How to Check Your Aircraft Type As the Boeing 737 Max 9 Returns to Service

09.02.2024 - 15:29 / travelandleisure.com / Katy Nastro / Airlines

Just weeks after it was grounded, the Boeing 737 MAX 9 is back in service. And while flying is statistically one of the safest ways to travel, fear of flying is still a very real thing for many travelers.

Fortunately, it's possible to check the details of upcoming flights, and know your options if you want to make a change before you hit the friendly skies.

“Even if there's one little component of flying that you can control, it's empowering,” Katy Nastro, a travel expert with Going.com, told Travel + Leisure. “It's definitely something good to keep in your travel arsenal.” 

Of course, an airline can change the aircraft for your flight, but Nastro said that’s not too common.

An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft suffered a dramatic mid-air blowout of a plug door panel on a flight from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, on Jan. 5. Following the incident, both Alaska and United Airlines found loose bolts and hardware on their planes, and both airlines were forced to cancel hundreds of flights. Alaska's Boeing 737-9 MAX returned to service on Friday, Jan. 26.

“Airlines put out schedules and they have to know what flight type they're flying on,” Nastro said. “You might have a little bit higher likelihood that it could change if you're booking further out, but it's not a high likelihood.”

Whether travelers want to check which aircraft type they’re scheduled to fly on due to nerves or simply because they want to know what kind of seat they’re getting, there are ways to check both during the booking process and after.

When searching for a flight, there are a few different ways to check what type of aircraft the flight is scheduled on. If you’re booking directly on an airline’s website, you can click on flight details to see which aircraft is assigned. If you’re searching on Google Flights, you can also use the drop-down arrow on each flight option to see the aircraft assigned.

Some online booking sites also allow travelers to see the aircraft type when searching for a flight.

Kayak, for example, even allows travelers to filter flight searches by aircraft. The booking site first introduced the feature in 2019 and recently told T+L it was updated to allow travelers to search by specific 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 aircraft models. Travelers can find the filter on the left-hand side of the page detailing flight options.

Travelers who are already booked on a flight can find out what type of aircraft is assigned by searching for their flight on websites like FlightAware. To search, travelers can input their flight number or airport codes. However, FlightAware only allows travelers to search a couple days into the future.

Alternatively, travelers can also search their future flight on booking sites like Google