The W in Boeing 737-800W means winglets. Learn why it is not a separate 737 variant, what B738 means and how it affects flight-sim add-ons.
In Boeing 737-800W, the W means the aircraft is fitted with winglets. It is a common airline, database and flight-simulation suffix, not a separate Boeing model designation. The aircraft remains a 737-800—normally represented by the ICAO type designator B738—with drag-reducing devices fitted at its wingtips.
In our Aviation & Real-World Flying references, the safest interpretation is that the suffix describes the aircraft's equipment rather than its certified type. Usage is not completely standardised between airlines, databases and add-on developers.
Is the 737-800W a separate Boeing variant?
No: a 737-800W is still a Boeing 737-800 from the 737 Next Generation family. The W is not part of the standard ICAO type designator, and it does not turn the aircraft into a different 737 series.
| Label | Practical meaning |
|---|---|
| 737-800 | The basic variant name; winglets may be absent, present or simply unspecified. |
| 737-800W | Common shorthand stating that winglets are fitted. |
B738 | The ICAO type designator for the 737-800, regardless of whether W appears elsewhere. |
| 737-8 or 737 MAX 8 | A different, newer 737 variant; it is not what the W denotes. |
For that family-level distinction, our overview of how Boeing commercial model designations fit together explains the relationship between names such as 737-800 and 737-8.
Does W identify the exact winglet design?
No: the W alone does not reliably identify which winglet design is installed. On a 737-800 it commonly refers to blended winglets, but some records and simulator packages may retain similar shorthand for an aircraft upgraded with Split Scimitar Winglets.
Check photographs, the operator's fleet information or the add-on documentation when the precise shape matters. Our explanation of how winglets reduce induced drag and improve efficiency covers their aerodynamic purpose without treating every design as identical.
What does 737-800W mean in flight simulators?
In flight simulators, 737-800W usually tells you to select the winglet-equipped 737-800 model supplied by that add-on. For example, our winglet-equipped China Eastern 737-800 package for FSX uses W in exactly this sense.
- Confirm the required base aircraft. A repaint labelled 737-800W normally supplies textures, not new winglet geometry.
- Match the model variant. Choose the add-on's winglet-equipped model. In FSX and Prepar3D, the
model=entry selects the relevant model folder; its exact name varies between packages. - Inspect the winglet textures. Blank, mirrored or incorrectly coloured winglets usually mean the repaint and model use different texture mappings.
- Do not assume performance has changed. Some add-ons model the aerodynamic benefit, while others use W only to describe the visible configuration.