Boeing enters 2026 with FAA approval to boost 737 MAX output to 42 aircraft per month and plans to raise 787 Dreamliner production to 10 per month, restoring capacity curtailed since the MAX groundings. The company’s record order backlog exceeds $636 billion, led by 1,173 net orders in 2025 versus Airbus’s 889, and early 2026 orders from Alaska Airlines for up to 105 737 MAX jets and Delta Air Lines for up to 60 Dreamliners. Strategic moves, including December’s acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, aim to secure supply-chain control and quality. Analysts project free cash flow to climb from roughly $2.3 billion in 2026 to $14 billion by 2029 and maintain a moderate buy consensus, citing accelerated certification of the MAX 7/10 variants, first flights of the 777-9 widebody, and a potential return to sustainable profitability after years of losses and regulatory scrutiny.

A union representing approximately 1,600 white-collar workers formerly employed by Spirit AeroSystems announced a tentative collective bargaining agreement with Boeing, covering wage adjustments, enhanced health and pension benefits, and a multi-year contract term. The deal follows Boeing’s December acquisition of Spirit and is designed to align benefits and working conditions with Boeing’s existing salaried workforce. Union leaders report that the agreement preserves key healthcare provisions and includes structured pay increases over the contract period, reducing labor uncertainty in Boeing’s fuselage operations and supporting the company’s broader turnaround and production ramp-up plans.