Top 10 longest passenger planes

Some of the longest passenger planes in the world are real giants. Right now, the longest plane is the Boeing 747-8 at 250 ft 2 in. Its giant size allows it to accommodate up to 605 passengers, making it one of the largest passenger aircraft in the world.

It is followed by the A340-600, a rare quadjet today but once a staple of the long-haul scene, with its 247 ft 3 in fuselage just a few feet shorter than the 747-8. And in bronze position is the enigmatic Boeing 777-300 at 242 ft 4 in, with several other famous faces in the top 10.

Although the Boeing 747-8 retains the crown for longest airliner today, a new aircraft is nipping at its heels. The Boeing 777X, when it enters service, will be the longest jet aircraft ever to be used in commercial service, with a fuselage length of 251 ft 9 in for the 777-9.

Let’s take a look at each of the top 10 airliners that are the longest in our skies today.

1. Boeing 747-8

Length: 250 ft 2 in

Boeing 747-8I key statisticsEntry into serviceJune 2012Manufactured2008 – 2023Primary usersLufthansa, Korean Air, Air ChinaPassenger capacity605Range7,730 nmiJuke Schweizer/WikimediaTo give it its proper designation, the passenger variant of the 747-8 is the 747-8I, with the I standing for Intercontinental. It differentiates it from its sistership the 747-8F, a large cargo hauler which sold twice as many units as the passenger version. Apart from their configuration, both types are just as long, making the 747-8I the longest passenger plane in the world.

Building on the success of the 747-400, Boeing designed the Intercontinental to take what was great about the Queen of the Skies and make it fit for the 21st century. Adopting technologies from the Dreamliner – hence the -8 designation – the 747-8 was lighter, more aerodynamic, and powered by smaller, more efficient engines. Like the Dreamliner, these have the same serrated ‘teeth’ on their nacelles, reducing noise and improving the airflow to the engine.

Despite the immense passenger capacity and enormous range of the 747-8, it failed to sell well. Airlines were buying aircraft for range more than capacity, and the introduction of long-range twinjets, including Boeing’s own 777, cannibalized the advantage of the Queen, and few airlines placed orders.

By the mid-2010s, annual orders for the passenger jet dried up to single figures. By 2018, they had stopped altogether. The demand for the 747-F kept the production line going for a few years longer, but in 2022, the last aircraft built, a 747-F for Atlas Air, rolled off the production line. The reign of the Queen had come to an end.

Today, Lufthansa retains a fleet of 19 747-8s, while Air China and Korean each have seven. Several are in use as governmental and VIP jets, including the new ‘Air Force One’ VC-25B. For now, the 747-8 is the longest passenger jet in the world, until the 777-9 beats it by a foot and a half.

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2. Airbus A340-600

Length: 247 ft 3 in

Airbus A340-600 key statisticsEntry into serviceAugust 2002Manufactured2002 – 2011Primary usersLufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Iberia, South African AirwaysPassenger capacity440Range7,500 nmiAero Icarus/FlickrWhen it entered into service in 2002, the A340-600 was by far the longest commercial plane in the world, retaining that title for a decade until the 747-8I came around. Like the 747-8, this quadjet ultimately fell out of favor as long-range twinjets grew in popularity. 

Powered by four Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines, the A340’s world-beating range of 7,500 nautical miles made it popular with long-haul airlines. Although it had an exit limit of 440, the typical configuration allowed for 320 to 370 passengers – still a good load for long-haul flights.

Some airlines, including Lufthansa, optimized cabin space by installing the passenger lavatories on the lower deck of the aircraft. For passengers, it was a novel experience to descend a staircase to access the bathroom. 

Over its nine-year production run, 97 A340-600s were sold. Today, the aircraft is a rarity in commercial service. Lufthansa maintains a fleet but intends to retire the aircraft in October 2025. Other operators include Iran’s Mahan Air, Venezuelan Conviasa, and Portuguese wet-lease specialist Hi Fly.

3. Boeing 777-300

Length: 242 ft 4 in

Boeing 777-300 key statisticsEntry into serviceMay 1998Manufactured1998 – 2006Primary usersCathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Air France, EmiratesPassenger capacity550Range6,030 nmi / 7,370 nmi (-300ER)Paul Schmid/WikimediaThe 777-300 launched in 1998 with Cathay Pacific and has become one of the most used widebody airliners in the world. Although the original 777-300 didn’t sell so well, with just 60 produced, its re-engineering into the 777-300ER produced a jet every airline loved. 

Emirates flies a huge fleet of -300ERs, with 124 operating alongside its impressive fleet of Airbus A380s. Qatar Airways has 57, Air France has 43, and Cathay Pacific has 41 as well as 17 of the original -300s. In all 833 777-300ERs have been delivered to customers.

In smaller numbers, the 777-300ER is in fleets across the world, from ANA and British Airways to United Airlines and Air India. It really is the jet that does it all, with highly efficient GE90 engines giving it an impressive 7,370 nautical mile range and its spacious cabin accommodating up to 550 passengers. Having said that, it’s more typical to find 777s with around 365 to 396 seats in various classes.

The 777-300 would be the longest airliner in the world for just four years until the A340-600 came along and was five feet longer. The production line for the 777-300ER is technically still open, but The Air Current moots that Boeing delivered its last of the type in January 2025.

4. Airbus A350-1000

Length: 242 ft 2 in

Airbus A350-1000 key statisticsEntry into serviceFebruary 2018Manufactured2018 – presentPrimary usersQatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, British AirwaysPassenger capacity480Range8,700 nmiAirbusThe A350-1000, also known as the XWB for Extra Wide Body, has become the flagship of the Airbus product line, taking over where the A380 left off. Typically seating 350 to 410 passengers, the A350-1000 has a huge range of 8,700 nautical miles, letting it fly the world’s longest and most popular routes.

Although it is a very long plane, it’s just two inches shorter than the 777-300, so has never been the world’s longest passenger plane. Nevertheless, it’s proving popular with operators, with 94 aircraft delivered and a backlog of 206 aircraft. It’s marginally less popular than its smaller sister, the A350-900, which has over 500 deliveries and another 440 on backlog.

Like the A380, the A350-1000 has given airlines a little space to do something different. Several airlines launched cutting-edge premium products on the A350, such as Qatar Airways’ QSuite. British long-haul carrier Virgin Atlantic used the area between the doors and Upper Class to install a social space it calls ‘The Loft’.

Qantas has selected the A350-1000 to operate its ‘Project Sunrise’ ultra-long-haul flights, which will connect the east coast of Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, etc) with destinations including London and New York. The first routes are set to launch in mid-2026, and the airplanes will feature ‘wellness zones’ as well as an extra fuel tank to make these 20-hour-plus trips. 

5. Airbus A380

Length: 238 ft 7 in

Airbus A380 key statisticsEntry into serviceOctober 2007Manufactured2005 – 2021Primary usersEmirates, Singapore Airlines, British AirwaysPassenger capacity853Range8,000 nmiAldo Bidini/WikimediaThe world’s largest passenger aircraft needs no introduction. The Airbus A380 is a marvel of aerospace engineering, with its full-length double-deck offering unrivaled space and comfort. Its maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 1.2 million pounds – almost as heavy as 165 elephants.

Although, on paper, the A380 can accommodate over 800 passengers, no airline has used the aircraft in an all-economy configuration. It’s far more common to see around 550 passengers onboard, although it depends greatly on the specific airline.

With so much space to play with, airlines have got creative with the facilities onboard. Carriers like Etihad and Emirates have onboard bars for premium passengers, and Emirates even has a shower on the A380 for its first class guests.

Ultimately, the A380 struggled for the same reason as other large quadjets on this list. Efficient twinjets became the trend, and airlines struggled to fill the giant jumbo. Airbus delivered the last aircraft to Emirates in December 2021, ending production with just 251 aircraft sold.

Nevertheless, on the longest, most in-demand, and most congested routes in the world, the A380 does an incredible job of hauling maximum passengers from A to B in comfort. That’s why airlines like Qantas, British Airways, and Lufthansa (as well as Emirates, of course) remain committed to keeping the superjumbo in their fleets well into the 2030s.

6. Boeing 747-400

Length: 231 ft 10 in

Boeing 747-400 key statisticsEntry into serviceFebruary 1989Manufactured1988 – 2005Primary usersLufthansa, RossiyaPassenger capacity660Range7,285 nmiAero Icarus/FlickrAlthough the Boeing 747-400 was only introduced in 1989, its predecessors the -300, -200, and -100 all had the same basic fuselage, although the -400 had a wider wingspan. As such, we could say that the 747, as a product line, held the title of the longest commercial airliner in the world from its introduction with Pan Am in 1970. 

The -400 was never the longest aircraft, although all its siblings were, as the 777-300 was introduced a year earlier and was more than 11 feet longer. Nevertheless, the 747-400 was a well-loved aircraft, selling more than any other variant in the family at 694 aircraft, 442 of which were the 747-400 passenger jet.

As well as being popular with airlines, the 747 had a number of cool special mission roles, from fulfilling the duty of Air Force One with the pair of VC-25A to the bizarre-looking Dreamlifter, designed specifically to transport parts for the 787 Dreamliner assembly.

The -400 is a rare aircraft for passengers today, with a modest fleet of eight at Lufthansa, nine probably with Rossiya, and a couple with Air China. Some of these are listed as parked, and the latest data from Planespotters indicates just seven remain in passenger service. You can find out how to fly the 747 in 2025 here.

7. Boeing 787-10

Length: 224 ft

Boeing 787-10 key statisticsEntry into serviceMarch 2018Manufactured2016 – presentPrimary usersAir France-KLM, British Airways, EtihadPassenger capacity440Range6,330 nmiEtihadAt 224 feet long, the Boeing 787-10 is a full 25 feet shorter than the longest passenger aircraft in the world, but it’s still long enough to make it into the top 10. As the largest member of the Dreamliner family, it fills a niche on shorter, high-demand routes and while not as popular as the 787-9, has become a solid offering in the Boeing widebody lineup.

To date, the 787-10 has received a total of 263 orders, 117 of which have been delivered. The largest operator at present is Singapore Airlines with a fleet of 26. United has 21, and although it still has more than 140 Dreamliners on order, these are expected to mostly be the -9 and not the -10.

Other significant operators include Air France-KLM, British Airways, Etihad, and EVA Air. At Etihad, one of those aircraft is painted in a green version of the livery and is known as the ‘Greenliner’. In collaboration with Boeing and GE, Etihad uses the aircraft to test sustainable aviation practices while it operates its regular flights.

8. Airbus A340-500

Length: 222 ft 10 in

Airbus A340-500 key statisticsEntry into serviceOctober 2003Manufactured2002 – 2011Primary usersAzerbaijan AirlinesPassenger capacity440Range9,000 nmiBiggerben/WikimediaWhen it was introduced, the A340-500 was the longest-range passenger aircraft in the world. Its staggering 9,000 nautical mile range made new city-pair connections possible. Even today, it’s only pushed out on range by the A350-900. 

But the A340, as a model, never really reached its potential as four engines fell out of favor with airlines. The -500 was the worst-selling of the family, with only 34 aircraft delivered. Emirates was the largest user with 10 but flew its last service with the type in March 2016.

The last two A340-500s in normal passenger configuration belong to Azerbaijan Airlines and are around 17 years old. But they’ve been parked since 2023 and may not return to service at all. 

Although there aren’t any opportunities to fly an A340-500 today, there are still some around. Qatar’s Amiri Flight, its VIP arm, has a 21-year-old model, and several governments use them for VIP transport – Turkey, Thailand, Algeria and Kuwait. In fact Kuwait has a pair, and some of the youngest A340-500s around aged just 14 years.

If you happen to be a high roller, there’s still a chance to fly the A340-500. Sands Aviation, the aerospace arm of Las Vegas Sands Corp, has a single A340-500 in its fleet. It uses the jet to shuttle executives and high rollers all around the world. 

With its enormous range and comfortable size, it’s understandable that the A340-500 has turned out to be one of the most popular VIP jets on the planet.

9. Airbus A350-900

Length: 219 ft 2 in

Airbus A350-900 key statisticsEntry into serviceJanuary 2015Manufactured2013 – presentPrimary usersSingapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Cathay PacificPassenger capacity440Range8,100 nmiFormulanone/FlickrTaking ninth place at just eight inches shorter than the A340-500, the popular A350-900 boasts a length of 219 ft 2 in. It was the first of Airbus’ new clean-sheet widebody family, and has become a popular choice for airlines all over the world. 

As of the end of 2024, the A350-900 accounts for 989 of the 1,344 orders across the A350 family. Five hundred and forty-eight have already been delivered, compared with just 94 of the -1000. The largest fleet works for Singapore Airlines, with 65 aircraft in total. Qatar Airways has 34, and Air France has 32. In fact, 17 global airlines have more than a dozen in their fleet. 

The A350-900 offers the perfect balance of range, capacity and efficiency. With over 70% advanced materials such as composites, titanium and aluminum alloys, it’s incredibly light, adding to its low fuel burn. For passengers, the ‘extra wide body’ allows for wider seats, more spacious aisles and high ceilings.

Within Singapore Airlines’ fleet, seven are a unique variant of the -900 known as the ULR (ultra long range). Optimized for performance through a higher MTOW and software adjustments, these aircraft can fly up to 9,700 nmi. These aircraft are uniquely configured with 67 business class and 94 premium economy class seats – no economy – to support passenger comfort on these very long flights.

10: Boeing 777-200

Length: 209 ft 1 in

Boeing 777-200 key statisticsEntry into serviceJune 1995Manufactured1994 – 2004Primary usersUnited Airlines, British Airways, American AirlinesPassenger capacity440Range5,240 nmiBill Abbott/FlickrThe 777-200 was a groundbreaking aircraft as the first of the highly successful 777 family to enter commercial service. The ‘original’ 777 was delivered to United Airlines on May 15, 1995, marking the introduction of the first fly-by-wire commercial aircraft to be built by Boeing.

Unusually, the 777-200 was offered with three engine options. United’s arrived with the Pratt & Whitney PW4084, while British Airways took delivery of its first 777 in November 1995 with GE90 engines. In March 1996, Boeing delivered the first 777 with Rolls-Royce Trent 877 engines to Thai Airways.

Boeing improved the original 777 pretty quickly, introducing the 777-200ER in October 1996. This variant added fuel capacity and stronger landing gear to support a higher MTOW, giving it an extra 1,800 nautical miles of range. British Airways took the first of these extended range versions in February 1997, and it went on to become the most popular of all the original 777 family.

The 777-200 did get another makeover in 2005 when Boeing launched the 777-200LR or ‘Worldliner’. Developed alongside the 777-300ER, this was a major overhaul of the original aircraft, adding new fuel tanks, raked wingtips and the largest and most powerful jet engines in the world – the GE90-115B.

There are still some of both variants around. United, ANA, and Japan Airlines all have a large number of the original 777-200, while American, British Airways and Singapore Airlines all fly the 777-200ER. The 777-200LR didn’t sell so well, with only 61 units delivered, but all 61 are still in operation with carriers including Delta, Emirates and Qatar.

Missing your favorite?

Perhaps you were surprised not to find a certain airliner on the list. Researching this, we were surprised the Boeing 767 didn’t feature. But the longest 767, the -400ER, is a good eight feet shorter than the 777-200 at 201 ft 4 in.

Everyone’s favorite ‘flying pencil,’ the 757-300, is certainly a very long plane as narrowbodies go. But at 178 ft 7 in, it doesn’t come close to the long birds on this list. However, it is still 10 feet longer than the popular Airbus A321.The post Top 10 longest passenger planes appeared first on AeroTime.

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