Inside the 737-800
What you’re sitting in: the seating, the bins, the lighting and the doors, from Boeing’s documents and the type certificate.
Six across
Boeing’s airport manual shows six-abreast economy seating for the 737-600, -700, -800 and -900 (four-abreast is a business-jet option). Boeing: Next-Generation 737 Airplane Characteristics for Airport Planning, D6-58325-7 Rev C (Oct 2025, PDF) Six-abreast seating was a selling point: the rival Douglas DC-9 seated five abreast. Boeing: Select Products in Boeing History, 737 Commercial Transport (PDF)
Overhead bins
Early 737s had open hat-rack overhead stowage; later cabins added enclosed bins for a ‘wide-body look’, and more recent interiors give more stowage above the seats. Boeing: Next-Generation 737 Airplane Characteristics for Airport Planning, D6-58325-7 Rev C (Oct 2025, PDF) Its larger stow bins pivot up out of the way, which gives more headroom around the aisle seats. Boeing news release: Boeing delivers first 737 Boeing Sky Interior (27 Oct 2010)
The Boeing Sky Interior
The first Next-Generation 737 with the Boeing Sky Interior was a 737-800, delivered on 27 October 2010. Boeing news release: Boeing delivers first 737 Boeing Sky Interior (27 Oct 2010) The Sky Interior brought sculpted sidewalls and window reveals. Boeing news release: Boeing delivers first 737 Boeing Sky Interior (27 Oct 2010)
Airlines can choose lighting schemes from a soft blue ‘sky’ to sunset colours. Boeing news release: Boeing delivers first 737 Boeing Sky Interior (27 Oct 2010) LEDs replaced incandescent signs and halogen reading lights; Boeing estimated about 40,000 hours between replacements, 10 times longer than before. Boeing news release: Boeing delivers first 737 Boeing Sky Interior (27 Oct 2010)
Boeing also promised a quieter cabin and new speakers in each passenger row. Boeing news release: Boeing delivers first 737 Boeing Sky Interior (27 Oct 2010) In October 2010, 46 airlines and leasing companies had ordered the Sky Interior for more than 1,200 aircraft. Boeing news release: Boeing delivers first 737 Boeing Sky Interior (27 Oct 2010)
Doors and exits
The 737-800 has two Type III overwing emergency exits on each side of the cabin. EASA: Type-Certificate Data Sheet IM.A.120, Boeing 737, Issue 30 (PDF) The main forward left door measures 864 × 1,829 mm (34 × 72 in); each overwing exit is 508 × 914 mm (20 × 36 in). EASA: Type-Certificate Data Sheet IM.A.120, Boeing 737, Issue 30 (PDF)
Always follow your crew’s instructions and your airline’s safety card: layouts differ between airlines and between aircraft.
Who’s up front
Minimum flight crew: two, a pilot and co-pilot. EASA: Type-Certificate Data Sheet IM.A.120, Boeing 737, Issue 30 (PDF) Its two-person flight deck, with no flight engineer, became standard among airlines. Boeing: Select Products in Boeing History, 737 Commercial Transport (PDF)
How full can it be?
Seats, from Boeing’s current table: 160–180 in two classes, maximum 189 passengers. Boeing: 737 Next Generation (product page and spec table) · checked 29 Oct 2026 Boeing’s airport planning manual uses 160 seats two-class and 184 all-economy for the 737-800. Boeing: Next-Generation 737 Airplane Characteristics for Airport Planning, D6-58325-7 Rev C (Oct 2025, PDF)
The sources don’t all agree, so see how many seats?
Next: spotting and today →