How Much Does a Plane Weigh?

I remember the first time someone asked me this question at a dinner party. “So you’re into aviation – how much does a plane weigh?” My mind went blank. Do they mean a Cessna? A 747? Empty or full of passengers? With fuel? The honest answer is: it depends enormously on what you’re asking about. Probably should have led with this, honestly: airplane weights span from a couple thousand pounds to nearly a million, and understanding the categories makes the numbers actually meaningful.

Factors Impacting Airplane Weight

The airframe itself – the structure of the aircraft – contributes significantly to weight. Modern aircraft use aluminum alloys, composite materials, and titanium to achieve strength without excessive mass. Every pound saved in structure is a pound available for payload or fuel.

Engines matter enormously. A small Cessna might have a single engine weighing a few hundred pounds. A Boeing 777 has two engines weighing over 15,000 pounds each. The more powerful the engine, generally the heavier it is.

Then there’s the distinction between weighing an aircraft empty versus loaded. Aviation uses specific weight categories that every pilot learns: empty weight, maximum takeoff weight, and maximum landing weight. That’s what makes aviation weight discussions endearing to us detail-oriented types – precision matters.

Empty Weight

This is the aircraft with nothing but its structure, engines, fixed equipment, and the small amount of fuel that can’t be drained from the tanks. No passengers, no cargo, no usable fuel. For a Boeing 737-800, empty weight sits around 91,300 pounds (41,411 kg). For context, that’s roughly 45 tons – just the airplane itself.

Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW)

MTOW represents the heaviest an aircraft can be when starting its takeoff roll. Exceed this, and you risk not being able to get airborne safely – or worse, structural failure. For that same 737-800, MTOW is approximately 174,200 pounds (79,015 kg). The difference between empty weight and MTOW represents the capacity for passengers, cargo, and fuel.

Landing Weight

Aircraft can usually land heavier than they can take off – but there are limits. The stresses of landing place different demands on the structure. Maximum landing weight for the 737-800 is about 146,300 pounds (66,406 kg). If a flight needs to land shortly after takeoff (emergency diversion, for example), pilots may need to dump fuel or circle to burn off weight before landing safely.

Small Private Planes

The Cessna 172, probably the most common training aircraft in the world, has an empty weight around 1,689 pounds (766 kg) and a maximum takeoff weight of 2,450 pounds (1,111 kg). You could lift one with a decent forklift. The entire airplane weighs less than many SUVs.

Regional Jets

Aircraft like the Bombardier CRJ700, designed for shorter routes, occupy the middle ground. Empty weight around 39,026 pounds (17,700 kg), MTOW of 75,000 pounds (34,019 kg). Bigger than anything you’d rent at your local flight school, smaller than the wide-bodies crossing oceans.

Wide-Body Aircraft

Here’s where numbers get staggering. The Boeing 777-300ER – a long-haul workhorse – has an empty weight of approximately 370,000 pounds (167,829 kg) and a MTOW around 775,000 pounds (351,533 kg). That’s nearly 400 tons at takeoff. Watching something that massive accelerate down a runway and lift into the air never stops being impressive.

Military Aircraft

Military weights vary wildly by mission. A fighter like the F-22 Raptor has an empty weight around 43,340 pounds (19,700 kg) – heavy for something so agile. The C-5M Super Galaxy, designed to haul tanks across oceans, has an empty weight of 380,000 pounds and can take off weighing 840,000 pounds (381,018 kg). That’s more than the largest passenger aircraft.

Fuel Influence

Fuel weight dominates the calculations for long flights. The 737-800 can carry about 6,875 gallons (26,020 liters), weighing roughly 46,200 pounds (20,957 kg). An aircraft burning 5 gallons per minute gets noticeably lighter as the flight progresses – which actually improves fuel efficiency as the flight continues.

Payload Weight

Everything else – passengers, baggage, cargo – falls into payload. Airlines typically calculate passenger weight around 185 pounds including carry-on luggage. Cargo varies enormously depending on what’s being shipped. Every flight involves careful weight and balance calculations to ensure the aircraft remains within limits and properly balanced.

Weight Management and Regulations

Aviation authorities mandate strict compliance with weight limits. Pilots compute weight and balance before every flight, ensuring the aircraft stays within manufacturer and regulatory limits. Overweight operations aren’t just illegal – they’re dangerous.

Technological Advances

Constant innovation focuses on weight reduction. Composite materials replace metal in more applications. Advanced alloys provide strength with less mass. Every pound saved either becomes additional payload capacity or improved fuel efficiency. Aircraft designers obsess over weight like jockeys obsess over diets.

So when someone asks how much a plane weighs, the real answer is: “Which one, under what conditions?” But for casual conversation, saying “somewhere between a pickup truck and a small skyscraper” usually covers it.