Which Airlines Don't Fly The Boeing 737 In The USA?
If you've spent any time on social media during the past few months, you've probably seen the phrase, "If it's Boeing, I'm not going." The airline has experienced a series of incidents over the past year that have left some travelers anxious about flying on its Boeing 737 Max airplane. The most widely reported incident occurred in January of this year when a rear door plug panel fell off a two-month-old Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 shortly after takeoff from Portland International Airport, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane and terrified passengers in its wake.
The plane safely returned to the airport for an emergency landing, and luckily, nobody was seriously injured. If this had been a one-off incident, it might have slipped from the headlines after a couple of news cycles. However, that didn't happen because of the airline's troubling safety record, which includes the deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019 involving the Boeing 737 Max. Instead, the latest incident raised new questions about its manufacturing and quality control practices.
Suddenly, the public wanted to know everything about the Boeing 737 Max Jet, with some wondering if it was possible to avoid flying on the plane altogether. The good news for worried passengers is there are airlines that don't have the Boeing Max 737 in their fleet, making it entirely possible to avoid flying on this aircraft.
Major US airlines that don't fly the Boeing 737
While airplanes continue to be the safest way to travel, nobody would blame you for getting spooked after witnessing what has gone down with Boeing. Even if we know on some level that the chances of a plane crashing are slim when we fly, we give up control and put our faith in the airline manufacturers to build well-made planes that'll keep us safe. For many, the recent mishaps with the Boeing 737 have left them questioning whether the airline is really doing what it needs to do to ensure their safety.
As the airline continues to face investigations on multiple fronts, including congressional hearings and an NTSB probe, you might want to take a break from the Boeing 737, and depending on your destination, with some planning, you should be able to make it happen. Three major airlines operating in the US don't use the Boeing 737 Max: Delta Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Spirit Airways.
Delta's fleet is made up of various Airbus and Boeing aircraft, but currently, it doesn't include the Boeing 737 Max which has caused so much concern among customers. However, Delta did place an order for the plane before the January incident, but according to Bloomberg, delivery might be delayed until 2027 due to the ongoing federal investigations. If you're flying JetBlue Airways or Spirit Airlines, you won't have to worry about Boeing aircraft because their fleets are made up entirely of Airbus planes.
Small and regional US airlines that don't fly the Boeing 737
If your travel plans include traveling on one of the many small or regional airlines in the US, there's a good chance you'll still be able to avoid flying on a Boeing 737. If you've already booked your flight, there are ways to find out which kind of plane you'll be flying on, and depending on the type of ticket, you might be able to change your flight if you discover the plane is a Boeing 737 Max. There are five small and regional airlines operating in the US without the Boeing 737 Max in their fleet: Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines.
Allegiant Air's fleet currently consists of only Airbus aircraft. However, like Delta, the airline has an order pending for the Boeing 737 Max that has been delayed. If you're planning to travel with the airline and want to avoid flying on the Boeing 737 Max, you'll want to check the delivery status closer to your departure date. While Avelo Airlines does operate an all-Boeing 737 fleet, it doesn't include the Boeing 737 Max involved in recent incidents. Frontier Airlines operates an all-Airbus fleet, while Hawaiian Airlines uses Airbus A321neo for its narrow-body routes and wide-body aircraft like the Airbus 330 for its long-haul flights. As for Sun Country Airlines, it mainly operates the Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft.