The while exterior of the two aircraft may be nearly identical, the cockpit is a dead give away when wondering if one is flying on the Max 8.

Boeing upgraded the Max cockpit with upgraded avionics systems and more glass displays.

Four large display screens dominate the cockpit with nearly all standalone gauges, including the angle of attack indicator, being replaced by the glass screens. The main displays, in turn, looks more like those found on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing's newest twin-aisle aircraft, than its predecessor aircraft.

While the 737 Max and 737 NG aircraft may handle similarly, thanks to the MCAS, the pilots would have to learn a new cockpit. Training is usually done via a computer or tablet-based course or a classroom setting.