From all Airbus to Boeing: Vueling to operate all 50 of IAG’s 737 MAX aircraft
August 1, 2025
In a significant strategic shift, International Airlines Group (IAG) has officially designated Vueling, its Barcelona-based low-cost carrier subsidiary, as the operator of the 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft ordered back in 2022.
Although first reported as a rumour by AGN in October 2024, today’s announcement confirms the speculation was spot-on.
“We have allocated the 50 Boeing 737s that we have ordered to Vueling,” confirmed IAG Chief Executive Luis Gallego during the company’s Q2 earnings call
Vueling to operate the high-density Ryanair ‘gamechanger’ 737 MAX 8-200
IAG’s 50 aircraft order is split between two variants: 25 Boeing 737-8-200s and 25 737 MAX 10s.
The 737 MAX 8-200 is the high-density version already flying with Ryanair and other operators, densified to carry up to 200 passengers. Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, often refers to the aircraft as the ‘gamechanger’ because of its powerful operating economics.
The larger 737 MAX 10, still awaiting final certification from the FAA and EASA, is Boeing’s answer to the Airbus A321neo, with capacity for around 230 passengers. Boeing is hoping for certification in 2026, and recently confirmed it would be exclusively manufactured in Everett.
Deliveries will begin in late 2026, with the first three aircraft expected before the end of the year. They will be based in Barcelona, according to Gallego, allowing Vueling to gradually phase them into core short-haul operations while it develops the infrastructure and crew training pipelines to support a dual fleet.
From all-Airbus to mixed fleet: strategic shift or operational headache?
Vueling’s current fleet consists entirely of Airbus A320-family aircraft. Switching to Boeing is a fundamental operational shift.
Pilots, maintenance crews, and cabin staff will require fresh type training, and dual aircraft rostering will likely reduce scheduling flexibility in the short term. Industry analysts have already flagged the additional complexity and cost this will introduce to what is currently a streamlined, low-cost model.
But IAG is playing the long game. The move supports its broader strategy to reduce reliance on Airbus’ narrowbodies and introduce internal competition across the group.
Vueling’s cost-focused model makes it a natural home for the MAX 8-200 in particular, which is designed to maximise seats and reduce unit costs per available seat kilometre.
The MAX 10, once certified, could give the airline additional flexibility on high-demand Mediterranean routes and allow it to push into higher-volume city pairs currently underserved by its smaller fleet.
No doubt there may be some short-term impact on Vueling’s bottom line, but IAG is hoping the move will, longer term, be fruitful.
