Here are the 10 worlds largest passenger jet aircraft that can transport hundreds of passengers from another side of the world within an hour. Take a look at the list of the largest passenger aircraft in the world!

10. Airbus A333-300

This widebody started flying on November 2, 1992. The aircraft can carry between 250 to 440 passengers. Its main users are Turkish Airlines, Air China, China Eastern Airlines (CIAH) (CEA), China Southern Airlines (ZNH), and Cathay Pacific. 

In 2020, after passenger traffic went down as much as 90% and air cargo demand and pricing went up, Airbus introduced a new cargo conversion solution for its A330, which can handle up to 7.3 tonnes of cargo.

(Image: The Global Guy / Shutterstock)

9. Airbus A340-300

The Airbus A340 300 is a passenger airplane made in France. It was first manufactured in 1993 and can accommodate 295 passengers in a single-class seat arrangement and 267 in a two-class system.

By the end of May 2020, there were just 35 operators of the Airbus A340 left in the world. Lufthansa (LHAB) (LHA), having 34 aircraft in its fleet, is the biggest A340 operator. Iberia, another major operator which previously had 15 airliners in its fleet, announced their retirement in June 2020. The main reason for the retirement is the unsuitability of four-engine aircraft and its high costs.

(Image: Adrian Pingstone / Wikimedia)

8. Airbus A340-500

The Airbus A340 500 is a passenger airplane manufactured in France. It came out in 2006, though there were early deliveries in 2002. It is designed for 372 passengers in a single-class seat arrangement and 313 in a double class system. It was primarily used by Emirates and Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY). SIA operated the longest flight in the world, from Singapore to Newark, on A340-500 until 2013. 

As of March 2020, there were two A340-500s in airline service left, both with Azerbaijan Airlines.

(Image: Maxim Grohotov / Shutterstock.com)

7. Airbus A350-900

This jetliner that specializes in long-haul travel, has a range of 15,000 km and can accommodate between 300 and 350 passengers. The A350 competes against the Boeing 787-10 and the 777 series, as well as the new Boeing 777X entering service in 2021. Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) is one of the main operators of the aircraft.

At the end of January 2020, the A350 XWB Family had received 935 firm orders from 50 customers worldwide, making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever, according to Airbus. 

In 2020, the A350 was also converted into cargo aircraft to operate flights carrying large quantities of medical equipment and other supplies. The A350 freighter can carry up to 104 tonnes of cargo.

(Image:  Soos Jozsef / Shutterstock)

6. Boeing 777-200

The Boeing 777 200 is a passenger plane made in the United States. It can accommodate 440 passengers in a single-class system and 400 in a two-class configuration. It has a travel range of 14,260 kilometers or 7,700 nautical miles.

The 777-200 retirements began before the current crisis and continues throughout 2020. British Airways’, Delta Airlines (DAL) and Singapore are among the airlines who are saying goodbye to the aircraft. 

(Image: Santi Rodriguez / Shutterstock)

5. Airbus A340-600

Introduced in 2002, the A340-600 is the largest-capacity member of the Airbus A340 Family. The four-engine wide-body can carry 380 passengers. As of October 2020, the main operators are Lufthansa (LHAB) (LHA) and Mahan Air.  

In April 2020, Lufthansa (LHAB) (LHA) temporarily decommissioned its entire fleet of seventeen Airbus A340-600 aircraft until 2021. 

(Image: Eric Salard / Wikimedia)

4. Boeing 777-300

The Boeing 777 300 is a passenger plane manufactured in the United States with a seating capacity of 550 people in a single-class setup and 451 in a two-class configuration. It has a travel range of 6,013 nautical miles or 11,135 kilometers.

Emirates is the largest Boeing 777 operator in the world, with 131 of the 777-300 in service. 

(Image: Fasttailwind / Shutterstock.com)

3. Boeing 747-400

The Boeing 747 400 is a passenger plane made in the United States by Boeing that has the capacity to accommodate 416 passengers in a three-class setup, 524 in a two-class setup and 660 in an all-economy cabin. It has a travel range of 7,260 nautical miles or 13,446 kilometers. Its inaugural flight was on April 28, 1988. The 747-400, with many structural and electronics improvements, was a major development of the 747 series. 

British Airways used to be one of the main operators but it retired the entire 747 fleet due to the coronavirus crisis in the summer of 2020. Now its main operator is Atlas Air. China Airlines is also among the largest passenger airlines still operating the 747 and it has taken delivery of 16, according to planespotters.net.

(Image: Adrian Pingstone / Wikipedia)

2. Boeing 747-8

The Boeing 747 8 is a passenger airplane manufactured in the United States. It can accommodate 700 passengers if a single-class system is followed, while 600 seats are available in a double-class configuration. The plane has a travel range of 8,000nautical miles or 14,816 kilometers.
 
However, till 2020 it only received 47 orders instead of anticipated 300. Lufthansa (LHAB) (LHA) was the first one to order 747-8 in 2006. The other airlines that ordered the aircraft were Korean Air and Air China. Boeing had already told suppliers that the last 747-8 would roll off assembly lines in 2022. In 2017 came the last order for a passenger version of 747-8 for the US president’s Air Force One transport plane. It is due to be delivered in 2024. 

Boeing plans to replace 747-8 with the brand-new Boeing 777X, which is expected to enter service in 2022. On July 31, 2020, 350 units of the 777Xs were ordered by eight airlines, including All Nippon Airways, Qatar and Lufthansa (LHAB) (LHA).

(Image: Aero Icarus / Flickr.com)

1. Airbus A380-800

The Airbus A380 800 is a passenger plane made in France with capacity for 853 passengers in a single class or 644 in a two-tiered class. It has a travel range of 8,208 nautical miles or 15,200 kilometers. It first took flight on 27 April, 2005. As of 30 September 2020, 242 aircraft have been manufactured, however, due to poor sales, Airbus announced A380-800 retirement in 2021. With 114 A380s in its fleet and eight pending delivery, Emirates is currently the main operator of A380 and intends to stay one in the future. 

Before the pandemic, the world’s fleet of approximately 250 Airbus A380s reportedly made 330 flights per day, with services to more than 70 destinations. However, on April 27, 2020, the 15th anniversary of the first A380 flight, just one A380 was up in the air – a China Southern flight from Los Angeles to Guangzhou, according to Flightradar24. 

Some airlines are grounding their A380 fleets for the duration of the pandemic, while others are retiring them. Air France was one of the first to announce the retirement of its entire fleet of A380s. In the summer of 2020, Qantas confirmed that its fleet of 12 Airbus A380s would remain grounded for the next three years. Etihad Airways’ A380s future is also in doubt, since the airline confirmed the grounding of its superjumbos until at least the Winter 2021.

(Image: Emirates)

Airbus A380plus

Move over A380-800, because there is a new player in town. Airbus announced the new A380plus with even more seats. Officially Airbus states that the new aircraft can carry 80 more passengers and the new winglet design reduces fuel burning by 4% and is 13% cheaper per seat than the old A380. However, the new version of A380 never saw the daylight. 

(Image: Airbus)

So, to sum up, there are the Top 10 largest passenger aircraft in the world:

• Airbus A330-300
• Airbus A340-300
• Airbus A340-500
• Airbus A350-900
• Boeing 777-200
• Airbus A340-600
• Boeing 777-300
• Boeing 747-400
• Boeing 747-8
• Airbus A380-800

But just how much do you know about aviation’s “Big Birds”? Take this week’s 精东影业 quiz and put your knowledge to the test.  

Here is a list of the top 10 maritime patrol aircraft, as determined by their popularity in terms of performance, technology, warfare capabilities, and utilization history.

1. P-3 Orion

The , aptly known as ‘the all-terrain hunter’, is a four-engine turboprop multi-mission anti-submarine maritime surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft developed for the United States Navy. It was introduced in the 1960s as a replacement for the Lockheed P2V Neptune.

The P-3 Orion is still in active service with several forces such as the United States Navy, the Argentine Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the German Air Force, and has played pivotal roles in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Hurricane Katrina, Op Unified Resistance, and other missions.

The P-3 is capable of flying a variety of missions, including maritime patrol, search and rescue, anti-submarine, and air-to-ground attacks, and the bomb bay fuselage is also capable of carrying nuclear warheads making it a formidable force. The 10 hardpoints can carry combinations of a variety of armaments such as ASMs, AGMs, and SLAM-ERs.

Equipped with state-of-the-art sensors, including a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD), the P-3 is a nightmare for submarines. Other avionics include the Raytheon surveillance Radars, Advanced Imaging Multispectral Sensor (AIMS), and the Multi-Mode Imaging System.

The P-3 Orion has a maximum speed of 648 kilometers per hour and a combat range of over 8,913 kilometers.

(Credit: ?Jerry Gunner / Wikimedia Commons)

2. Saab Swordfish MPA

The is a twin-engine turboprop multi-role long-range maritime patrol aircraft which can be opted as the Bombardier Global 6000 or the Q400 variant. It is operated by the Swedish Air Force. This aircraft is usually compared with the Boeing Poseidon P-8 and is generally considered to be a more economical, versatile, and novel choice.

The Saab Swordfish has multi-role capabilities such as anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. It can also augment area-denial or anti-access missions. Saab boasts of the aircraft being able to carry all these missions in one go.

The C4I packages, Automatic Identification Systems (AIS), Electronic Warfare and Self Protection Systems (EWSPS) are among the sensors worth mentioning that, coupled with intelligent automation and interchangeable workstations, make it a force to be reckoned with. The ability to drop and operate sonobuoys also adds to this plane’s capabilities.

The Saab Swordfish has a maximum cruise speed of 902 kilometers per hour and a range of 11,000 kilometers. It has the capability of staying airborne without refueling for almost eight hours.

(Credit: Alan Wilson / Wikimedia Commons)

3. Boeing P-8 Poseidon

The is a military derivative of the Boeing 737 commercial airliner and is a maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare capable aircraft. It is operated by the U.S. Navy, the Indian Navy, the Australian Air Force, and the U.K Royal Air Force. Being a derivative of the 737 commercial airliner makes the P-8 well suited for tackling supply chain issues at a lower operational cost.

The P-8 can fly missions ranging from anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance, search and rescue, Intelligence surveillance, and reconnaissance roles.

Having 11 hardpoints it can carry a host of conventional armaments like torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, AGMs, SLAM-ERs, depth charges, mines, and the High-Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon system. The aircraft is also capable of dropping sonobuoys and monitoring them aiding the operators in anti-submarine warfare.

The aircraft also incorporates features from the Boeing YAL-1A Airborne Laser and an AP-3C Orion-derived mission system. Other avionics worth mentioning are the Raytheon Multi-Mission Surface Search radar and Electronic Support Measures Suite.

The P-8 has a maximum speed of 907 kilometers per hour and a range of over 7,500 kilometers.

(Credit: Balon Greyjoy / Wikimedia Commons)

4. Kawasaki P-1

The is a four-engine turboprop maritime patrol aircraft and a successor to the P-3C. It is also the only modern maritime purpose-built aircraft with no civilian counterpart operated by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Equipped with eight hardpoints, including bombay stations, the P-1 is capable of carrying a variety of AGMs such as the Harpoon and Maverick AGMs, mines, depth charges and torpedoes, making it well equipped for anti-submarine warfare, bombing runs and maritime surveillance.

The fly-by-optics flight control system provides a tactical edge to the aircraft by decreasing electro-magnetic disturbances to the sensors as compared to the fly-by-wire control systems. The Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA), MAD, Advanced Combat Direction System and other sophisticated sensors make this aircraft a flying behemoth.

It has a maximum speed of 996 kilometers per hour, and a range of 8,000 kilometers.

(海上自衛隊 / Wikimedia Commons)

5. Airbus C295 MPA

The Airbus C295 is a STOL, twin-engine, turboprop, rough and tough military transport aircraft capable of withstanding the harshest weather conditions. The aircraft is in service with a number of militaries and government agencies, including Chile, Portugal, Egypt and Mexico. It has seen action in numerous conflicts, including the war in Afghanistan.

The six hard points armed with Torpedoes, ASMs, mines and depth charges, the of the C295 is capable of maritime missions, including anti-submarine warfare, SIGINT, surveillance, and imagery intelligence operations.

Avionics such as the Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS), Air Data systems (ADS), EO/IR, ELINT, MAD and SATCOM make it competent in meeting the modern maritime and warfare requirements.

The C295 has a maximum speed of 480 kilometers per hour and a range of over 5,630 kilometers. It is capable of carrying up to 71 passengers and is also equipped for aerial refueling.

(Credit: Tim Felce / Wikimedia Commons)

6. Atlantique ATL2

The Dassault-Breguet entered service in 1992 in the Marine Nationale, the French Navy. It is based on the Breguet Atlantic, an airframe developed in the 1960s.

The French Navy deployed the aircraft during several conflicts and peacekeeping missions, including in Kosovo, Libya, and Romania.

The Atlantique 2 can carry depth charges, mines, and torpedoes, and fire the Aérospatiale AM-39 Exocet anti-ship missiles.

The ATL2, powered by two Rolls-Royce Tyne engines, has a maximum speed of 600 kilometers per hour and a range of over 7,300 kilometers. It is capable of carrying up to 3.5 tonnes of armament.

(Credit: ? B. Otelli)

7. EMB 145 MP

Built on the framework of the Embraer R-99, the is a twin-turbofan maritime patrol aircraft. The 145 MP is utilized by Mexico while other variants are operated by other countries like Brazil and Greece.

With four underwing hardpoints, the aircraft can perform anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare.

Mentionable avionics include the Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, C3I capabilities and Signal intelligence like ELINT making it suitable for maritime missions.

The EMB 145 MP reaches a top speed of 828 kilometers per hour and has a range of 2,873 kilometers.

8. ATR 72 MPA

The , a twin-engine, turboprop regional airliner, is the bigger, more expensive iteration of the ATR 42 with greater capacity, power, and range. The aircraft is in service with a number of airlines and also in use by the Pakistani, Italian and Nigerian forces.

Having four external hardpoints makes this aircraft worthy of anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare. Missions such as vessel tracking, coastal surveillance, and search and rescue are the ATR 42’s bread and butter due to its advanced tactical observation system and variety of sensors. The Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Electro-Optical Infrared Turret (EO/IR) and Electronic Support Measures (ESM) are also some of the noteworthy features of this plane.

The ATR 42 has a maximum speed of 556 kilometers per hour and a range of over 1,527 kilometers. It is capable of carrying up to 70 passengers.

9. HC-144A Ocean Sentry

Dominating the Oceans, the is a twin-turboprop maritime patrol aircraft purpose-built for medium-range maritime surveillance. It is under operation by the U.S Coast Guard. It has participated in many search and rescue missions, including the Haiti Earthquake in 2010 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Based on the CN-235 Persuader, it is more adept for non-violent, command and control, transport, MEDEVAC, and surveillance missions.

Its main avionics include a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensor, daylight spotter scope, a multi-mode search radar, Airborne Automation Identification System, ESMs and C4I systems.

The top speed achieved by the Ocean Sentry is 437 kilometers per hour, and a range of 3,264 kilometers.

10. Ilyushin Il-38

The , nicknamed ‘Dolphin,’ is a four-engine turboprop maritime patrol aircraft operated by the Indian Navy and the Russian Navy.

Built in the 1960s, and modeled after the II-18, and used by the Soviet Navy, it was primarily built for anti-submarine warfare. It is capable of carrying almost 9,000 kg of disposable stores that include depth charges, mines, torpedoes, and bombs.

The II-38 has found usage in maritime surveillance and reconnaissance as the anti-submarine warfare it once saw and dominated has decreased.

Having a maximum speed of 645 kilometers per hour and a range of 7,200 kilometers, it is a good match for long range maritime patrol activities.

(Credit: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation)