Aircraft are built to travel vast distances quickly. But just how far can an aircraft fly, and which aircraft can fly the longest without refueling? Let's take a look at the numbers.

As to make this a fair comparison, there are a few caveats as to 'which aircraft can fly the furthest.' The first is that the aircraft must be in use by airlines or be under serious development. We don't want to include a one-off prototype that can fly around the world on a single tank if you can't buy a ticket to fly on it. We will be looking at jet propulsion aircraft and not planes that use other forms of movement.

Lufthansa Boeing 747-8
Photo: Vincenzo Pace I Simple Flying.

Additionally, we will be looking at an aircraft fully loaded and ranges listed by the manufacturer. An empty aircraft stripped of everything, including seats and entertainment, can fly a lot further than a full cargo carrier and thus would not be fair.

Get all the latest aviation news right here on Simple Flying

Which aircraft has the longest range?

Starting from the beginning, the original long-haul aircraft was the Boeing 747SP, with a range of 6,650 nautical miles (12,320 km). It was built specifically for long-range travel, such as the 5,320 nautical miles (9,850 kilometers) scheduled nonstop service between New York and Tehran.

NASA's Boeing 747SP which operates the SOFIA mission.
The 747SP was a shortened version of the quad-engine aircraft for extra range. Photo: NASA/SOFIA/Waynne Williams.

This would later be beaten by the Boeing 777-200LR (Long Range at 8,555 nautical miles/15,843 km) and the Airbus A340-500 at a colossal 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km). These aircraft would maintain their lead in the longest range stakes, even beyond the arrival of the Airbus A380 (range 8,000 nautical miles/14,800 km) and the Boeing 747-8I (7,730 nautical miles/14,320 km).

The 777-200LR became the first two-engined aircraft to close on the title of the farthest flying aircraft in the world, setting the stage for the Airbus A350 to enter a decade and a half later.

thai-airways-whats-next-getty
The A340-500 long held the title of the longest-range aircraft. Photo: Getty Images

Boeing would also build the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that would be used for many long-range routes (such as the popular Perth to London flight), but it would only have a range of 7,635 nautical miles (14,140 km).

The true crown today belongs to the Airbus A350, but not the original version. The original Airbus A350 has an impressive range of 8,700 nautical miles (16,100 km), but for Singapore Airlines, Airbus built the Airbus A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range) that can dominate distances as far as 9,700 nautical miles (18,000 km).

Two Singapore Airlines Airbus A350s parked at an airport.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

The highest of them all

Today the A350-900ULR is the longest-range aircraft in the world, with the latest competition from Boeing (the 777-8) still some way behind. With no extra long-haul aircraft in development currently, the A350 could hold this record for a few more years at least, if not longer.

What do you think about the aircraft with the highest range? Are there any other planes across the industry that impress you with their abilities? Let us know what you think of these aircraft and their capabilities in the comment section.