How Routes shows up across the archive

Range band

5,750 nm

Notable operators

Pan Am · TWA · Lufthansa · BOAC

BoeingAirlinerRetired

Boeing 720 family

The lighter short-to-medium-haul 707 derivative built for routes that did not need full intercontinental heft.

First flight

1959

Seating

131 to 149

Forum pulse

Range band

3,500 nm

Notable operators

United · American · Western · Middle East Airlines

BoeingAirlinerRetired

Boeing 727 family

The rear-engined trijet that made medium-haul airline flying feel both rugged and glamorous.

First flight

1963

Seating

106 to 189

Forum pulse

Range band

2,500 nm

Notable operators

Eastern · American · United · Lufthansa

BoeingAirlinerIn service

Boeing 737 family

The short-haul baseline that became the most familiar jet family in modern airline memory.

First flight

1967

Seating

130 to 230

Forum pulse

Retirements Operators Routes Long-haul

Range band

3,850 nm

Notable operators

Southwest · Ryanair · United · Alaska

BoeingAirlinerPartially retired

Boeing 747 family

The upper-deck widebody icon that defined how long-haul air travel looked for decades.

First flight

1969

Seating

366 to 467

Forum pulse

Range band

8,000 nm

Notable operators

Pan Am · British Airways · Lufthansa · Korean Air

BoeingAirlinerIn service

Boeing 757 family

The narrowbody that combined transcontinental pace with hot-and-high and transatlantic versatility.

First flight

1982

Seating

178 to 239

Forum pulse

Range band

4,100 nm

Notable operators

Delta · United · American · Icelandair

BoeingAirlinerIn service

Boeing 767 family

The twin-aisle workhorse that quietly normalized efficient long-haul twin-engine flying.

First flight

1981

Seating

181 to 351

Forum pulse

Range band

6,385 nm

Notable operators

United · Delta · ANA · JAL

BoeingAirlinerIn service

Boeing 777 family

The large twin that displaced many four-engine flagships while keeping a strong cabin identity of its own.

First flight

1994

Seating

301 to 426

Forum pulse

Range band

8,555 nm

Notable operators

Emirates · United · ANA · Qatar Airways

BoeingAirlinerIn service

Boeing 787 family

The composite long-haul twin built around lower operating cost and a noticeably different cabin environment.

First flight

2009

Seating

242 to 336

Forum pulse

Range band

7,635 nm

Notable operators

ANA · United · Qatar Airways · British Airways

BoeingAirlinerIn service

Boeing 717

The compact twinjet that carried the DC-9 lineage into the 21st century.

First flight

1998

Seating

106 to 134

Forum pulse

Range band

2,060 nm

Notable operators

Delta · Hawaiian · AirTran

DouglasAirlinerRetired

Douglas DC-8 family

The Douglas long-range quadjet that kept Boeing’s first jetliners from having the market to themselves.

First flight

1958

Seating

117 to 269

Forum pulse

Range band

5,200 nm

Notable operators

United · Delta · KLM · Japan Air Lines

McDonnell DouglasAirlinerRetired

McDonnell Douglas DC-9 family

The short-haul twinjet that gave the Douglas narrowbody line its core proportions and airport personality.

First flight

1965

Seating

90 to 139

Forum pulse

Retirements Operators Routes

Range band

1,700 nm

Notable operators

Delta · Northwest · SAS · Eastern

McDonnell DouglasAirlinerPartially retired

McDonnell Douglas MD-80 family

A short-haul workhorse remembered for rear-mounted engines, warm cabins, and a surprisingly emotional afterlife.

First flight

1979

Seating

130 to 172

Forum pulse

Range band

2,900 nm

Notable operators

American · Delta · SAS · Allegiant

McDonnell DouglasAirlinerRetired

McDonnell Douglas MD-90 family

The re-engined final stretch of the MD narrowbody line, quieter and newer but never as numerous as the MD-80.

First flight

1993

Seating

153 to 172

Forum pulse

Range band

2,455 nm

Notable operators

Delta · JAL · Saudi Arabian · China Northern

McDonnell DouglasAirlinerRetired

McDonnell Douglas MD-11 family

The final Douglas trijet, built for long-haul passenger and freight work at the edge of a changing market.

First flight

1990

Seating

285 to 410

Forum pulse

Range band

6,700 nm

Notable operators

Swissair · KLM · Delta · Finnair

de HavillandAirlinerRetired

de Havilland Comet family

The first jet airliner to enter service and the aircraft that made the world confront both the promise and the risk of pressurized jet transport.

First flight

1949

Seating

36 to 119

Forum pulse

Range band

2,800 nm

Notable operators

BOAC · BEA · Dan-Air

Sud AviationAirlinerRetired

Sud Aviation Caravelle family

The rear-engined short-haul jetliner that gave Europe one of its most elegant first-generation passenger aircraft.

First flight

1955

Seating

80 to 140

Forum pulse

Range band

1,800 nm

Notable operators

Air France · SAS · Swissair · Finnair

ConvairAirlinerRetired

Convair 880 / 990 family

The fast but commercially difficult U.S. jetliners that chased speed more aggressively than the market rewarded.

First flight

1959

Seating

88 to 149

Forum pulse

Range band

3,200 nm

Notable operators

Delta · TWA · American · Swissair

British Aircraft CorporationAirlinerRetired

BAC One-Eleven family

The compact British short-haul jetliner that brought rear-engined twinjet flying to a wide range of carriers.

First flight

1963

Seating

79 to 119

Forum pulse

Range band

1,480 nm

Notable operators

British United · British Caledonian · Mohawk · Laker

Hawker SiddeleyAirlinerRetired

Hawker Siddeley Trident family

The British trijet built around short-field performance, autopilot sophistication, and airline requirements that later grew beyond it.

First flight

1962

Seating

101 to 180

Forum pulse

Range band

2,400 nm

Notable operators

BEA · CAAC · British Airways

VickersAirlinerRetired

Vickers VC10 family

The elegant rear-engined British long-haul jetliner designed for hot-and-high operations and prestige routes.

First flight

1962

Seating

135 to 174

Forum pulse

Range band

5,850 nm

Notable operators

BOAC · Gulf Air · East African Airways

LockheedAirlinerRetired

Lockheed L-1011 TriStar family

The polished widebody trijet remembered for cabin quietness, smooth flying qualities, and a prestige aura all its own.

First flight

1970

Seating

250 to 400

Forum pulse

Range band

5,400 nm

Notable operators

TWA · Delta · British Airways · Cathay Pacific

AirbusAirlinerRetired

Airbus A300 family

The twin-aisle short-to-medium-haul pioneer that launched Airbus as a serious airliner maker.

First flight

1972

Seating

247 to 345

Forum pulse

Range band

4,050 nm

Notable operators

Air France · Lufthansa · Thai · American

AirbusAirlinerRetired

Airbus A310 family

The shortened Airbus widebody that gave airlines a smaller long-range twin at exactly the right moment.

First flight

1982

Seating

220 to 280

Forum pulse

Range band

5,150 nm

Notable operators

Lufthansa · Swissair · Air France · Pakistan International

AirbusAirlinerIn service

Airbus A320 family

The fly-by-wire single-aisle family that turned cockpit commonality into fleet strategy.

First flight

1987

Seating

100 to 244

Forum pulse

Range band

4,000 nm

Notable operators

easyJet · Delta · IndiGo · Lufthansa

AirbusAirlinerIn service

Airbus A330 family

The versatile twin-aisle family that stayed relevant by stretching from medium-long-haul utility to neo-era efficiency.

First flight

1992

Seating

246 to 406

Forum pulse

Retirements Operators Routes Long-haul

Range band

7,200 nm

Notable operators

Delta · Cathay Pacific · Qatar Airways · Turkish Airlines

AirbusAirlinerPartially retired

Airbus A340 family

The four-engine Airbus long-haul family that bridged the gap between early twins and later ultra-efficient flagships.

First flight

1991

Seating

239 to 440

Forum pulse

Range band

9,000 nm

Notable operators

Lufthansa · Virgin Atlantic · Iberia · Cathay Pacific

AirbusAirlinerIn service

Airbus A350 family

A long-haul twin built around efficiency, composite structure, and a calmer cabin proposition.

First flight

2013

Seating

300 to 410

Forum pulse

Range band

8,700 nm

Notable operators

Singapore Airlines · Qatar Airways · Cathay Pacific · Delta

AirbusAirlinerIn service

Airbus A380 family

The double-deck giant built to make hub-era long-haul travel feel theatrical and unmistakable.

First flight

2005

Seating

485 to 615

Forum pulse

Range band

8,200 nm

Notable operators

Emirates · Singapore Airlines · Qantas · British Airways

AirbusRegional jetIn service

Airbus A220 family

The former C Series that reset expectations for comfort and range in the 100-to-150-seat bracket.

First flight

2013

Seating

100 to 160

Forum pulse

Range band

3,600 nm

Notable operators

Delta · JetBlue · airBaltic · Air France

DassaultAirlinerRetired

Dassault Mercure family

The French short-haul airliner that solved its design brief cleanly but arrived in a market that wanted more range.

First flight

1971

Seating

150 to 162

Forum pulse

Retirements Preservation / museum Routes Regional flying

Range band

930 nm

Notable operators

Air Inter

FokkerRegional jetRetired

Fokker F28 Fellowship family

The compact European regional jet that helped define how short-field jet transport could look outside the U.S. majors.

First flight

1967

Seating

65 to 85

Forum pulse

Retirements Operators Routes Regional flying

Range band

1,100 nm

Notable operators

LTU · Braathens · Ansett · Air UK

FokkerRegional jetPartially retired

Fokker 70 / 100 family

The final Fokker jetliners, remembered for crisp short-haul capability and a loyal operator base that outlasted the company itself.

First flight

1986

Seating

79 to 122

Forum pulse

Retirements Operators Routes Regional flying

Range band

2,300 nm

Notable operators

KLM Cityhopper · Austrian · Helvetic · Alliance

British AerospaceRegional jetPartially retired

BAe 146 / Avro RJ family

The high-lift four-engine regional jet family built for city airports, steep approaches, and unusual operating niches.

First flight

1981

Seating

70 to 112

Forum pulse

Range band

1,800 nm

Notable operators

Swissair · CityJet · Lufthansa CityLine · Brussels Airlines

BombardierRegional jetIn service

Bombardier CRJ family

The Canadair Regional Jet line that made frequency-first network planning synonymous with regional jet flying.

First flight

1991

Seating

50 to 104

Forum pulse

Range band

2,000 nm

Notable operators

SkyWest · Endeavor · Jazz · Lufthansa CityLine

EmbraerRegional jetIn service

Embraer ERJ family

The slimline Brazilian regional jets that brought speed and reach to thinner markets before larger regional cabins took over.

First flight

1995

Seating

37 to 50

Forum pulse

Range band

2,000 nm

Notable operators

American Eagle · ExpressJet · United Express · Regional One

EmbraerRegional jetIn service

Embraer E-Jet family

Regional jets that made right-sized flying feel less like compromise and more like strategy.

First flight

2002

Seating

76 to 146

Forum pulse

Range band

2,850 nm

Notable operators

KLM Cityhopper · Azul · Porter · Helvetic

COMACRegional jetIn service

COMAC C909 family

China’s first modern indigenous regional jet family to enter sustained passenger service.

First flight

2008

Seating

78 to 97

Forum pulse

Range band

2,000 nm

Notable operators

Chengdu Airlines · Air China · China Eastern

COMACAirlinerIn service

COMAC C919 family

China’s mainline narrowbody program, built to place an indigenous single-aisle jet into regular airline service.

First flight

2017

Seating

156 to 192

Forum pulse

Range band

3,000 nm

Notable operators

China Eastern · Air China · China Southern

Sukhoi Civil AircraftRegional jetIn service

Sukhoi Superjet 100 family

The Russian regional jet built to refresh the country’s short-haul passenger fleet with a modern cabin and systems package.

First flight

2008

Seating

87 to 108

Forum pulse

Retirements Operators Routes Regional flying

Range band

2,470 nm

Notable operators

Aeroflot · Rossiya · Yakutia

AntonovRegional jetPartially retired

Antonov An-148 / 158 family

A rough-field-capable regional jet family built for short-haul routes with infrastructure constraints and cold-weather realities.

First flight

2004

Seating

68 to 99

Forum pulse

Range band

2,400 nm

Notable operators

Rossiya · Angara · Cubana · Ukraine International

DornierRegional jetIn service

Dornier 328JET family

The small commuter jet derivative that gave the 328 platform a faster but still highly specialized operating profile.

First flight

1998

Seating

30 to 33

Forum pulse

Range band

1,000 nm

Notable operators

Sun Air · US Airways Express · Denver Air Connection

IlyushinAirlinerRetired

Ilyushin Il-62 family

The long-range Soviet quadjet that gave Aeroflot and allied operators a true intercontinental flagship.

First flight

1963

Seating

168 to 195

Forum pulse

Range band

5,400 nm

Notable operators

Aeroflot · Interflug · Cubana

IlyushinAirlinerRetired

Ilyushin Il-86 family

The Soviet widebody built around self-contained airport handling and high-capacity domestic and regional service.

First flight

1976

Seating

320 to 350

Forum pulse

Range band

2,050 nm

Notable operators

Aeroflot · Atlant-Soyuz

IlyushinAirlinerIn service

Ilyushin Il-96 family

The modernized Russian long-haul quadjet that outlived the Soviet system in small but persistent numbers.

First flight

1988

Seating

235 to 370

Forum pulse

Range band

7,300 nm

Notable operators

Aeroflot · Cubana · Rossiya

TupolevAirlinerRetired

Tupolev Tu-104 family

One of the world’s first successful jet airliners and the aircraft that put the Soviet Union into scheduled jet service almost immediately after Britain.

First flight

1955

Seating

50 to 100

Forum pulse

Range band

1,700 nm

Notable operators

Aeroflot · CSA

TupolevAirlinerRetired

Tupolev Tu-134 family

The compact Soviet short-haul jetliner that became a fixture across Eastern Bloc and domestic Aeroflot networks.

First flight

1963

Seating

72 to 84

Forum pulse

Range band

1,700 nm

Notable operators

Aeroflot · Interflug · CSA · Balkan

TupolevAirlinerRetired

Tupolev Tu-154 family

The Soviet trijet that became the backbone of medium-haul passenger flying across a vast geography.

First flight

1968

Seating

150 to 180

Forum pulse

Range band

2,850 nm

Notable operators

Aeroflot · LOT · Rossiya · UTair

TupolevAirlinerIn service

Tupolev Tu-204 / 214 family

The post-Soviet twinjet family built to modernize Russian narrowbody service while carrying forward familiar Tupolev dimensions and mission logic.

First flight

1989

Seating

170 to 210

Forum pulse

Range band

3,600 nm

Notable operators

Red Wings · Rossiya · Tupolev flight test

YakovlevAirlinerRetired

Yakovlev Yak-42 family

The Soviet trijet intended to replace earlier short-haul types with better field performance and more modern systems.

First flight

1975

Seating

96 to 120

Forum pulse