Japan Airlines has pledged to support the modernization of its domestic fleet by adding to its order of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The carrier’s latest purchase takes its order book for the type close to 40, with these narrowbody twinjets being slated to replace older planes from the popular 737 family. These will give a fresh feel to Japan Airlines’ domestic fleet alongside 11 units of the Airbus A321neo.
Adding to the existing order
In March of 2023, rumors began circulating that Boeing
was closing in on securing a deal with Japan Airlines concerning an order for its next-generation 737 MAX jets. With the Japanese flag carrier already being a large-scale and long-term operator of the 737-800 model from the single-aisle family’s previous generation, the MAX was an obvious replacement, and, later that month, a deal was signed.
At that point in time, JAL’s commitment to the Boeing 737 MAX 8 amounted to an order for 21 aircraft, with 2026 eyed as the year for their entry into service at the oneworld
member. Now, however, JAL has almost doubled its order for the type, confirming earlier today that it had purchased another 17 units to take its total order book for the type to 38. The carrier confirmed that they “will replace the single-aisle Boeing 737-800 aircraft currently serving mainly on domestic routes.”

Related
Where Could Japan Airlines Fly Its Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft?
The airline’s new order will replace the aging 737-800s.
Photo: ryo-a | Shutterstock
The revised order total of 38 737 MAX 8 aircraft brings the figure closer to the 45 examples of the older 737-800 variant that Japan Airlines
currently has in its fleet, according to present data from ch-aviation. On the environmental side, JAL adds that “by upgrading to more fuel-efficient aircraft, the company is committed to further reducing CO2 emissions, thereby contributing to a more sustainable future.”
Japan Airlines’ existing Boeing 737 aircraft
The 45 Boeing 737-800 narrowbody twinjets that Japan Airlines currently has in its fleet are among its oldest aircraft, with an average age of 14.9 years old. This puts them well above the Japanese flag carrier’s fleet-wide mean figure of 10 years, with the airline’s only aircraft types with older average ages than the Boeing 737-800 being its aging 767-300ER and 777-300ER widebodies (18.2 and 17.9 years old).
As alluded to by Japan Airlines, its 737-800s are primarily deployed on domestic routes at present, as evidenced by current scheduling data made available by Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Indeed, in April 2025, the Japanese flag carrier has scheduled just 176 international flights with the type, serving destinations in China and Taiwan. Meanwhile, its domestic offering with the Boeing 737-800 in April 2025 amounts to a whopping grand total of some 6,764 flights.
Photo: KITTIKUN YOKSAP | Shutterstock
On international flights, aeroLOPA shows that Japan Airlines configures its Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 12 four-abreast business class seats and 132 in economy class. Domestically, the density is higher, with respective figures of 20 (five-abreast) and 145 in these classes of travel. Commenting on these jets’ replacement, JAL adds that “by accelerating the introduction of state-of-the-art aircraft, JAL strives to significantly enhance the quality of service provided to customers.”
Also introducing the Airbus A321neo
JAL plans to begin introducing its 737 MAX aircraft in the 2026 fiscal year. However, these are not the only narrowbodies set to modernize the carrier’s domestic and short-haul fleet in the coming years, as the airline explained earlier today that, starting in the 2028 fiscal year, they will also be joined by 11 examples of the Airbus
A321neo. These will replace JAL’s Boeing 767s at Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND).
Photo: Photofex_AUT | Shutterstock

Related
Asian Market Shifts: Airbus Is Winning Over Some Long-Term Boeing Customers
With Boeing in crisis, Japan Airlines and Korean Air have placed large orders for Airbus jets.
The introduction of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and the Airbus A321neo marks part of a wider fleet modernization program at Japan Airlines, which, as the carrier explains, will “support growth with the introduction of approximately 90 new aircraft.” The airline adds that “renewing the fleet in line with supply and demand will further enhance profitability,” with Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 widebodies also on order.