Aircraft dimensions, drawn to one scale
Wingspan, length and tail height of 364 aircraft types from the FAA Aircraft Characteristics Database, with the airport design codes they carry. Pick two and lay them over each other.
Side by side: A320 0.1 ft wider; 737-800 6.2 ft longer; 737-800 1.8 ft taller.
| Measure | A320 | 737-800 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wingspan | 117.5 ft | 117.4 ft | A +0.1 ft (0.1%) |
| Length | 123.3 ft | 129.5 ft | B +6.2 ft (5.0%) |
| Tail height | 39.6 ft | 41.4 ft | B +1.8 ft (4.5%) |
| Main gear width | 29.4 ft | 23.0 ft | A +6.4 ft (27.8%) |
| Wheelbase | 41.5 ft | 51.2 ft | B +9.7 ft (23.4%) |
| Plan box | 14,488 ft² | 15,203 ft² | B +716 ft² (4.9%) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 171,961 lb | 174,200 lb | B +2,239 lb (1.3%) |
| Design Group | III | III | same |
| Approach Category | C (136 kt reference) | D (144 kt reference) | differs |
Geometric comparison of FAA-published dimensions only. No clearances are included.
Open the full overlay for side views, metres and a size box.
Every type, by span and length
Browse by Design Group
- I
Spans under 49 ft: 162 types, the widest being the Beaver.
- II
Spans of 49 to under 79 ft: 77 types, median span 57.0 ft.
- III
Spans of 79 to under 118 ft: 77 types, including the 737 and A320 lines.
- IV
Spans of 118 to under 171 ft: 20 types, median length 157.2 ft.
- V–VI
Spans from 171 ft up: 28 types, up to the A380-800 at 261.7 ft.
Approach categories
The FAA places each type in an Approach Category from its reference approach speed at maximum landing weight. On this site Category A holds 117 types, B 98, C 109 and D 39; one military jet makes up Category E.
Explainers
Airplane Design Groups I–VI explained
Which of the two dimensions decides, and how the 364 types split across the six groups.
Aircraft Approach Categories A–E
How the FAA reference approach speed sorts types into five categories, and the 12 listed in two.
The 118-foot wingspan line
Fourteen types stop within 2% of the Group IV limit, including every A320 and 737 variant.
The biggest aircraft by wingspan, length and height
Top-ten lists from the FAA file, and the shapes at both ends of the span-to-length scale.
Boeing 737 vs Airbus A320 family
Nearly the same wingspan today; the Airbus line covers the wider length range.
Business jet dimensions compared
Spans, lengths and tails of 60 business and personal jets, by maker and Design Group.
How aircraft families grew
Length spread, wing changes and weight growth across the 53 lines with their own page.