Boeing completes removal of last stored 737 MAX from Moses Lake after six years

“With this departure, all 737 Max airplanes stored beginning in 2019 have been reactivated for delivery – marking the beginning of the end for 737 Max storage operations, a six-year effort involving more than 450 737 Max airplanes,” Boeing stated through its internal news system.

The last long-term stored jet is headed for Air China. The plane had originally flown in 2019 but was parked due to regulatory issues after the crashes, travel slowdowns from COVID-19, and tense trade relations between China and the United States. The remaining inventory included about twenty planes destined for Chinese airlines; these were among the last cleared by authorities as China was slower than other markets to approve resumption of deliveries.

Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West had previously aimed to deliver all inventoried jets by late 2024. Ultimately, it took until mid-2025 for completion due to continued delays from regulatory processes and international politics.

In recent months, clearing out idle inventory has coincided with an increase in production rates—a move seen as vital for Boeing’s financial recovery. By mid-2025 losses had halved compared with previous quarters; however, supply chain issues and tariffs remain ongoing challenges (https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-reports-quarterly-loss-smaller-than-feared-2025-07-24/). While deliveries to China have resumed despite political disputes between Beijing and Washington (https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/china-finally-lifts-boeing-737-max-grounding-but-deliveries-still-in-question/151617.article), industry observers note future stability is not guaranteed.

Looking ahead, Moses Lake continues as an important test site—now focusing on new models like the next-generation widebody Boeing 777X. Facilities built decades ago for B-52 bombers provide space needed for large-scale testing. Boeing’s presence at Moses Lake dates back over seventy years; recent reinvestment suggests it will remain a key location supporting both current deliveries of completed jets and development work on future aircraft variants such as those still undergoing certification—the shorter-fuselage 737-7 MAX and stretched-body 737-10—as well as freighter versions like the upcoming 777-8F.