How Far Can Airplanes Fly?

At first look, aircraft range seems to be simple: It’s merely the total distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing.

In fact, many of us probably don’t think too much about it beyond preflight planning to ensure that we have enough fuel to make it to the next fuel—or hamburger—stop with the appropriate reserves.

Range matters to pilots of different planes in different ways. The range of a B-52 is clearly a different animal than that of a 152, and over the course of aviation history, designers and tinkerers alike have come up with ways to increase an aircraft’s range while still being mindful of the weight penalties added fuel imposes but staying fully aware of the safety and utility advantages of flying that much farther down the road.

Maximum range speed: Usually slightly more than best glide (L/D_max )

Range extenders: Reduced power setting/fuel burn, drop tanks, in-flight refueling, tailwinds

Airliner with longest range: Airbus A350-900ULR, range 9,700 nm

Business jet with longest range: Boeing Business Jet 777X, range 11,645 nm

World War II range champ: North American P-51D Mustang, 1,434 nm with external tanks

P-51 mission: World War II fighter escort

P-51 game-changing range: Made strategic bombing of Germany possible

Lockheed P-38L Lightning: 1,100 nm; ferry range, 2,900 nm

P-38 mission: World War II fighter, bomber and reconnaissance

Reconnaissance queen: Lockheed U2 Dragon Lady, 6,090 nm

U2 mission: Cold War reconnaissance

Fastest long-range aircraft: Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, 2,000 nm (without refueling); ferry range: 2,824 nm