10 Largest Passenger Planes in the World

Each year more and more people travel by plane to destinations around the world. In fact, in 2017 over 4 billion passengers flew, setting a new world record. To accommodate this large volume of passengers, airlines and airplane manufacturers are continuously looking for new ways to maximize space, including trying to cram as many seats together in non-standard configurations.

Thankfully, all of the planes on this list can hold a large number of people without sacrificing comfort and personal space. As of the time of this writing, these are the world’s largest passenger planes based on maximum seat capacity.

10. Boeing 777-300ER

Source: Wikimedia Commons via BriYYZ

The Boeing 777-300ER can hold anywhere from 314 passengers up to 396 passengers. It is an improvement on the original 777-300, which has a slightly smaller wingspan. The Boeing 777-300ER also has updated avionic, electrical, flight, and environmental control systems.

The Boeing 777-300ER has a longer range than the original 777-300 and was a result of customers looking for airplanes with more flexibility to serve non-stop routes. As the longer range model, the Boeing 777-300ER can fly up to 14,270 km (7,705.18 nautical miles).

Did You Know?

The Boeing 777-300 has been the flagship long haul airplane for Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) since 2016.

9. Airbus A330-300

Source: Wikimedia Commons via Laurent ERRERA

The Airbus A330-300 is one of Airbus’ oldest models and traces its origins to the company’s first airliner, the A300. Today, the Airbus A330-300 is still one of Airbus’ most popular models and has a seating capacity between 277 – 440 passengers.

The Airbus A330-300 can cover all ranges, from short-haul to long-range flights. Also, the A330-300 has various seating arrangements that are all comfortable for passengers and the crew. According to Airbus, the A330-300 has one of the quietest cabins of any large passenger plane.

Did You Know?

Although the Airbus A330-300 is an older model, Airbus invests about 150 million euros ($171,576,600) annually to improve the A330 line.

8. Airbus A340-300

Source: Wikimedia Commons via tjdarmstadt

The Airbus A340-300 was the initial model in Airbus’ A340 family. The plane is one of Airbus’ oldest and made its debut flight in 1991. Typical passenger capacity for the Airbus A340-300 is 277 seats, but the plane does have a maximum capacity of 440 passengers.

The Airbus A340-300 has range of 7,400 nautical miles (13,704.8 kilometers). According to Airbus, the A340-300 was made to meet the needs of the 275-300 seat long-range market and is capable of offering increased flight frequencies at lower costs.

Did You Know?

The Airbus A340-300 was the company’s first long range aircraft.

7. Boeing 777-200LR

Source: Wikimedia Commons via Aero Icarus

The Boeing 777-200LR was the world’s longest range commercial aircraft when it debuted in 2005. The long-range Boeing 777-200LR is capable of flying 9,400 nautical miles (17,445 kilometers). While this is impressive, the brand new Airbus A350-900ULR has unseated the Boeing 777-200LR and has a range of 9,700 nautical miles (17,964.4 kilometers).

The Boeing 777-200LR typically seats 317 passengers, but can accommodate up to 440 people. Additionally, the Boeing 777-200LR provides an additional 47,250 pounds (21,430 kilograms) of revenue cargo capability for airlines.

Did You Know?

The Boeing 777-200LR has the ability to fly to basically any two city pairs around the world, including popular routes like New York-Singapore; Chicago-Sydney; and Perth-London.

6. Airbus A350-900

Source: Wikimedia Commons via Laurent ERRERA

The Airbus A350-900 is one of Airbus’ newer models and is part of the brand’s A350 XWB family. The Airbus A350-900 can hold up to 440 passengers, but typically only carries about 325 passengers.

Airbus recently release (April 2018) an ultra long range version of the Airbus A350-900 (Airbus A350-900ULR), which can fly further than any other commercial aircraft in the world. The Airbus A350-900ULR has a maximum range of 9,700 nautical miles (17,964.4 kilometers). This means that the Airbus A350-900ULR can fly 20 hours non-stop.

Did You Know?

The Airbus A350-900 has a large space just for flight attendants to rest. Their area contains six bunks and full standing room in the changing area.

5. Airbus A340-500

Source: Wikimedia Commons via Aero Icarus

The Airbus A340-500 is the second largest passenger plane in Airbus’ A340 family. In a typical configuration the Airbus A340-500 only seats about 293 passengers, but the plane is large enough to hold up to 440 passengers.

The Airbus A340-500 is one of Airbus’ long-range models and can travel up to 9,000 nautical miles (16,668 kilometers). According to Airbus, the A340-500 has some of the widest passenger seats in a cabin with a maximum width of 5.28 meters (17.32 feet).

Did You Know?

The Airbus A340-500 has not been a popular model for airlines and in 2012, Singapore Airlines got rid of the five Airbus A340-500 planes in its fleet.

4. Boeing 747-8

Source: Flickr via Kiefer

The Boeing 747-8 is the largest commercial aircraft built in the United States in terms of size and is longest passenger aircraft in the world. However, despite its large size, the Boeing 747-8 can only hold up to 467 passengers. In a typical 3-class configuration, the Boeing 747-8 has 410 seats.

There are actually two versions of the Boeing 747-8, one for commercial passengers (747-8I (Intercontinental)) and one for cargo (747-8F (Freighter)). Some of the largest customers of the Boeing 747-8 include Lufthansa for the Intercontinental and UPS for the Freighter.

Did You Know?

The Boeing 747-8 can travel the length of three FIFA soccer fields (360 yards (1080 feet))  in one second.

3. Airbus A340-600

Source: Wikimedia Commons via Tony Hisgett

The Airbus A340-600 is the second largest passenger plane in Airbus’ line of commercial planes. The A340-600 has a maximum capacity of 475 passengers, but typically airlines use 326 passenger layout. While it isn’t Airbus’ largest plane, the Airbus A340-600 is the company’s longest jetliner, with a fuselage length of 75.36 meters (247.24 feet).

Although the Airbus A340-600 is so large, it is an ultra long haul plane and has a range of 7,900 nautical miles (14,630.8 kilometers). The Airbus A340-600 features weight-saving composite structures; a fuel-saving aerodynamic design; and a flight control system that is easy for pilots to use.

Did You Know?

The Airbus A340-600 uses four Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines.

2. Boeing 747-400

Source: Flickr via Clemens Vasters

The Boeing 747-400 is one of the largest passenger planes in Boeing’s iconic 747 series. Typically, the Boeing 747-400 seats about 416 people in a 3-class configuration, but it can seat up to 660 passengers in a 1-class configuration. The Boeing 747-400’s cabin has width of 6.13 meters (20.11 feet), which is quite spacious.

The Boeing 747-400 has a longer wing than earlier Boeing 747 models – its wing is 1.8 meters (6 feet) long and has a 6 foot high winglet. This allows the Boeing 747-400 to reduce fuel burn and have a longer range.

Did You Know?

British Airways is the largest operator of the Boeing 747-400.

1. Airbus A380

Source: Wikimedia Commons via Maarten Visser

The Airbus A380 is the largest passenger plane in the world with a maximum capacity of 853 passengers, depending on the configuration. To accommodate such a large number of people and amenities, the Airbus A380 has two full length-decks. This allows for the Airbus A380 to have a bar, lounge area, private suites, and seats that lie flat in business class.

In addition to its large seat capacity, the Airbus A380 has a wingspan of nearly 80 meters (79.75 meters (261.65 feet) to be exact)). According to Airbus, the large size of the A380 is an advantage to airlines because the number of seats allows for an increase in revenue potential. The Airbus A380 is also good for the environment and air traffic congestion because more passengers can be transported through fewer trips.

Did You Know?

The Airbus A380 has a total flying range of 15,200 kilometers (932 miles).