Notes

• This is a summary list rather than a detailed list. One airplane type may have many different variants (eg the 737 with more than ten different variants, over a 50 year life (so far!), and with passenger capacities ranging from about 100 – 200), plus may be outfitted with different types of seating, different engines, etc, and so all information should be considered as very general only.
• If you have specific questions about a specific plane, call the airline that is operating exactly the plane you want to know more about.
• It is close to impossible to advise where the best seats are on a plane, or which seats are exit rows, etc. The reason for this is because, within a single plane type, there are many different configurations, and different airlines number their rows differently as well (not all planes simply have rows numbered from 1 to the end consecutively!). Row numbering and layout is not even consistent within a single airline! But for general suggestions on seat comfort and location issues, our three part series on this topic is helpful reading.
• It is similarly difficult to quote exact seating capacities of planes, especially in two or three class planes, due to varying seat pitch and mix of first/business/coach seating. The more first and business class seats in a plane, the lower the total seating capacity because a first/business class seat takes up more space than a coach class seat.
• Range data (and note we use regular ‘statutory’ miles of 5280 feet, not nautical miles of 6076 ft) is as quoted by various sources. Note that an airplane’s max range can vary enormously depending in whether it has a maximum payload (and reduced fuel) or maximum fuel (and reduced payload) and what provisions are included for safety margins (ie spare fuel) so these numbers are not necessarily very consistent.
• Speed data can also vary. Speeds quoted are ‘cruising’ not maximum speeds. There can also sometimes be quoted a ‘max cruise’ and a ‘economical cruise’ figure which may be different. And speeds can also vary, depending on the altitude the aircraft is at – for example, the same ‘Mach’ number (fraction of the speed of sound) translates to a different speed at different heights.
• First flight data generally records the first commercial flight rather than first prototype flight, which may be one, two, three or even more years earlier.
• EIS = Entry into service, sometimes also considered FCF – first commercial flight
• If you notice any errors, can provide extra data, or want other planes added, please let me know. I truly want to make this as comprehensive and useful as possible.
• Oh, and if your interest in an airplane is not just academic, but if you’re planning a future trip, the chances are you’re going to be using the internet for that, too. Our travel planning and assistance section has lots more helpful information.