Compare the Airbus A340 and Boeing 747 by size, seating, range, engines, cockpit, cargo role and simulator handling, with key variant caveats.
The Airbus A340 and Boeing 747 are four-engine, long-range wide-body airliners, but the 747 is generally larger, heavier and recognisable by its upper deck. The A340 has one main passenger deck and Airbus fly-by-wire controls; the 747 family generally provides more seats, cargo volume and dedicated freighter capability.
For Aviation & Real-World Flying, the key caveat is that both names cover several substantially different aircraft. An A340-300 versus 747-400 comparison does not produce the same answer as an A340-600 versus 747-8 comparison.
Airbus A340 vs Boeing 747 at a glance
The A340 is usually the lower-capacity aircraft, while the 747 has the wider fuselage, upper deck and stronger cargo credentials.
| Comparison | Airbus A340 | Boeing 747 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic layout | Four engines, twin aisles and one main passenger deck | Four engines, twin aisles and a partial upper deck |
| Main passenger variants | A340-200, -300, -500 and -600 | 747-100, SP, -200, -300, -400 and -8 Intercontinental |
| Representative lengths | A340-300: about 63.7 m; A340-600: about 75.4 m | 747-400: about 70.7 m; 747-8I: about 76.3 m |
| Typical airline seating | Commonly about 250–370, depending heavily on variant and layout | Commonly about 350–470 in mainstream long-haul layouts, with exceptions such as the shorter 747SP |
| Typical cruise | Approximately Mach 0.82–0.83 | Approximately Mach 0.84–0.85 |
| Flight controls | Digital fly-by-wire, sidesticks and flight-envelope protections in normal law | Yokes and Boeing control logic; implementation varies considerably by generation |
| Cargo role | Passenger-aircraft belly cargo; no Airbus factory-built production freighter | Passenger, combi and purpose-built freighter variants, including nose-loading freighters |
The generations matter especially on the Boeing side. Our explanation of how the 747-8 differs from the 747-400 covers the changes in wings, engines, dimensions and flight decks without treating every 747 as the same aircraft.
Which is bigger, the A340 or 747?
The Boeing 747 is bigger in most operationally useful measures, including fuselage width, cabin volume, maximum weight and passenger capacity, but the longest A340 exceeds the 747-400 in length.
The A340-600 measures roughly 75.4 metres from nose to tail, making it about 4.7 metres longer than the 747-400. That does not make it the larger aircraft overall: the 747-400 is wider, taller and has an upper deck. The later 747-8 Intercontinental is also slightly longer than the A340-600 at approximately 76.3 metres.
A common mistake is to use length alone as shorthand for size. Capacity depends on fuselage width, usable floor area, seat layout, galleys, premium cabins and certification limits—not simply the distance between nose and tail.
Which aircraft has greater range and performance?
The A340-500 has greater nominal range than most passenger 747 variants, while the 747 generally cruises slightly faster and carries more passengers or freight.
Published range figures for the A340-500 can approach 9,000 nautical miles under specified assumptions. Comparable published figures for the 747-400 and 747-8 Intercontinental are commonly around 7,300–7,700 nautical miles. These are not guaranteed route distances: payload, reserves, winds, temperature, diversion requirements and cabin configuration all change the usable range.
The A340-200 and -300 use CFM56 engines, whereas the larger -500 and -600 use Rolls-Royce Trent 500s. The early CFM56-powered versions gained a reputation for unhurried acceleration and climb when heavily loaded, particularly in hot or high conditions. That characteristic should not be applied to every A340 variant.
The 747 used several engine families across its production life, culminating in GEnx engines on the 747-8. Its higher capacity and payload come with greater total fuel consumption, so there is no useful blanket answer to which family is more economical. A smaller A340 may burn less fuel per trip, while a well-filled 747 can distribute its costs across more seats.
Why is the Boeing 747 much more important as a freighter?
The 747 was designed in a way that supports outsized and high-volume freight, while the A340 remained principally a passenger aircraft.
On factory-built 747 freighters, the flight deck sits above the main deck so the nose can hinge open for straight-in loading. Large items that cannot negotiate a conventional side cargo door can therefore be loaded directly into the main deck. The 747 also has purpose-built freighter structures and cargo-handling systems.
The A340 can carry substantial containerised freight in its lower hold, but Airbus did not produce a factory A340 freighter. This difference helps explain why 747 freighters retained a valuable specialist role even as four-engine passenger aircraft became less attractive.
How do the A340 and 747 cockpits differ?
The A340 uses Airbus sidesticks, fly-by-wire control laws and managed automation, while the 747 retains a yoke and Boeing-style autoflight interface.
In the A340, the pilot commands a response through the sidestick rather than moving the control surfaces through a conventional mechanical linkage. Normal law provides protections and interprets those inputs according to the aircraft's flight-control logic. The two sidesticks are not mechanically linked.
The 747's exact systems depend on its generation, but its control column, mode-control panel and Boeing-style LNAV, VNAV and autothrottle logic give it a different workflow. The 747-8 incorporates newer electronic systems, yet it should not be treated as an Airbus-style aircraft simply because it is more modern. Our broader comparison of Airbus and Boeing control philosophies explains the underlying distinction.
What mistakes cause problems in a flight simulator?
Most A340 and 747 simulation problems come from mixing variants, mismanaging weight or assuming both aircraft use the same automation logic.
- Comparing the wrong variants: check whether the model represents an A340-300, A340-600, 747-400 or 747-8 before using speeds, fuel figures or checklists. They are not interchangeable.
- Loading maximum fuel and payload together: this can exceed maximum take-off weight or produce an invalid centre of gravity. Set payload first, calculate the fuel required for the route and verify zero-fuel weight, take-off weight and balance.
- Ignoring the active autoflight mode: monitor the flight-mode annunciations after every selection. Airbus managed and selected modes do not map directly to the 747's LNAV, VNAV, FLCH and vertical-speed logic.
- Expecting a visual enhancement to rebuild the whole aircraft: an A340 gauge enhancement for the Overland/SMS model can improve instrument presentation, but it does not by itself replace the flight dynamics or underlying systems.
- Assuming every freeware model is study-level: a freeware 747-400ER package for FSX should be assessed against its stated features and documentation rather than procedures written for a different add-on.
Why did airlines retire so many A340s and 747s?
Large twin-engine aircraft displaced both families from many passenger routes because they can provide similar range with fewer engines to fuel and maintain.
Fleet age, maintenance costs and difficulty filling very large cabins also mattered. The A340 had no established factory-freighter second life, while the 747's payload, upper-deck flight deck and nose-loading capability protected its cargo role. Some passenger and specialist examples of both families remain, so neither type should be described as universally retired.
Which should you choose in a flight simulator?
Choose by the operating experience you want and by the quality of the specific aircraft model, not by assuming one family is universally better.
- Choose the A340 for Airbus sidestick handling, fly-by-wire protections, managed automation and variants ranging from the mainstream A340-300 to the ultra-long-range A340-500 and very long A340-600.
- Choose the 747 for the upper-deck flight deck, higher-capacity operations, Boeing yoke and autoflight logic, or realistic heavy-freighter routes.
- Choose by add-on fidelity when systems matter most. Accurate weight limits, flight-management functions, engine behaviour and autopilot modes have a greater effect on the experience than the aircraft badge alone.