10 Biggest Passenger Airplanes in the World

Air travel has come a long way since the Wright brothers made their historic flight in 1903. Today, with the advent of the jet engine, the biggest passenger airplanes in the world can seat over 1000 passengers and fly non-stop for over 20 hours. These “super jumbos” are some of the most incredible engineering feats of the 21st century. In this article, we’ll take a look at the 10 biggest passenger airplanes currently in operation.

Airbus A380

The Airbus A380 is the world’s largest passenger airplane. It first flew on April 27, 2005, and made its first commercial flight on October 25, 2007. Airbus A380 has a design capacity of 853 passengers in a three-class configuration or up to 1,086 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The Airbus A380 has a total length of 73 m, a wingspan of 79.8 m, and a range of 15,700 km.

Boeing 747-8

The Boeing 747-8 is the second largest passenger airplane. It first flew on February 8, 2010, and made its first commercial flight on October 1, 2011. Boeing 747-8 has a design capacity of 748 passengers in a three-class configuration, or up to 660 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The Boeing 747-8 has a total length of 76.3 m, a wingspan of 68.5 m, and a range of 13,450 km.

Airbus A350

The Airbus A350-1000 is the third largest passenger aircraft. It first flew on November 24, 2016, and made its first commercial flight on February 20, 2018. Airbus A350-1000 has a design capacity of 350 passengers in a three-class configuration, or up to 415 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The Airbus A350-1000 has a total length of 73.8 m, a wingspan of 64.75 m, and a range of 16,112 km.

Airbus A340

The Airbus A340 is the fourth largest passenger airliner. It first flew on October 25, 1991, and made its first commercial flight on March 15, 1993. Airbus A340 has a design capacity of 370 passengers in a three-class configuration, or up to 475 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The Airbus A340 has a total length of 75.4 m, a wingspan of 63.45 m, and a range of 14,450 km.

Boeing 777

The Boeing 777 is the fifth largest passenger airplane. It first flew on June 12, 1994, and made its first commercial flight on October 26, 1995. Boeing 777 has a design capacity of 350 passengers in a three-class configuration, or up to 550 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The Boeing 777 has a total length of 73.9 m, a wingspan of 64.8 m, and a range of 13,649 km.

Airbus A330

The Airbus A330 is the sixth largest passenger airplane. It first flew on November 2, 1992, and made its first commercial flight on May 22, 1993. Airbus A330 has a design capacity of 290 passengers in a three-class configuration, or up to 440 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The Airbus A330 has a total length of 63.66 m, a wingspan of 64 m, and a range of 13,334 km.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is the seventh largest passenger airplane. It first flew on December 15, 2009, and made its first commercial flight on October 26, 2011. Boeing 787 has a design capacity of 200 passengers in a three-class configuration, or up to 336 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has a total length of 68 m, a wingspan of 60 m, and a range of 11,730 km.

McDonnell Douglas DC-10

The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is the eighth largest passenger airplane. It first flew on August 29, 1970, and made its first commercial flight on August 5, 1971. McDonnell Douglas DC-10 has a design capacity of 300 passengers in a three-class configuration, or up to 380 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 has a total length of 55 m, a wingspan of 50.4 m, and a range of 4,360 km.

Boeing 737

The Boeing 737 is the ninth largest passenger airliner. It first flew on April 9, 1967, and made its first commercial flight on February 10, 1968. Boeing 737 has a design capacity of 126 passengers in a three-class configuration, or up to 220 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The Boeing 737 has a total length of 42.1 m, a wingspan of 35.8 m, and a range of 6,650 km.

Airbus A320

The Airbus A320 is the tenth largest passenger airliner. It first flew on February 22, 1987, and made its first commercial flight on April 28, 1988. Airbus A320 has a design capacity of 150 passengers in a three-class configuration, or up to 180 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The Airbus A320 has a total length of 37.57 m, a wingspan of 35.8 m, and a range of 6,200 km.

When it comes to commercial air travel, bigger is often better. After all, who doesn’t want a safe flight, more space, and more comfortable seating when they’re stuck on a plane for hours at a time? That’s why many of the world’s biggest airlines operate some of the largest passenger airplanes.

As the world population continues to grow, the demand for air travel increases along with it. To meet this demand, airplane manufacturers have had to design larger and larger aircraft. The biggest passenger airplanes in the world are some of the most fascinating and incredible machines ever built. These massive planes are designed to transport hundreds, sometimes thousands, of passengers and their luggage across the globe. They are the backbone of the world’s major airlines, and their size and scale are truly staggering.