• 787-8 Dreamliner
    Boeing
    Stock Code:
    BA
    Date Founded:
    1916-07-15
    CEO:
    Dave Calhoun
    Headquarters Location:
    Chicago, USA
    Key Product Lines:
    Boeing 737, Boeing 747, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, Boeing 787
    Business Type:
    Planemaker

Summary

  • The Boeing 737-900 sold poorly due to its lack of advantages over the 737-800, despite being larger.
  • Alaska Airlines and Korean Air are among the few operators of the standard 737-900.
  • The Boeing 737-900ER is more successful with a higher capacity and range, and more examples produced."

The Boeing 737-900 and 737-900ER are the longest variants in the US manufacturer's 737NG ('Next Generation') series, clocking in at 42.11 meters in length. The latter version has sold very well, with more than 500 examples produced. However, the standard 737-900 performed poorly in this regard, with sales barely exceeding 50. Let's see who flies this rare variant of the 737 today.

Alaska Airlines

According to data from ch-aviation, Boeing produced just 52 examples of the 737-900 in total. It likely lacked sales due to not offering operators any significant tangible advantages over the popular 737-800. Indeed, despite being longer, its exit limit remained the same as the 737-800 as it had the same emergency exit layout. The type first flew in 2000, and deliveries commenced the following year.

Of the 52 examples produced, 38 are listed as active today, with 11 of these serving Alaska Airlines, the carrier that took the first delivery of the type. These aircraft are 22 years old on average, and the airline also has one inactive unit. It configures the 737-900 with a three-class 178-seat layout. This consists of 138 standard economy seats, as well as 24 with extra legroom, and 16 in first class.

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The seat pitches in these sections clock in at 31-32 inches, 35 inches, and 41 inches. In addition to the generous extra legroom, the first class seats are also significantly wider due to being laid out four-abreast, as opposed to the 3-3 configuration seen in the rest of the aircraft. According to aeroLOPA, they have a width of 20.5 inches, compared to 17.3 inches in economy. The seat models used are as follows:

  • First class - Recaro CL4400.
  • Economy class - Recaro BL3530.

Jin Air

Across the Pacific Ocean, South Korea is something of a hotspot for the standard Boeing 737-900, with two of the country's carriers flying the type today. The smaller of the pair is low-cost operator Jin Air, which has two of its own 737-900s at its disposal, as well as a third example on lease from none other than Korean Air. They are 20.4 years old on average, and each of them has 188 seats onboard.

Due to the airline's budget nature, it is unsurprising that most of these customers are seated in a 180-seat economy cabin. However, the front of the plane also has two rows of four-abreast business class seats, accounting for the remaining eight guests. Jin Air received its non-leased units in December 2021 and May 2022. The carrier's fleet is dominated by the 737-800, which accounts for 19 of its 28 jets.

KLM

Over in Europe, Dutch flag carrier KLM is the continent's only standard 737-900 operator. It has five examples of the type in its fleet, and, with an average age of 22.1 years, they are its oldest aircraft. Additionally, the 737-900 is KLM's only aircraft type with a greater average age than 20 years old. Each of them can accommodate up to 188 passengers, with a standard economy class pitch of 30-33 inches.

KLM received its 737-900s brand-new between June 2001 and May 2004. Unlike Alaska Airlines, which also operates the extended range version, KLM's standard 737-900s are its only aircraft from this variant of the 737NG series. That being said, it does operate smaller 737s in the form of the 737-700 and 737-800, with seven and 32 examples present. Previously, it also flew the 737-300 and 737-400.

Korean Air

Returning to South Korea, flag carrier Korean Air currently has ten active Boeing 737-900s in its fleet. Historically speaking, it has also operated another six examples of the type, and the ten units that are left are 20.5 years old on average. Korean Air takes a similar approach to Alaska Airlines in the sense that it also flies the 737-900ER, with six examples present at a lower average age of 11.9 years old.

A Korean Air Boeing 737-900 On the apron In Osaka.
Photo: Phuong D. Nguyen | Shutterstock

As far as the seating configuration of these aircraft is concerned, Korean Air uses a two-class 188-seat layout. Given that Jin Air's two owned Boeing 737-900s came from Korean Air, we can assume that the low-cost operator has, thus far, opted not to reconfigure its transferred twinjets, as these have the same setup. Korean Air received its Boeing 737-900s between August 2002 and June 2005.

United Airlines

Finally, United Airlines operates the last ten active Boeing 737-900s, and it also has two inactive examples in its fleet. While these clock in at 22.6 years old on average, the oldest aircraft in United's fleet are, in fact, its 37 Boeing 767-300ERs (28.1 years on average). Equipped with three-class 179-seat layouts, they were initially delivered to Continental before being transferred to United in November 2011.

The 737-900ER was far more successful

As previously alluded to, the Boeing 737-900ER was a much better seller than its standard counterpart. Airlines generally found it to be a more tempting prospect thanks to its extra capacity, which was achieved through the presence of an extra exit row. Additionally, as the ER suffix suggests, this model also has a higher range. Boeing produced 505 of these twinjets, of which 455 remain active today.

What do you make of the standard Boeing 737-900? Have you ever flown on this aircraft type? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!