The Boeing 717 was originally designated the MD-95 by McDonnell Douglas.
The aircraft developed from the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 family, which itself evolved from the DC-9. McDonnell Douglas began developing the shorter, modernized twinjet as the MD-95 in the 1990s, targeting airlines that needed a smaller aircraft for short routes.
Boeing acquired McDonnell Douglas in 1997, before the MD-95 entered airline service. Boeing renamed the aircraft the 717-200, placing it within the company’s commercial jet numbering system. The first 717 entered service with AirTran Airways in October 1999.
The 717 is sometimes confused with the MD-80 because both belong to the same broader DC-9 lineage. However, the 717 has a distinct designation and uses Rolls-Royce BR715 engines rather than the Pratt & Whitney engines associated with many earlier DC-9 derivatives.