The Federal Aviation Administration has approved Boeing's 737 Max 10, according to NPR and the FAA.

The approval came Tuesday, nearly a decade after Boeing unveiled its largest 737 Max jet, NPR reported. With production approved, the plane can now be sold to airlines in the US and abroad, NPR and the FAA said.

"After extensive safety reviews – including thousands of hours of test flights – the team at the FAA is ready to approve this critical aircraft for sale," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in an FAA release.

The FAA required the plane to include safety upgrades before approval, the agency said. They include changes to the flight-control system with a better angle of attack sensor, it said.

"We will continue to hold Boeing to the highest safety standards as the company begins production of the 737 MAX-10," FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in the release.

Boeing expects to begin deliveries in 2027, NPR reported. The Max 10 will usually seat 185 to 210 people, according to Boeing, NPR said.

More than 30 customers have ordered 1,555 Max 10s that Boeing has not yet delivered, NPR reported. That is more than 30% of its 737 Max backlog, NPR said. United, Delta, American and Ryanair are among the buyers, it reported.

"It marks another major milestone in our recovery, and it unlocks a key to our future growth," said Stephanie Pope, the head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, according to NPR.

Boeing has faced years of safety and quality problems, NPR reported. Two crashes of the smaller Max 8 killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, it said. In 2024, a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines Max 9 in midair.

Each plane must still be cleared before it can fly passengers, NPR reported. The FAA cleared the Max 7 in August, it said.

What we know: The FAA has approved the 737 Max 10 for passenger service.
What we don't: Exactly when the first airline will fly it.