The Top 10 Largest Planes Ever Made In The World

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Summary

Since the beginning of aviation, aircraft have steadily grown in size, sophistication, and power. Today, some of the largest aircraft can carry hundreds of passengers and fly ultra-long distances. These include commercial passenger jets, cargo planes, military airlifters, and specialized jets.

There are various ways to measure an aircraft’s size, such as length, weight, volume, and wingspan. When evaluating these factors, it’s also worth considering that other planes may stand out based on specific criteria.

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1. Airbus A380

Specifications

• Exterior Height: 79 ft 1 in
• Wing Span: 261 ft 8 in
• Length: 238 ft 7 in

• Cabin Width: 23 ft 5 In
• Cabin Length: 163 ft 8 In

• Crew: 2
• Passengers: 544

• Max T/O Weight: 1.268M Lb
• Max Landing Weight: 869000 Lb
• Operating Weight: 610200 Lb
• Empty Weight: 814000 Lb
• Fuel Capacity: 84600 gal Lb

• Max Range: 8200 nm
• Service Ceiling: 43100 ft

• Takeoff Distance: 9680 ft

• Performance: Normal Cruise: 500 kts

• Max Speed: 510 kts

• Engines: 4

• Engine Mfg: Engine Alliance and Rolls Royce

• Engine Model: GP 7200 and RR Trent 900

The aircraft boasts a maximum passenger capacity of 853, though airlines typically configure it with 400 to 550 seats. While this high capacity reflects remarkable engineering, it hasn’t achieved the widespread success many airlines initially anticipated.

The aviation slowdown following the events of 2020 posed significant challenges for numerous airlines. However, some carriers that had planned to retire their double-decker planes have reinstated them due to the resurgence in air travel demand.

Despite this, the aircraft faces difficulties in finding new roles as retirements increase. Hi Fly previously operated a second-hand aircraft for charter flights, but it has also retired it. Its design constraints limit its cargo market potential, and while it could serve as a luxurious private jet or VIP transport, its size and operational challenges have hindered such transformations.

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2. Boeing 747-8

Specifications

• Manufacturer: Boeing

• First Flight: February 8, 2010

• Entry into Service: 2012

• Variants: 747-8I (Intercontinental, passenger) & 747-8F (Freighter)

• Length: 250 ft 2 in (76.3 m)

• Wingspan: 224 ft 7 in (68.4 m)

• Height: 63 ft 6 in (19.4 m)

• Wing Area: 5,960 sq ft (554 m²)

• Cruise Speed: Mach 0.855 (570 mph, 920 km/h)

• Maximum Speed: Mach 0.9 (614 mph, 988 km/h)

• 747-8I (Passenger): 7,730 nmi (14,320 km)

• 747-8F (Freighter): 4,325 nmi (8,010 km)

• Service Ceiling: 43,100 ft (13,140 m)

• Typical Seating: 410–524 passengers

• Maximum Seating: 605 passengers

• Maximum Payload: 140 metric tonnes (307,000 lb)

• Cargo Volume: 30,288 cubic ft (857.7 m³)

• Engines: 4 × General Electric GEnx-2B67 turbofans

• Thrust per Engine: 66,500 lbf (296 kN)

• Fuel Capacity: 63,034 US gal (238,610 L)

The Boeing 747 is another massive passenger jet, with its latest model, the 747-8, extending just over three meters longer than the Airbus A380. However, it has a lower maximum capacity of 605 passengers, with a typical seating arrangement for around 450 travelers. Its wingspan of 68.4 meters is shorter than the A380’s 79.95 meters, allowing it to operate at a wider range of airports.

Before the Airbus A380, the Boeing 747 held the title of the largest passenger aircraft. Since its 1968 debut, it has been recognized for its groundbreaking size and innovation. The aircraft was developed with Pan American World Airways (Pan Am), which sought a plane twice the size of the Boeing 707. The initial design featured a full-length upper deck, but safety regulations led to modifications.

Pan Am became the first airline to place an order for 25 Boeing 747s at the start of the production program. Over time, Boeing introduced five major variants: 747-100, -200, -300, -400, and -8. The 747-400 emerged as the most popular model, accounting for nearly half of all units produced. While Pan Am pioneered the 747’s operations, Japan Airlines eventually operated the largest fleet, with 112 aircraft in service.

On January 31, Boeing delivered the final 747 to Atlas Air, the world’s largest 747 operator. This milestone was celebrated with a historic ceremony, marking the 54-year production run of the world’s first super jumbo jet. The event featured Kim Smith, the final 747 program leader, alongside original team members who worked on the first aircraft.

Throughout its 54-year history, Boeing produced 1,574 Boeing 747s, flown by 46 airlines, including Pan Am, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Virgin Australia, and Lufthansa. The last 747, nicknamed Empower, was delivered to Atlas Air, which also received the penultimate aircraft, Inspire. As a tribute to Joe Sutter, known as the “father” of the 747, Boeing and Atlas Air added a special decal on the final aircraft reading “Forever Incredible.”

Joe Sutter led a team of 4,500 engineers, leaving an enduring legacy in aviation. During the final delivery event, his grandson shared fond memories of spending time with him around planes. Charles Trippe, grandson of Pan Am founder Juan Trippe, also attended, proudly carrying a Pan Am flag to honor the occasion.

Simple Flying covered the historic farewell, documenting the aircraft’s departure from Paine Field. To pay tribute to the Queen of the Skies, Atlas Air pilots executed a special flight path shaped like a crown, with the numbers 7-4-7, marking the end of an era for this iconic aircraft.

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3. Boeing 777-9

Specifications

• Length: 251 feet 9 inches (76.72 meters) 

• Range: 7,285 nautical miles (13,500 km) 

• Capacity: Typically 426 passengers in a two-class configuration 

• Wings: Features folding wing tips for airport compatibility 

• Engines: Powered by General Electric’s GE9X engines 

• Fuel Efficiency: Designed for 20% better fuel efficiency than previous models 

• Cabin: Features LED lights, large cabin windows, and humidifying devices 

• Technology: The flight deck is equipped with large displays, similar in size to those on the 787, with advanced touch screen capabilities 

• Cabin Altitude: Reduced to about 6,000 ft 

• Cabin Width: 4 inches wider than the current legacy 777 

• Windows: Electronically dimmable windows that are 30 per cent larger than those on the A350 

With test flights in progress, Boeing’s highly anticipated 777X is making headlines. The 777-9, its largest variant, will become the longest passenger aircraft at just over 76 meters. With a typical seating capacity of up to 426 passengers, it closely rivals the 747-8, positioning itself as an ideal successor to the 747.

Unlike many other commercial jets, the 777X features a twin-engine design. Its GE9X engines, the largest and most powerful commercial engines ever built, are even bigger than the fuselage of a Boeing 737! The 777X is set to revolutionize air travel with its high-capacity, fuel-efficient, twin-engine configuration. While we may not see larger four-engine jets anytime soon, Boom Supersonic’s redesigned Overture as a quadjet suggests that four-engine aircraft could still have a future.

However, the wait for the 777X in commercial service continues. Boeing anticipates first deliveries in 2025, following delays caused by engine challenges, structural testing hurdles, and pandemic-related production slowdowns.

Qatar Airways expects to receive its first 777X in 2025, though it hopes Boeing will expedite the delivery. Emirates remains the largest customer, with an order for 150 aircraft. In February 2023, Air India placed one of the largest aircraft orders in history, securing ten 777X jets as part of its expansion strategy.

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4. Antonov An-225

Specifications

• Capacity: 190 tonnes (420,000 lb)

• Length: 84 meters (275 feet 7 inches)

• Wingspan: 88.4 meters (290 feet 0 inches)

• Height: 18.1 meters (59 feet 5 inches)

• Wing area: 905 square meters (9,740 square feet)

• Max takeoff weight: 640,000 kg (1,410,958 lb)

• Fuel capacity: Over 300,000 kilograms (660,000 lb), with a total volume of 375,000 liters (82,488 imp gal; 99,065 US gal).

• Cargo hold: 1,300 m³ (46,000 cu ft) with dimensions of 43.35 m (142.2 ft) in length, 6.4 m (21 ft) in width, and 4.4 m (14 ft) in height.

• Powerplant: Equipped with six Progress D-18T turbofan engines, each delivering 229.5 kN (51,600 lbf) of thrust.

The Antonov An-225 Mriya, the largest aircraft ever built, was tragically destroyed during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Following the bombing of Gostomel Airport on the first day of the conflict, the six-engine Ukrainian cargo jet now remains in ruins near Kyiv.

Originally designed and developed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the Soviet Union, the An-225 was a strategic airlift cargo aircraft built for transporting oversized payloads.

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5. Antonov An-124

Specifications

• Length: 69.1 meters (226 feet 8 inches) in length.

• Wingspan: 73.3 meters (240 feet 6 inches) in length.

• Height: 21.08 meters (69 feet 2 inches) in height.

• Wing area: 628 m² (6,760 sq ft).

• Max takeoff weight: 402,000 kg (886,258 lb).

• Maximum landing weight: 330,000 kg (727,525 lb).

• Fuel capacity: 210,172 kg (463,343 lb) with a fuel capacity of 262,715.15 liters (69,402 US gal; 57,789.25 imp gal).

• Powerplant: Powered by four Progress D-18T high-bypass turbofan engines, each delivering 229 kN (51,000 lbf) of thrust.

The An-124, developed by the same manufacturer as the An-225, is a smaller yet highly capable commercial cargo aircraft. Introduced in 1982, a total of 55 units have been produced. Before the arrival of the Boeing 747 8, the An-124 was recognized as the heaviest commercially manufactured aircraft.

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6. Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

Specifications

• Length: 75.31 meters (247 feet 1 inch)

• Wingspan: 67.89 meters (222 feet 9 inches)

• Height: 19.84 meters (65 feet 1 inch)

• Wing area: 580 m² (6,200 sq ft)

• Max takeoff weight: 381,018 kg (840,000 lb)

• Fuel capacity: 154,880 kg (341,446 lb) and 51,150 US gallons (42,590 imperial gallons; 193,600 liters)

• Powerplant: 4 × General Electric F138-100 turbofan engines, each delivering 51,000 lbf (230 kN) of thrust.

The C-5 Galaxy is a massive transport aircraft recognized for its size and payload capacity. Manufactured by Lockheed, this aircraft entered service in 1970. Designed to surpass earlier transporters like the C-130 Hercules, the C-5 Galaxy was built on a much larger scale to accommodate increasing military demands.

With a length exceeding 75 meters, the C-5 Galaxy is bigger than both the Airbus A380 and the An-124. It boasts a 127-tonne payload capacity and features inflight refueling capabilities, granting it an extended operational range. Even with the introduction of newer transport aircraft, the C-5 remains an essential part of the US Air Force fleet. While the Boeing C-17 Globemaster is another modern transport plane, it is still smaller compared to the C-5.

Interestingly, in the 1990s, Lockheed proposed an even larger aircraft, the VLST (Very Large Subsonic Transport). Although never realized, this ambitious design included a two-deck passenger version with four aisles, capable of accommodating up to 900 passengers.

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7. Airbus Beluga XL

• Capacity: 50,500 kg (111,333 lb) payload

• Length: 63.1 m (207 ft 0 in)

• Wingspan: 60.3 m (197 ft 10 in)

• Height: 18.9 m (62 ft 0 in)

• Wing area: 361.6 m² (3,892 sq ft)

• Aspect ratio: 10.1

• Empty weight: 127,500 kg (281,089 lb)

• Max takeoff weight: 227,000 kg (500,449 lb)

• Fuel capacity: 73,000 kg (161,000 lb)

• Fuselage diameter: 8.8 m (29 ft)

• Cargo hold: 2,209 m³ (78,000 cu ft) volume

• Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce Trent 700 turbofan, 316 kN (71,000 lbf) thrust each

• Cruise speed: 737 km/h (458 mph, 398 kn), Mach 0.69 at FL350

• Range: 4,300 km (2,600 mi, 2,300 nmi) at max payload

• Service ceiling: 11,000 m (35,000 ft)

Technically, the Beluga XL is not an entirely new aircraft but a modified version of the Airbus A330. This may lead to debates about its classification among the world’s largest aircraft, but its sheer size makes it a frequent sight in the skies. It holds the record for the largest cargo volume, boasting a fuselage capacity of 2,209 cubic meters, surpassing Boeing’s Dreamlifter, which offers 1,840 cubic meters of space.

Airbus has always relied on multiple production sites for aircraft assembly. Established as a European consortium to challenge Boeing, the company developed the Beluga XL, following the success of its predecessor, the Beluga, to efficiently transport aircraft components between manufacturing locations.

The original Beluga, introduced in 1995, was based on the Airbus A-300 and primarily carried parts for the A-340. However, with the demand for larger aircraft components, Airbus introduced the Beluga XL in the early 2000s, designed from the A330-200 airframe, allowing it to transport larger parts for the A350 with ease.

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8. Boeing Dreamlifter

• Purpose: Primarily used for transporting oversized aircraft components from suppliers to Boeing. 

• Base Aircraft: Modified Boeing 747-400 passenger airplane. 

• Volume: 65,000 cubic feet, significantly larger than a standard 747-400 freighter. 

• Payload: Up to 150 tons.

• Wingspan: 65 meters.

• Length: 12 meters. 

• Height: 21 meters. 

• Cruising Speed: 870 km/h. 

• Range: 7,800 km. 

• Extended upper fuselage: Boosts the cargo capacity by volume 

• First two LCFs: Entered service in early 2007 

• Third LCF: Entered service in 2008

The Dreamlifter is Boeing’s specially modified transport aircraft, built from an extended 747-400 fuselage. One of its standout features is the swing-tail cargo door, allowing seamless loading and unloading of oversized components.

Designed specifically for the Boeing 787 program, the Dreamlifter transports essential parts—such as fuselage sections and wings—from suppliers in Italy, Japan, and the United States to Boeing’s assembly plants in Washington and South Carolina. The first Dreamlifter entered service in 2007, and today, a fleet of four operates globally.

While the Dreamlifter is undoubtedly a massive aircraft, it has limitations when compared to others. Its fuselage volume is smaller than that of the Beluga XL, and although it is longer than both the Beluga XL and the 747-400, the 747-8 surpasses it in length. Thanks to its four-engine 747 platform, it boasts a higher payload than the Beluga XL, yet its capacity remains less than half of the now-retired An-225 Mriya.

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9. Hughes H-4 Hercules

Specifications

• Length: 66.65 meters (218 feet 8 inches)

• Wingspan: 97.82 meters (320 feet 11 inches)

• Height: 24.18 meters (79 feet 4 inches)

• Fuselage height: 9.1 meters (30 feet)

• Empty weight: 113,398 kg (250,000 lb)

• Powerplant: Eight Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major 28-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, each delivering 3,000 hp (2,200 kW).

The Hughes H-4 Hercules stands among the largest aircraft ever built, though only a single prototype was ever produced. Originally designed as a flying boat for World War II, it was intended to transport 750 troops or two 30-ton M4 tanks. However, its first and only flight didn’t occur until 1947, long after the war had ended.

With a wingspan of 97.8 meters, the H-4 Hercules holds the title for the second-largest wingspan in aviation history, just behind the Stratolaunch. It is powered by eight Pratt & Whitney engines and, due to wartime metal shortages, features a wooden fuselage. This unique construction earned it the nickname “Spruce Goose.”

The Hughes H-4 Hercules prototype underwent test flights but was never put into active service. Today, this legendary aircraft is preserved and showcased at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in Oregon, USA.

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10. Stratolaunch

Specifications

• Length: 117 m (383 ft 10 in)

• Weight: 250 metric tons (551,155 lbs)

• Capable of carrying a rocket and launching it into orbit.

The Stratolaunch aircraft, officially named the Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratolaunch, holds the record for the largest wingspan of any aircraft, stretching 117 meters. In comparison, the An-225 Mriya, the second-largest by wingspan, measures 88.4 meters.

Designed for airborne rocket launches, the Stratolaunch can carry payloads up to 250 tonnes between its twin fuselages. Its technology and six engines are derived from the Boeing 747-400. Each fuselage measures 73 meters, with pilots operating from the right-hand cockpit, while the left fuselage remains unpressurized, housing essential equipment.

Initially led by Paul Allen, the project faced setbacks following his passing in 2018. Under Cerberus Capital Management, the aircraft’s purpose shifted to hypersonic flight research. After a two-year gap following its first flight, the Stratolaunch resumed testing in April 2021. However, during its sixth test flight, operations were halted due to an unexpected test result.

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Conclusion

The 10 largest aircraft ever built highlight the remarkable advancements in aerospace engineering, serving a wide range of aviation needs—from military transport to space exploration. These giants of the sky, such as the An-225 Mriya, Stratolaunch, and Beluga XL, stand as engineering marvels, showcasing cutting-edge design and exceptional functionality.

Each of these aircraft was created with a specific purpose, whether to carry enormous payloads, transport heavy cargo, or launch rockets into orbit. As technology advances, the future of aviation innovation promises even more groundbreaking developments in aircraft design and capabilities.

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