Panama-based Copa Airlines ordered 40 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, a booking that includes purchase options for 20 more of those narrow-body jets. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2030 and continue through 2034.
Neither Boeing nor its customer reported the cost of its order, but estimates place the value at $13.5 billion based on the list prices for the 737 MAX.
Boeing’s best-selling commercial jet has had an encouraging rebound in recent months, following two prolonged delays in production first, following two fatal accidents on 737 MAX 8 jets in 2018 and 2019; and then during 2024-2025, as the Federal Aviation Administration imposed its oversight on the program to ensure reliable maintenance of safety in the assembly process.
The recovery track began in 2025, and Boeing posted new orders for 577 of the aircraft last year.
Since January, Boeing has confirmed 90 total new orders for the 737 MAX program, including 50 from Vietnam Airlines. The OEM has an estimated 4,830 outstanding orders for future 737 MAX jet deliveries.
In recent weeks, the company has raised its 737 MAX assembly rate to 42 jets per month, and it’s looking begin deliveries of the next two variants (737 MAX 7 and MAX 10) early next year.
Like numerous airlines, the Panamanian flag carrier claimed it selected the 737 MAX as part of fleet expansion effort, focusing on the flexibility of the MAX 8 and MAX 9 variants for high-density shorter flights, but also some long-distance routes from Panama City to North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.
"For Copa Airlines, the signing of this agreement represents an important step in further strengthening the operation and connectivity we provide from Panama," stated CEO Pedro Heilbron. "Through the Hub of the Americas®, we have built a connecting hub that today allows us to respond to market demand with a safe, efficient, and reliable operation. The addition of new aircraft will be key to continuing to expand our operations and route network, while supporting the economic development of Panama and the region, generating new jobs and growth in the tourism sector."
Boeing's 2025 Commercial Market Outlook report for Latin America and the Caribbean forecasts demand for over 2,365 new aircraft through 2044, with an estimated market value above $290 billion.
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Robert Brooks
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Robert Brooks has been a business-to-business reporter, writer, editor, and columnist for more than 20 years, specializing in the primary metal and basic manufacturing industries.