Summary
- Boeing 737-900ER has a max capacity of 215 and range of 3,200 nautical miles.
- Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines are the main operators of the 900ER.
- The 900ER has structural changes to accommodate 26 more passengers than 737-900.
The Boeing 737-900ER (i.e., Extended Range) is the largest and final variant of the Boeing 737 NG line and was built to directly compete with the rival Airbus A321. The first 737-900ER was rolled out in 2006 for its launch customer – the low-cost Indonesian airline Lion Air. The 900ER is a stretched variant of the 737NG family with a maximum seating capacity of 220 passengers, and it differs in many ways from its standard counterpart. Over 500 900ERs have been delivered, most of which are operated by Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.
Boeing’s 737-900ER variant and its three main operators
Taken together, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines operate 478 Boeing 737-900ERs – the vast bulk of the 900ERs produced (Turkish Airlines also operates a modest fleet of 15 900ERs).
Photo: United Airlines
Boeing states that the 737-900ER (formerly the 737-900X) is the same size as the 737-900 but can carry 26 additional passengers. It raised the maximum capacity from 189 to 215 in a single-class layout while adding a pair of exit doors and a flat rear pressure bulkhead.
Other changes include “aerodynamic and structural design changes, including strengthened wings, a two-position tailskid, enhancements to the leading and trailing edge flap systems, and optional Blended Winglets and auxiliary fuel tanks.” These help to increase its range to 3,200 nautical miles (comparable to the 737-800’s range) while also increasing the higher takeoff weight.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines operates a fleet of Boeing 737 and Embraer 175 aircraft. Its Boeing 737 family includes 737-700s, 737-800s, 737-900s, 737-900ERs, MAX 8s, MAX 9s, and MAX 10s. The 12 737-900s fleet is expected to retire in 2025 as Alaska Airlines bids farewell to the end of an era. Alaska Airlines recently had to cancel a flight after a door allegedly opened twice.
Photo: Alaska Airlines
|
Top US 737-900ER operators |
Number of 737-900ERs |
Total fleet |
Share of fleet 737-900ER |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Alaska Airlines: |
79 |
328 |
25% |
|
Delta Air Lines: |
163 |
992 |
16% |
|
United Airlines: |
136 |
967 |
14% |
With 79 737-900ERs in service, it is the most common aircraft variant of Alaska Airlines’ fleet of 328 aircraft (meaning that Alaska Airlines has the greatest share of its fleet being 737-900ERS). The airline’s 737-900ERs feature 178 leather Recaro seats, premium class seating, and seatback power outlets for charging phones and laptops. Alaska Airlines states these aircraft’s “larger overhead bins hold 48 percent more bags, allowing customers to load bags with less hassle.”
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines is one of the world’s oldest legacy carriers and one of the four major carriers in the United States. It operates a fleet of around 992 aircraft (just shy of a thousand), of which 163 are Boeing 737-900ERs (it also operates 80 Boeing 737-800s and has 100 Boeing MAX 10s on order). Of these, 29 are used Boeing 737-900ERs purchased in July 2021.
Photo: Philip Pilosian | Shutterstock
According to its website, Delta Air Lines operates its fleet of 737-900ERs in a three-class configuration. Its first class recliners located at the front of the aircraft are configurated in a 2-2 layout. Its fleet of 900ERs has three configurations called 739, 73J, and 73R.
The 739 configuration has a total of 180 seats, of which 20 are first class seats, 21 are Delta Comfort+ seats, and 139 are economy seats in the main cabin. The 73J also has 180 seats which are made up of 12 first class seats, 6 Delta Comfort+ seats, and 162 economy seats in the main cabin.
The 73R has seating for 173, which breaks down into 12 first class seats, 24 Delta Comfort+ seats, and 137 economy seats in the main part of the aircraft.
United Airlines
United Airlines is another major operator of the 737-900ER. 136 of its 967 aircraft are of the type. United also operates 737-700s, 737-800s, 737-900s, MAX 8s and MAX 9s while another 167 MAX 10s are on order. In August, a United 900ER lost a tire while taking off from Denver.
|
Boeing 737-900ER |
|
|---|---|
|
Range: |
3,200 nautical miles |
|
Number delivered: |
Approx. 500 |
|
Max passengers: |
215 |
|
In service date: |
2007 |
United Airlines’ 900ERs come in three configurations: Verison 1, Verison 2, and Verison 3. All United Airlines configurations for the 900ER have 20 United First Class seats, United Economy Plus varies between 39 and 45 seats, and United Economy seating ranges from 114 to 120.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
United First Class has a seat pitch of 37 inches, a seat width of 20 inches, and a seat recline of 5 inches. Middle-of-the-road Economy Plus has a seat pitch of 34 inches, a seat width of 17 inches, and a seat recline of 3 inches. Economy passengers settle for a seat pitch of 30-31 inches, a seat width of 17 inches, and a seat recline of 2 inches.