pushed the Max 10 back from 2025, but Boeing expects sign-off to follow the smaller Max 7, which could clear the FAA as soon as this month. Delta expects roughly 27 Max 10s, seating about 190 passengers, replacing its oldest 717s and 757s starting next year. Canada's WestJet, also retiring older 737NGs, is expected to be the first carrier to take delivery, per FlightGlobal's coverage of WestJet's fleet plans.
A Widebody Overhaul That Won't Land Until 2031
Order: 30 firm 787-10s, options for 30 more · First delivery: 2031
Delta placed its first-ever direct Boeing 787 order in January 2026, and Esposito says the 787-10 will eventually replace the airline's 767-300ERs and 767-400ERs on transatlantic routes. Boeing's announcement pegs the 787-10 at up to 336 seats with 25% lower fuel use than the jets it replaces, according to the Boeing and Delta press release. Premium seating share jumps from roughly 30% on a 767 to over 50% on a 787, while cargo capacity roughly doubles, a detail One Mile at a Time's analysis of the deal flags as central to the route economics behind the order.
Delta Isn't Alone: The Industry-Wide Upgauging Trend
Who else is doing it: Alaska, American, JetBlue, and United · Scale: widebody growth now concurrent across four of six US majors
Delta's strategy has become the industry template: 2025-2026 marks a widebody surge running simultaneously at four of six major US carriers, versus a historical norm of one or two per year. United alone is adding more than 250 aircraft by April 2028, including 47 Boeing 787-9s and dozens of Max 9s and A321neo-family jets, a build-out detailed in SimpleFlying's rundown of US widebody cabin refreshes. Airlines favor the strategy because one larger jet can absorb demand that used to require two flights, easing pressure at slot-constrained airports.
What It Means for Fares and Travelers
Bottom line: more legroom and premium seats on new jets, but don't expect cheaper tickets · Fare outlook: Delta expects current pricing to hold even as fuel costs ease
Bastian told investors recent fare increases are "sustainable" even if fuel prices moderate, citing permanently higher labor, airport, and technology costs, a point FlightGlobal's earnings coverage lays out. He noted airfares still sit 10 to 15 points below inflation since the pandemic, and low-cost carriers may need to raise prices roughly 5% further just to break even, a dynamic also explored by CNN Business's report on jet fuel and airfares and Fox Business's coverage of Bastian's comments. For flyers: newer, better-equipped widebody cabins over the next several years, but fares unlikely to drop back to pre-2020 levels.
People also ask
When will Delta's new Boeing 737 Max 10 start flying?
Delta expects its first 737 Max 10 deliveries in 2027, pending FAA certification. The airline plans to receive about 27 of the roughly 190-seat jets that year, replacing older 717s and 757s on domestic routes.
When will Delta's Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners arrive?
Delta's first 787-10 isn't due until 2031, six years after the January 2026 order. The airline ordered 30 firm aircraft with options for 30 more, mainly for transatlantic and South American routes.
Will bigger planes mean cheaper flights?
Not necessarily. Delta's CEO says current fare levels are sustainable even as fuel costs fall, citing higher labor, airport, and technology costs. Larger jets improve per-seat efficiency for airlines, but that hasn't historically translated into lower ticket prices.
What will the 787-10 replace in Delta's fleet?
The 787-10 will replace Delta's aging Boeing 767-300ER and 767-400ER widebodies, mainly on transatlantic flights. Delta's commercial chief says the swap roughly doubles cargo capacity and lifts premium seating share from about 30% to over 50% of the cabin.
Facts checked against current sources as of July 14, 2026. Aircraft delivery timelines and fleet plans can shift; confirm current details before making travel plans around specific aircraft types.
