Cross-Country Flights: The 5 Longest Boeing 737-700 Routes In The US This December

The Boeing 737-700 flew its first commercial service with American low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines in 1997. A few years prior, Boeing launched the 737 Next Generation program to compete with the Airbus A320 family, and the first aircraft developed was the -700. It is the smallest variant of the family, preceding the -800 and -900ER.
Photo: Southwest Airlines
The Next Generation family is built off of the previous 737s but had several updates, including:
Upgraded CFM56-7 engines, with improved fuel efficiency
A re-designed wing, with increased span and area (allowing increased fuel capacity)
New digital cockpit
Interior cabin improvements, including larger bin space (several updates based on 777 designs)
The technical specs of the 737-700 are as follows:
Seats (2-class) – 126
Maximum seats – 149
Length – 110 ft 4 in
Wingspan 117 ft 5 in
Height – 41 ft 3 in
Engine – CFM-56
Today, four American carriers operate the 737-700: Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Avelo Airlines, and Alaska Airlines. According to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, the aircraft type is scheduled on 302 flights, totaling over 2,000 miles this month. Four of the five longest routes are operated by United.
Data from ch-aviation shows that airlines worldwide still have 742 examples of the 737-700, and Southwest operates nearly half of those. The airline, which was the launch customer of the type, has 362 examples in its fleet, 25 of which are listed as inactive.
United is the world’s second-largest operator, with 40 aircraft. Of these, two are listed as inactive. Alaska has 11, nine of which are active, and Avelo has eight -700s with two different seating configurations.
1 Newark Liberty International Airport – John Wayne Airport
2,433 miles
The longest 737-700 route in the US in December is a transcontinental route from United’s largest East Coast hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Most of the airline’s transcontinental operations are to its two California hubs in Los Angeles and San Francisco, but United does fly to the smaller John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County. The flight between EWR and SNA is 2,433 miles long.
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Cirium data shows there are more 737-700 from SNA to EWR than in the other direction. This is because United flies the 737-700 in from other hubs and then deploys the type to Newark. In December, there are 33 flights from Newark to John Wayne, and in the opposite direction, there are 93 flights.
2 Orlando International Airport – Sacramento International Airport
2,407 miles
The maximum range of the 737-700 carrying 126 passengers is 3,889 miles. Despite this, no airline in the US comes even close to deploying the aircraft on a route that long. Southwest only has one route in the top five.
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In August 2023, Sacramento International Airport (SMF) announced that Southwest was launching nonstop flights to Orlando International Airport (MCO) in March 2024. Flights were scheduled to operate once weekly. In December, there are only two flights scheduled in each direction on the 2,407-mile route.
3 Newark Liberty International Airport – Seattle Tacoma International Airport
2,401 miles
The third-longest route on this list is only six miles shorter than number two. The flight from Newark to Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is 2,401 miles long. Though two airlines operate the route, United is the only one to deploy the -700.
Photo: Minh K Tran | Shutterstock
Data shows that only two flights between EWR and SEA are operated by the -700 this month. The Chicago-based carrier deploys other aircraft more frequently, like the 737-8 (MAX 8). Alaska Airlines also uses its larger 737 aircraft.
The breakdown for United’s operations is below:
Boeing 737 MAX 8 – 72 flights
Boeing 737 MAX 9 – 42 flights
Boeing 737-900ER – 5 flights
Boeing 737-700 – 4 flights
Airbus A319 – 1 flight
4 Dulles International Airport – Sacramento International Airport
2,358 miles
The California capital has two of the five longest 737-700 routes in the US in December. The flight from Dulles International Airport (IAD), United’s second east coast hub, to SMF is 2,358 miles long. Though United operates the route daily, it does not deploy the small 737 frequently.
Photo: Just dance | Shutterstock
Only three flights in either direction will be operated by the -700 in December. There are 63 flights scheduled in both directions, operated by several aircraft:
Boeing 737 MAX 9 – 35 flights
Airbus A320 – 8 flights
Boeing 737-700 – 6 flights
Boeing 737-900ER – 6 flights
Airbus A319 – 4 flights
Boeing 737-800 – 4 flights
5 Dulles International Airport – Seattle Tacoma International Airport
2,306 miles
The final route in the top five is also from Dulles, one of the several airports serving the nation’s capital, Washington DC. This route is the second one to SEA, the primary airport that serves the capital of Washington state. The flight from IAD to SEA is 2,306 miles long, marking the last route over 2,300 miles in December.
Photo: Davslens – davslens.com | Shutterstock
Similar to the route to SMF, only three flights are scheduled in each direction with the 737-700. United is one of three airlines operating this route and has the second-largest market share. Five different planes will be deployed by United between SEA and IAD next month:
Boeing 737-900ER – 40 flights
Boeing 737-800 – 36 flights
Boeing 737-700 – 6 flights
Airbus A319 – 6 flights
Airbus A320 – 4 flights
Alaska also operates flights from Seattle to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Alexandria, Virginia, closer to DC than Dulles.