How much an airplane weighs

Have you ever wondered how much an airplane weighs ? This large transport flies through the air as if it were a feather, but it is not exactly light, because these devices weigh hundreds of tons . And that without counting the weight of fuel or passengers. So, how much weight is he allowed to take to an airplane? This data is called maximum takeoff weight, and is calculated by adding the aircraft's empty weight plus the payload and the maximum fuel capacity. In this article we show you the empty weights of the most known aircraft as well as their respective weights at takeoff.

Airbus A380

The commercial passenger plane considered to be the largest in the world is the Airbus A380. With a capacity of between 555 and 850 passengers according to the type of version, it is a modern two-story plane that is more than 70 meters long and relatively young, since it was piloted for the first time in 2005. These are the Empty weights of the different models of the Airbus A380:

  • A380-700: 267 tons
  • A380-800: 276 tons
  • A380-800ER: 276 tons
  • A380-800F: 252 tons
  • A380 Prestige: 282 tons
  • A380-900: 298 tons

Regarding the maximum allowed take-off weight including fuel, in the described models varies between 560 and 590 tons.

Boeing 747

This transcontinental commercial aircraft was the largest passenger plane for thirty years, and is considered a direct rival to the Airbus 380, which is even larger. Piloted by British Airways, Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific and launched in 1970 by the famous airline Pan Am, this device weighs between 162 and 186 tons depending on the type of model. The maximum take-off weight for the different Boeing 747 models are the following:

  • 333 tons for the model 747-100
  • 378 tons for the 747-200B and 747-300
  • 397 tons for the 747-400
  • 184 tons for the 747-400ER
  • 440 tons for the 747-8I

Boeing 767

The airplane manufactured by the company Boeing Commercial was introduced in the 80s and has a flight range of between 7130 km and 11, 825 km. Regarding its empty operating weight, it ranges between 80 tons and 103 tons depending on the model. Below we detail the maximum takeoff weight of each variant of this commercial aircraft:

  • 767-200 143 tons
  • 767-200ER: 179 tons
  • 767-300: 159 tons
  • 767-300ER: 187 tons
  • 767-300ERF: 187 tons
  • 767-400ER: 204 tons

Boeing 737

This passenger plane designed in 1964 is used by American Airlines and Ryanair airlines, among others. It is also characterized as the commercial jet aircraft with the highest sales of units in history. The Boeing consists of several models, whose unladen weights range between 28 tons and 45, and have approximately the following maximum takeoff weight:

  • 737-100: 49 tons
  • 737-400: 68 tons
  • 737-500: 60 tons
  • 737-600: 66 tons
  • 737-700: 70 tons
  • 737-700ER: 77 tons
  • 737-800: 79 tons
  • 737-900ER: 85 tons

Other curiosities about weight

If you find it interesting to know how much the planes weigh, surely you will also find it interesting to know the load of huge animals, light objects and even parts of our own body, so we invite you to consult our articles:

  • How much the elephants weigh
  • How much your head weighs
  • How much does a soccer ball weigh?