Top 10 Best Commercial Aircraft of All Time
Aircraft have evolved massively since the early days of flight. It's tough to compare the classics and modern marvels, but some planes truly rose above the rest.
Was there one model that was just better in every way? Or perhaps an entire family of aircraft that changed the way we fly? Some offered groundbreaking comfort, others shattered speed records, and more transformed the entire concept of budget air travel.
The debate is always fun, so we want to hear what you think. Vote for the choices you believe should reign supreme as the greatest commercial aircraft of all time.
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Boeing 777
Technically, the most reliable aircraft in the skies for both passengers and airlines. Taking Emirates as an example, the 777 is the backbone of the company's success. Several records have been established by this plane, and its design is probably the most aesthetically pleasing design to date. With the upcoming 777x, airlines have already placed record-breaking orders, which again shows how reliable this aircraft is. Overall, it is the best commercial airplane in the skies.
The Triple 7 is by far the best and safest commercial aircraft today. Its smooth ride and sheer size are best in class.
The trouble is, airlines are jamming in too many seats. But with more complaints and consumers shopping for not just the price but also the type of aircraft, Air Canada is like a can of tuna on its new 787s.
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Boeing 747
I personally think Airbus is better than Boeing (Boeing fans, hold your yapping. This is just my opinion), but there is no doubt that the 747 is much better than the A380.
While the 747 isn't entirely one of my favorite planes, I must say that Boeing did a good job with this big guy. It is much more fuel-efficient than the A380, and I also like the design and idea of it - the plane having one and a half levels. The nose also looks nice.
While I never got a chance to fly on this plane, I must say that it is great.
How did the A380 get up here? I mean, they are saying it will be put out of production in 2020! The 747, by the way, has been flying for over 50 years. *Cough cough* The A380 is a failure and a waste of money.
The amount of money wasted is over 20 billion dollars. Good job, Airbus. You gave yourself a bad name. Oh, over 2,500 of the 747 have been produced, which is a lot for a large plane, especially of this size. The 747 should be the king of the skies, not the queen, because it is the definition of moving forward in aviation as well as state-of-the-art technology.
Oh yes, Airbus supporters, don't get angry about this. Oh yes, the A350 - *cough cough* - fake 787, disgraceful and rude. Don't get me started on how the A380 looks.
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Airbus A380
Seeing how big it was, I thought it was going to experience turbulence and would be loud. I was in Business Class by the window. And oh my God, it was the smoothest plane I have ever been on.
Ninety percent of the planes I've flown on were the Boeing 777 or 747. The Airbus doesn't make as much noise as those Boeings I mentioned. It's the future of aviation. The seats in Business Class are bigger than in the Boeings. You don't feel claustrophobic or miserable.
I bet the people who voted for the Boeing 777 and 747 are just Americans taking pride in their country by liking Boeing.
The Airbus A380 is an amazing aircraft. With its high-capacity passenger layout, it can carry up to 853 passengers. Not only that, but the efficiency of this gentle giant is unmatched by any other aircraft. The Airbus A380 also boasts an array of high-tech equipment and avionics, making it, like all Airbus aircraft, safe, reliable, efficient, easy to fly, comfortable, and much more. The entire plane is a beautiful feat of engineering and design, and no other aircraft can compete with it.
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Boeing 787
The 787 is a plane not made out of aluminum, which means it's stronger and can carry more passengers and cargo. It can go farther than a 767 and 757, so it will replace those planes in the future.
Overall, it is a better plane and will replace more aircraft. Despite its small size, the 787 can carry a lot of passengers, including first class. So it's small, but also big. It's a very good airplane.
Like the A350 (which came into service nearly a decade after this aircraft), what makes this plane unique is the high technology. Plus, unlike other aircraft, the 787 uses a lighter-weight material for the body of the plane, which is composite plastic, giving the plane less drag and more speed.
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Concorde
The Concorde was a much better aircraft than its Soviet counterpart, the Tupolev Tu-144. Although the Tu-144 may have come out earlier than the Concorde, it was involved in numerous accidents due to design flaws. This clearly showed that it had been rushed to beat the Concorde to the market and was generally considered a noisy and uncomfortable aircraft. The Concorde was involved in only one fatal crash, which was caused by the aircraft running over a strip of metal that had fallen off a DC-10.
I wish they had just improved the technology, comfort, and fuel efficiency of this record-breaking beauty of an aircraft. It was one giant leap backward when taken out of service. I wonder if we will see such an aircraft in the near future, with all the technology we have.
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Boeing 737
I have literally flown on almost every series of this plane. It has come a very long way from the original 100/200 series. That flight was on a "Metro Jet". I remember the red livery like it was yesterday.
Then, working for Southwest, I have flown on the 300 series, the 400 series, the 500 series, and of course, the 700 series. Recently, I flew on the 900 series. This plane has come a very, very long way, and none of my flights have resulted in fear or anxiety.
I get more worked up over having to fly on an Airbus A321. I've grown to appreciate the workhorse Boeing 737 series. It's the do-all of the short- to medium-range commercial jets.
The Boeing 737 has established the best safety record ratio for passenger miles flown. Since it was unveiled by United in 1968, it has been improved continuously over the last 45 years. Today, the 737-800 and beyond are the safest, strongest aircraft. Airbus is good, but "If it ain't Boeing, I'm not going!"
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Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is low-cost, similar to the Airbus A320, but it has low noise and is versatile. The only problem is that some versions are very noisy. Rating: 8/10
This is a truly elegant plane, but the only reason I put it on here is because it is literally the butter machine.
When I went in this, it was pretty nice, but I slept through the whole route because it was only 3 hours.
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Lockheed L-1011 TriStar
I can't believe this! This great jet should be in the top 3 because of its S-ducted, center-lined aft engine and horizontal flying stabilizer. It was the world's first aircraft to use carbon fiber in its rear spars!
I know this because I was there, in buildings 175/146 at B-1 Burbank. To even come close to the smooth-flying L-1011, you would have to cross a DC-9 or Super 80 with a 727. Even then, you would still be lacking in size, hands-free landings, and quality.
Lockheed discontinued the jet because they were losing money on their "build it your way, no extra charge" motto. A man named Les once told me he was a former L-1011 salesman who was paid not to show up to airlines that wanted the jet!
It was way ahead of its time, with full Cat III Autoland capability. The cabin was the quietest until the arrival of the 777-200. Its AC system was the best in the business, and its cabin air exchange rate was every 15 minutes, again not matched until the 777.
Flight attendants loved the lower galley rest area. Pilots who flew it called it the best plane they had ever flown. Customers loved the wider seats and longer legroom. To top all of this off, it only had one hull loss attributed to a design or construction flaw, making it one of the safest commercial airliners ever built.
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Airbus A350
Boeing fans keep yapping about how this plane is a copy, but Airbus never wanted any rivalry with the two planes in the first place. The planes weren't even that similar, if you ask me. It's just a similar nose and the windows dimming bit. Everyone develops similar technology to another. It's like calling a brand that sells the same tech as another a copy.
Also, the A350 is much safer and quieter than the 787, and I'd much rather keep my ears well while flying. Thank you.
This plane is truly the most modern airplane on this list. While the CSeries is a newer aircraft and still nice, it can't compete with the mighty A350. Its size nearly competes with the 777. It's more fuel-efficient than the 787. Its winglets, or "sharklets," are better than those on the 737. It has a longer range than the 747. It's quieter than the 757. And it's sleeker than the 767. While it's still at the beginning of its service, this aircraft will outperform the competition.
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Boeing 767
Okay, as a flight attendant, this was one of my favorite planes to fly on. It's not so big that it's ridiculous, but it's big enough and comfortable to work on, as well as to travel as a passenger. I don't think you'll find anyone who didn't like the 767, or the 76 as we called it.
It's a great, safe, comfortable all-around aircraft. Loved it!
This is the most comfortable plane to fly. Designed by pilots for pilots, it's a great plane. Boeing should focus more on efficient engines instead of designing something new with so many problems. They should concentrate on making what is good even better and stop competing with Airbus for heaven's sake.
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Comac C919
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Airbus A321 XLR
A really nice plane it looks nice and it's perfect for long haul routes.
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Boeing 727
I was a flight attendant, and we all loved flying the 727-200. Not so much the 727-100 - it was awkward and discombobulated to work on. The 200 was safe, spacious, and you always felt secure.
My first jet flight was on a PSA 727-200 in 1970. I used the airstairs to disembark at SAN.
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Boeing 707
Sleek and beautiful, the 707 is the granddaddy of all commercial Boeing jets. Despite being based on 1950s technology, the 300 series with its JT3D fanjets could fly for nearly 12 hours nonstop, at over 600 mph, and reach a ceiling of 42,000 feet.
It's long forgotten but remains one of the most influential jets of all time.
God bless the 707! It's an immaculate aircraft and was an extreme advance in aviation technology. I love the engines - thank you, Pratt and Whitney JT3D!
The mighty 707 is one of Bill Boeing's last directly influenced designs. Its smaller brother, the 720, was good but not produced in large numbers.
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Airbus A320
I completely agree that many people here are mixing up the discussion and focusing only on where the plane was made. Anyway, I've been on the 747, 767, 737, 727, and 757. As for Airbus, I've flown on the 320, 330, 340, and 380.
The 320 was my favorite for a number of reasons. However, what I find weird is that the 320 is ranked behind the 787 by several planes. I didn't see any Airbus sitting on the ground for four months!
The A320 is one of the greatest aircraft out there. Why else would there be more A320 sales than the 737NG? Most major airlines prefer it for short-haul flights. With its innovative ideas, it is a leader in aviation!
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Douglas DC-3
A plane that changed everything and doesn't know what retirement is. Almost a century after her first flight, she just keeps flying for war and peace. Try to name any aircraft that could come near her in service record.
At one time, nearly every passenger airplane in the world was a DC-3. It did more to move commercial aviation forward than any other plane.
It's not the quickest nor the quietest, but it has charm and character. It's a truly cool plane and a thrill when you rarely see one.
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McDonnell Douglas DC-10
After all the kinks were worked out in the '70s, and despite initially deserving its bad reputation, the DC-10 became a favorite among flight attendants. We loved working on this plane, largely because we had a Lower Lobe Galley to retreat to. This provided us a break from the passengers and allowed for uninterrupted relaxation.
Passengers also loved it because there was a large area in the back for stretching, and there were four bathrooms situated straight across the back of the plane. We miss you, "the 10," as we called it!
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Airbus A300
It looks decent and had an advanced cockpit for the time it flew. I'm trusting you about it being a K-Mart 767.
First twin-jet plane. Not that good-looking - just revolutionary, really.
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Boeing 757
The 757 is elegant in every way. It looks the way a commercial aircraft should look. Paired with Rolls-Royce engines, it has one of the highest thrust-to-weight ratios of any commercial aircraft.
The 757 is the most versatile (if not overpowered) commercial jet ever built. It should not have gone out of production. Essentially, it's a jack-of-all-trades for routes up to 4,000 miles in length.
The 757 is a cool aircraft with a nice cockpit. I've been in it about 11 times, and I love the fast takeoffs.
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McDonnell Douglas MD-11
The MD-11, the twin of the DC-10, is newer, nicer, and more modern, but not necessarily better. It frequently had electrical and video problems. While it looked nice, most passengers were unhappy because their video systems didn't work on long flights, leading to many complaints. As a flight attendant, it was an okay airplane to work on, but it lacked a lower lobe galley to escape to. Additionally, the MD-11 didn't offer as much stretching space for passengers compared to its older sister, the DC-10. This was because of the all-main-floor galley design, which took up more cabin space than its predecessor. Not my favorite!
I like this plane, although I'm quite happy that they're retired and now serve only as cargo planes. The safety record is mediocre, around three stars, but the plane is still incredibly useful for cargo.
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Airbus A340
Other than being the only operating single-deck, quad-engine aircraft, the A340 is another plane where ultra-long-haul flights seem to be a major virtue. The A340-500 was the original plane for the Newark-Singapore route before the route was discontinued and then brought back with another aircraft called the A350ULR.
One drawback is that, unlike the A350, the A340-500 can be fuel-inefficient. The older A340s can also be underpowered.
This aircraft has a pretty good safety record. The only major crash I remember was an Air France crash back in 2005, and that was due to nothing but pilot error and bad weather.
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Airbus A350 XWB
The A350 XWB is one of the most advanced aircraft. It's a great mix between fitting in with the rest of the Airbus family and leading with innovations. It's an aircraft of the future.
The A350 XWB is a technologically advanced twinjet that was meant to compete with the Boeing 787. This plane is unique in its own ways and is still an efficient, long-range, and comfortable aircraft.
It is an incredibly new plane with high-level technology. It is only one inch narrower than the 777 but five inches wider than the 787. The range of the -900ULR that comes out in 2018 will be able to fly the route from Sydney to London direct, as well as Singapore to Newark direct.
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Airbus A320neo
Very efficient. Small but has a very good flying range. New engines, wings, and more. A perfect small commercial airplane.
All you love about the A320 CEO but better. Outselling the 737 MAX for a reason!
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Airbus A321
So it's good, but normally there isn't as much legroom and also no in-flight entertainment on these.
If Boeing had a rival for this plane, it would be the 757.
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Airbus A318
The smallest plane in the A320 family.
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Antonov An-225 Mriya
It's not that hard to build a big plane if you've got a lot of money.
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Boeing 777x
This plane is what you actually call a masterpiece. It's reliable, efficient, and safe, all put into one plane. I think everyone thought that the Boeing 777 included the -X model.