Does “largest” always mean wingspan?
No. Length, wingspan, takeoff weight, payload and capacity answer different questions. That is why Large Planes publishes separate, clearly labelled rankings.
Database ranking · verified 9 September 2026
Largest cargo planes
Cargo and special-purpose transport aircraft ranked by published maximum payload.
Only completed aircraft in our launch database with a published value for max payload kg are included. Variant-specific values are retained rather than mixed into a theoretical maximum.
RankAircraftCategoryMeasured value
01An-225 MriyaAntonovhistorical250 t02An-124 RuslanAntonovcargo150 t03747-400 DreamlifterBoeingspecial-purpose113.4 t04BelugaXLAirbusspecial-purpose51 tHow to read this ranking
Why can figures differ elsewhere?
Aircraft families contain variants, and manufacturers sometimes quote optional or certified maximums. Each profile explains the definition used and links the supporting sources.