How many 737 MAX does Aerolíneas Argentinas have?

Aerolíneas Argentinas flew for years with a fleet of Boeing 737-700 and 737-800 aircraft whose average age was notably higher than that of other airlines in the region, which had already made the leap to more efficient models such as the A320neo or the 737 MAX itself. The introduction of the MAX 8, whose first units arrived in 2017, responded to that need: LEAP-1B engines with lower fuel burn per seat, fewer emissions and less noise than the previous generation — factors especially relevant for an airline operating in a country where fuel weighs heavily on the cost structure.

The arrival of the model coincided with the program's worst crisis. After the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines accidents, aviation authorities worldwide grounded the 737 MAX in March 2019, and the Argentine aircraft were grounded along with the rest of the global fleet until regulators approved the flight control system modifications and new crew training. That pause delayed the renewal plan by several years and forced the airline to stretch the operational life of its previous-generation 737s.

Like most Latin American airlines, Aerolíneas Argentinas does not buy all its aircraft directly from the manufacturer: a large share arrives through leasing contracts with specialized companies, which allows the fleet to be renewed without the upfront cost of a purchase. That arrangement also means that the number of aircraft of a given model rises or falls as contracts expire or are renewed, not only according to what the airline orders from the factory — which is why any fixed figure becomes outdated within months.