This list will include eight of the most revolutionary and iconic jetliners to ever take to the sky. Each of these planes was an innovative leap forward for commercial aviation when they debuted. They all continue to serve the global air travel industry in their own niches, as their performance remains indispensable to airlines around the world.

We will review a collection of claims that represented breakthroughs in efficiency, capacity, and even versatility that changed the flying world forever. As the colossal forthcoming Boeing 777X twinjet stands to once again change the landscape of long-haul aviation when it enters service, let’s dive into the story behind the best long-range jetliners in the world today.

Airbus A340

Long-Haul Pioneer

The Airbus A340 is one of the last quadjet airliners remaining in service today. It was developed in parallel with a twinjet A330 at a time when regulations prevented aircraft without four engines from flying extended routes over oceans or remote terrain. Its exceptional range made it a pioneer of long-haul flying, and it held records for some of the world’s longest commercial flights in its early era.

The big Airbus jet was praised for its quiet cabin, smooth ride as well as its spacious interior. The plane featured advanced fly-by-wire flight controls and a glass cockpit. It is now commonly seen on aircraft like the A320 and A350. Although it has begun to show its age in the post-COVID-19 era of commercial flying, some carriers continue to fly it. Notably, Lufthansa recently pulled a number of A350-600 stretch models from storage to bring additional first class configured transoceanic airliners back into service.

Boeing 767

Jack of All Trades

The Boeing 767 has proven to be one of the most durable, reliable, and versatile workhorse widebody jets ever made by the legendary American planemaker. The 767 is not only a highly successful passenger widebody but one of the most prolific freighters, and has even become a new standard airframe in the US Air Force as it modernizes its tanker fleet. The 767 was the first commercial twin-engine jet certified for extended-range operations (ETOPS) over water in 1985.

The 767 was developed in parallel with the 757 narrowbody; each aircraft featured an innovative two-person glass cockpit, which eliminated the legacy flight engineer’s position thanks to new digital avionics. The standardized cockpit allowed airlines to train crew one time and receive a rating for both jets, significantly reducing time and cost for carriers and aircrew.

The 767’s design was driven by a new focus on fuel efficiency and operating costs, incorporating a supercritical wing design to reduce drag and high-bypass-ratio turbofan engines. The 767 features a unique seven-abreast economy seating in a 2-3-2 layout, which is popular with passengers for providing easier aisle access.

Airbus A330

The Gentle Giant

The Airbus A330 is a highly versatile, cost-efficient twin-engine widebody aircraft that has become a staple of medium-to-long-haul flights for airlines around the world. The A330 is famous for its smooth landings, earning it the nickname “butter machine” online by some aviation enthusiast groups.

The A330’s main landing gear is designed with a unique backward tilt. When the aircraft touches down, this specific configuration helps to absorb the impact smoothly. The aircraft’s advanced fly-by-wire system and flight control computers also assist pilots in making precise and controlled approaches.

The newer A330neo (new engine option) models feature the “Airspace” cabin, which includes larger overhead bins, LED mood lighting, and enhanced air filtration systems to improve the passenger experience and reduce jet lag. The A330neo variant also incorporates new Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines and enhanced aerodynamics, resulting in a 25% reduction in fuel consumption.

Boeing 777

The Iconic Triple Seven

In a significant leap forward for Boeing, the 777 was the first aircraft to feature a fully fly-by-wire flight control system. Another first for Boeing, as well as the commercial aircraft industry as a whole. The 777 was designed entirely using computer-aided design (CAD) software, which allowed engineers to pre-assemble the thousands of parts virtually.

The 777 was the first twin-engine jet to be certified for 180-minute ETOPS upon entry into service. The 777-300ER and 777-200LR models are powered by the General Electric GE90-115B, which is still the world’s most powerful commercial jet engine, producing 115,000 pounds of thrust.

The Triple Seven is much loved by aircrew, carriers, and passengers alike. The vast cabin is home to some of the most opulently appointed spaces in the sky. Carriers like Qatar Airways have used the 777 as a platform to elevate luxury flying with their fully enclosed business-class suites.

The 777X may be several years behind schedule; however, it is said to take twinjets to the next level with its gigantic engines, the GE9X, which will be more powerful than the GE90, as well as its industry-first folding wingtips. The jet features a number of stunning enhancements that will take the 777 family into the future and set a new standard for long-haul flying.

Airbus A350

The Original Extra-Widebody

The A350 was a major watershed airframe for Airbus. The clean-sheet design succeeded the A330 as the company’s leading widebody twinjet. The “extra wide body” design provides generous personal space, with high ceilings, sculpted sidewalls, and wide seats even in economy class. Specially modified Ultra Long Haul variants of the A350-900 currently fly the longest commercial routes in the world, for Singapore Airlines, and another A350-1000 ULR will soon surpass this with the Qantas “Project Sunrise” development program.

The A350’s “Airspace” cabin is a major selling point of the long-range jetliner. It is widely considered the quietest twin-aisle aircraft in the sky, thanks to extensive acoustic insulation and engine technology that significantly reduces cabin noise levels. It also has lower cabin pressure at 6,000 feet, compared to the typical 8,000 feet on older jets like the A330 and 767.

All of those features that make it so capable and comfortable are possible thanks to its innovative construction methods. The A350’s extensive use of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) significantly reduces the aircraft’s weight and greatly improves its efficiency. Over 50% of the jet is made from composite materials, which also greatly reduces maintenance and operational costs over the lifetime of the airplane. The A350 even shares a common type rating and flight control setup with other Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft, like the A330.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Boeing’s Clean-Sheet Marvel

Boeing’s leading design today is its clean sheet 787 Dreamliner. The exceptional success of this aircraft even inspired Airbus to push the A350 program ahead and slide the A330 Neo onto the back burner. The 787 is the first all-new airliner the company has designed in decades and incorporates a host of new technologies, just like the A350, which came after it. The aircraft is exceptionally popular with passengers for its large windows and spacious cabin, as well as a very quiet environment.

Meanwhile, airlines have enthusiastically adopted the 787 in large numbers, with Boeing’s total order book nearly double that of Airbus for the A350 so far. The smaller 787-8 is flexible enough to take over long and thin routes flown by long-range narrowbodies like the 757; meanwhile, the 787-10 stretched model can handle higher density routes flown by 777 or A330 legacy widebodies.

The aircraft incorporates 50% composites, which provides a 20-25% fuel burn improvement with either General Electric GEnx or Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. In the post-coronavirus era of air travel, flexibility has become key as the travel lockdown showed that large, expensive jets become liabilities when traffic slows down. At the same time, airlines need large-capacity aircraft to handle high-density traffic and maximize profit when demand is up.

The 787 has shown that it can perform both roles equally well and has exceptionally low operational maintenance costs while staying up and running as long as possible between maintenance needs. Even as Boeing has struggled in recent years due to the delayed release of the 777X, which was originally expected to enter service in 2020, and the disastrous safety record of the 737 MAX, the 787 has continued to be a reliable and popular airframe.

Boeing 747

The Queen Of The Skies

The Boeing 747, affectionately known as the “Queen of the Skies” or the “Jumbo Jet,” is arguably the most iconic and recognizable commercial airliner in history. Although the 747 has largely been phased out due to its steadily rising operating costs, it was initially a breakthrough in commercial aviation for its low per-seat cost to fly. The 747 heralded a golden era in aviation and left a mark on the history of flying that is arguably never been equaled by any other airliner.

It was the first widebody and the first jumbo jet to debut when it entered service with Pan Am in 1970. One of only two double-decker jetliners ever made, the 747 was the flagship of nearly every airline in the world at some point. It was famous for the best landings of any airliner in the sky, according to aircrew and frequent flyers.

The jet went on to become the most capable cargo aircraft in the world. It was chosen to ferry the NASA Space Shuttle. Boeing super-sized it to transport 787 fuselages and wings as the 747-400-based “Dreamlifter.” The USAF even installed lasers aboard the huge airliner as part of the “Star Wars” Cold War development programs.

The 747 is still Air Force One, with the Next Generation being developed on the final 747-8 airframes that rolled out of the factory before it closed in 2023, after 55 years of production. Still more continue to serve heads of state around the world, and other young airframes are undergoing new programs to fulfill other special missions.

Airbus A380

The One And Only Superjumbo Jet

The Airbus A380, widely known by its nickname the “Superjumbo,” is the world’s largest and only full-length double-deck commercial passenger aircraft. It was developed to challenge the Boeing 747’s dominance and aimed to optimize travel on busy, long-haul routes between major global hubs.

The vast space has allowed airlines to introduce groundbreaking luxury features, including onboard bars and lounges for premium passengers, private first-class suites with sliding doors, and even onboard shower facilities on some carriers like Emirates and Etihad Airways.

However, the Superjumbo is currently experiencing an unexpected resurgence as airlines bring stored A380s back into service to meet the high demand for travel following the pandemic and offset delays in new aircraft deliveries.

Production ended in 2021, with the final delivery going to its largest operator, Emirates, but the A380 will likely continue to grace the skies for decades to come, supported by operators like Emirates, British Airways, and Qantas.