Virgin starts the clock on 737-10 delivery

Virgin Australia is getting ready to upsize its fleet with the arrival of the first Boeing 737-10 towards the end of 2027.

The largest member of the 737 MAX family, Boeing estimates that a typical two-class cabin configuration can see around 200 passengers, compared to 182 seats on Virgin’s workhorse 737-8 jets.

While 20 extra seats might not sound like much, it’s an effective 10% boost to capacity.

This will make the 737-10 a solid match to Virgin’s high-demand routes, such as darting up and down the busy ‘Golden Triangle’ of Sydney-Melbourne-Brisbane, as well as flying transcontinental treks between the east coast capitals and Perth.

The 737-10 is a slightly larger version of Virgin's workhorse 737-8 and 737-800 jets.

“The 737-10 will be the largest aircraft in Virgin Australia’s fleet and will give us more capacity and more flexibility across our network,” notes Virgin Australia CEO Dave Emerson.

“This is an important next step in our fleet renewal program as we continue building a younger, quieter and more fuel-efficient fleet.”

Virgin says the seat count and interior configuration of the 737-10s will be announced at a later date.

Virgin's current two-class 737 cabin.

However, it's almost certain to retain the same seats as the newer 737-8s and upgraded 737-800s.

Virgin's current two-class 737 cabin.

This means wide business class recliners, although perhaps with three rows of 12 seats rather than the current two rows of eight seats...

Virgin's current 737 business class.

... followed by ranks of 3-3 economy seating.

Virgin's current 737 economy cabin.

This will include several rows of the popular Economy X product, where passengers enjoy more legroom, reserved access to the overhead bins directly above their seat, along with practical perks like priority boarding and a more generous checked luggage allowance.

Virgin's popular Economy X.

Also read: What to expect from Virgin Australia Economy X

Virgin was one of the earliest and most enthusiastic supporters of the Boeing 737-10, and while it now holds orders for ten jets, at one point this number stood as high as 25, when the -10 was earmarked as the future backbone of its domestic and short-range international operations.

As Virgin moves forward with the Boeing 737, Qantas continues its shift from the 737 to the Airbus A220 and A321XLR.

Qantas is soaring ahead with a transition to the Airbus A321XLR.

The Flying Kangaroo now has 11 of the nimble A220s in its hangars, with 18 more to follow through to the end of 2028.

Meanwhile, the first six A321XLRs out of a total order of 48 are now flying – and while limited to domestic jaunts, October will see the XLR move onto the Brisbane-Manila route.

Qantas is also developing a true international version of the XLR, with business class flatbeds and seatback screens – notably absent from the first batch – from tip to tail.

16 of those jets will begin arriving from sometime in 2028, and Qantas says these will also take on east-west routes alongside overseas flights of up to 11 hours, potentially connecting Australia to most of Asia and the Indian subcontinent.