A 22,000 mile detour: Boeing restarts China 737 MAX deliveries as US trade talks begin
June 9, 2025
Boeing has resumed deliveries of 737 MAX aircraft to China as trade war concerns ease. The first aircraft landed back in China on Monday, 9 June.
Boeing halted deliveries to China in April, as the tariff spat saw the world’s two largest economies imposing huge levies on imported products.
But with the tariffs paused for 90 days, airlines can begin receiving their jets without crippling payments due.
The US and China are meeting in London today, 9 June, in an attempt to defuse the high stakes trade dispute.
The ‘brand new’ 737 MAX that’s flown thousands of miles
The aircraft to restart China 737 MAX deliveries carried the manufacturer’s registration BOE376. It’s a 737 MAX 8, and it’s actually the second time it’s landed at Boeing’s Zhoushan delivery centre.
It first took the 7,400 nautical mile (nmi) flight from Boeing’s Seattle headquarters in March 2025. With a couple of refueling stops on route, the aircraft landed in Zhoushan at midday on 22 March.
But as Trump raised baseline tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, China retaliated with a 125% tariff on US goods, including aircraft.
“Due to the tariffs, many of our customers in China have indicated that they will not take delivery,” Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said, as reported by Reuters.
With no hope of the intended customer, Xiamen Airlines, taking the aircraft from Boeing’s completion centre, the company repatriated the plane.
On 18 April, BOE376 took off again, making its way back to Seattle where it landed the following evening. A couple of weeks later, Boeing moved it to storage at Moses Lake.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8, with a range of 3,500 nmi, made stops at Guam (GUM) and Kona (KOA) for refuelling in order to make the trip.
Now, with tariff concerns easing, the 737 MAX has made the long journey back to Zhoushan. Excluding test flights, that gives the aircraft a current mileage of at least 22,000 nmi.
According to Aviation Flights, this aircraft was originally completed in March 2021. Xiamen Airlines was always the ultimate customer, but with China delaying ungrounding of the type and COVID impacting airline cashflow, Xiamen will now take delivery of a four year old jet.
Resumption of China 737 MAX deliveries – a signal of hope?
With Chinese airlines representing around 10% of Boeing’s commercial aircraft backlog, the resumption of deliveries will be good news for the planemaker.
At least three other aircraft were repatriated in April. Data from Aviation Flights suggests several China-destined aircraft have taken test flights in the past week, and could head out to the completion centre soon.
Nevertheless, all eyes will be on the outcome of today’s landmark talks between Trump administration officials and China’s representatives today.
