United Airlines’s Boeing 737 Max 8 arrives on Guam, service to begin in May
BY SKYLER OBISPO
Journal Staff
United Airlines told the Journal that the first of its Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft had arrived on Guam in early February.
It is the first plane in the airline’s plans to replace its Guam-based fleet.
United Airlines’s Boeing 737 Max 8. Photo courtesy United Airlines
United’s Managing Director of Airport Operations in Asia and Pacific, Samuel V. Shinohara first announced the replacement of the fleet in December 2025 at the unveiling of the airline’s new check in lobby.
Starting February, United plans on replacing one aircraft each month with the new Boeing 737 Max 8s up until the end of the year.
“We are delighted that our first Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, featuring a more modern onboard look and feel and upgraded customer experience, has officially touched down in Guam. Our employees are busy familiarizing themselves with the aircraft, which has begun operating throughout our system on an as-needs basis, surprising and delighting our customers,” the airline said.
The retrofitted aircraft will feature on-demand in-flight entertainment, power outlets across all cabin seating, space for one full-size carry-on per passenger, medical stretcher capability, and modernized interiors.
The first regularly scheduled flights from Guam to be operated by a Boeing 737 Max 8 will begin on May 1 from Guam to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport. Also, the aircraft will operate the Narita-Ulaanbaatar route starting April 30 and from Narita to Koror on May 2.mbj
Matson Inc. and Hanwha Philly Shipyard Inc. held a christening ceremony for the Aloha Class Vessel Makua, set to serve Guam in the first quarter of 2027, at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard, Philadelphia on Oct. 12.
Essential infrastructure, commercial fuel stations, and private health facilities across Guam are swiftly reopening following the passage of Super Typhoon Champi, with key transportation hubs and utility providers moving into full recovery status.
Just hours after Super Typhoon Champi passed south of Guam, President Donald Trump approved Gov. Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero's request for an emergency declaration, which authorizes the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate emergency assistance.
Typhoon Champi is now expected to be a Category 4 storm, with winds of 130 to 156 mph and gusts of more than 180 mph, when it makes its closest approach to Guam.
