The Boeing 737 family is often considered noisier than the Airbus A320 family, though there appears to be a lack of official sources confirming this. And while it seems logical that an aircraft such as the 737, which has an older design, is noisier than a newer aircraft such as the A320, the actual difference might be negligible and is often overstated, especially at cruising altitude.

Despite this, there are definitely some factors influencing the noise level in the cockpit, and while engine noise is a logical factor to consider, other factors, such as the design of an aircraft’s nose, also play a significant role.

Why The 737 Is Perceived As Noisy

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The nose of an aircraft is one of the most recognizable parts, but it influences far more than its appearance, since it shapes how air flows around the cockpit and forward fuselage. This airflow also has implications for the noise level in the cockpit, since when that airflow breaks into turbulence, some of it is heard on the flight deck as wind noise. Both the shape of the nose, pointy or rounded, and the design of the aircraft’s windshields significantly influence how this airflow behaves around the cockpit.

The strongest evidence suggesting nose shape and cockpit noise is that later 737 Next-Generation (NG) aircraft were fitted with small vortex generators near the front windows to smooth or disrupt airflow and reduce cockpit noise. One important factor contributing to the difference in nose design is that the 737’s nose design is much older than the aircraft itself, as Boeing has continued to evolve a decades-old nose and cockpit design that traces back to the Boeing 707 and Boeing 727 era.

Besides wind noise as a result of the nose design, there might, however, be a far more important reason for the 737 to be perceived as louder than the A320. According to Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 First Officer Carlos Alberto Valdez, “The 737 is definitely on the louder side of most modern aircraft. Especially during takeoff and landing, there’s a valve that helps keep the electrical bay cool called the Overboard Exhaust Valve, which engages from the surface to around 5000ft, and the sound of the air circulating is very noticeable. In cruise, however, the 737 isn’t too bad; it’s possible to have a conversation on the flight deck without our headphones, but it’s much more comfortable to leave them on and speak via the intercom. The noisiest 737s are the older NGs that have analogue standby instruments; those can often click very annoyingly for the duration of a flight.”

How Is The A320 Different?

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However, besides being designed much later than the 737, the A320 was designed from scratch, giving the aircraft a newer and rounder nose shape. For Airbus, it made a lot of sense to opt for this new nose design, as a blunter and smoother nose offers aerodynamic benefits over a sharp one for subsonic aircraft. This is different from, for example, the Airbus A330 and Airbus A340, which did receive a pointier nose similar to the design the older Airbus A300 and A310 also had, albeit with refinements.

The core benefit of a blunter nose is that it reduces drag, which is inefficient for aircraft as it directly opposes thrust, forcing engines to consume more fuel to maintain speed and altitude. Higher drag increases the power required, reducing range and payload capacity, while acting as a major limitation on maximum speed and operational efficiency.

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A Look At The 737 Beyond Nose Design

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The Boeing 737 family and Airbus A320 family are widely used around the world and are two of the best-known direct competitors in the aviation industry. Perhaps one of the most important differences between the two aircraft, aside from their different manufacturers, is that the Boeing 737’s design is much older compared to the A320. The 737 first took flight in 1967, and its original design required different characteristics to cater to the needs of airports and airlines at the time compared to today. And many of the aircraft’s design elements are even older, as the early 737 shares roughly 60% design commonality with the older Boeing 727, which in turn was based on the Boeing 707, which first took to the skies in 1957. This is significantly different from the A320, which was built largely from scratch and first took flight much later, in 1987.

Both the 737 and A320 families come in different variants, which have evolved over the years. The original Boeing 737s were the -100 and -200 models, and while by far most of these have been retired, some 737-200s still fly to this day for special operations. In the 1980s, these original models were followed by the 737 “classic”, which are the -300, -400, and -500 featuring more efficient engines and increased capacity.

The third iteration of the aircraft, the 737 Next Generation (NG), was launched in 1997 and introduced a completely redesigned wing, an advanced glass cockpit, and new winglets to improve fuel efficiency. And last but not least is the latest iteration of the 737, the Boeing 737 MAX, featuring ultra-efficient LEAP 1B Engines and split winglets in addition to other innovations, resulting in a 20% reduction in fuel use. Another significant benefit is a 50% smaller noise footprint compared to the third-generation 737 aircraft.

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A Look At The A320 Beyond Nose Design

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Since the A320 family is two decades younger than the 737, it has only seen two main technical generations, which, for the largest part, can be differentiated by their engines. In recent years, the A320 family has become so popular that it has become the most-delivered aircraft in aviation history. A title previously held by the Boeing 737 until September 2025. This, however, did not come as a total surprise, as Airbus had already overtaken the Boeing 737 family in total orders in October 2019. As of February 2026, 19,711 A320 family aircraft have been ordered, with 12,512 delivered to airlines worldwide.

As mentioned earlier, the A320 family comes in two generations, which are the A320ceo (Current Engine Option), first introduced in 1987, and the A320neo (New Engine Option), which was introduced in 2016. Similar to the Boeing 737 MAX, the NEO has more efficient engines, offering a fuel reduction of up to 20%. The A320 family comes in various models with different lengths and capacities. Before the introduction of the NEO, these were in order from smallest to largest: the A318, A319, A320, and A321. The NEO family also features the same aircraft, albeit without the A318. Furthermore, the A319neo did not receive much commercial interest and is lagging in sales. The A320neo and A321neo, however, have been a massive success with airlines around the world.

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How Do The 737 & A320 Cockpit Designs Compare?

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The 737 cockpit, besides being arguably louder than the A320, is one of the least comfortable of any aircraft, as the cockpit is extremely narrow with a low ceiling. Additionally, the 737 is also equipped with a yoke, which can limit a pilot’s ability to find a comfortable position during cruise. Something that makes the 737 unique compared to other commercial aircraft still in production is that it features physical hydraulic cables connecting the yoke and rudder pedals to the control surfaces. This so-called fly-by-cable system is preferred by many pilots over the newer fly-by-wire systems used on more modern aircraft, such as the A320.

Compared to the 737, the A320 cockpit was designed with pilot comfort in mind, featuring an ergonomic and intuitive flight deck. As a result of the fly-by-wire control system mentioned earlier, the A320 has a sidestick to control the aircraft instead of the yoke. This provides pilots with a more spacious and comfortable feeling, especially on long flights.