Boeing 737

The Boeing 737 first flew on April 9, 1967. Conceived as a small, economical twin-engine jet for short routes, it slotted in below the trijet 727 and was intended to bring jet service to even thinner markets and smaller airports.

To control development and operating costs, Boeing designed the 737 to share many components and the same fuselage cross-section with earlier models such as the 707 and 727, simplifying production, parts inventories, and maintenance. Successive generations have updated its engines, wings, avionics, and systems while preserving that basic lineage.

The 737 became the best-selling commercial jetliner in history, remaining in continuous production across multiple major variants for more than half a century. Its longevity and ubiquity have made it one of the most recognizable and important airliners ever built.