In 2025, aviation spans a remarkable range, from conventional cargo jets to hybrid airships, autonomous drones, and super-sized mothership carriers. This article covers the largest aircraft in the World by Category in 2025, measured by size, payload, wingspan, or fuel capacity as appropriate per class.
Each of the aircraft relies on factual specifications, operational history, and credible sources. This article aims to inform readers about where each aircraft falls in its category, with no conjecture or subjective description.
Largest Aircraft in the World by Category
Image: Vasiliy Koba via Wikimedia1. World’s Largest Cargo Plane
The Antonov An‑225 Mriya was, until its destruction in February 2022, the world’s largest cargo aircraft and largest aircraft overall. Built in the 1980s by the Antonov Design Bureau, it served the Soviet Buran space shuttle programme and later conducted oversized load transports globally.
It had a wingspan of 290 ft, a length of 275 ft, and an empty weight of around 314 tonnes, with a maximum takeoff weight of roughly 640–710 tonnes and a payload capacity of nearly 280 tonnes.
The An‑225’s destruction at Hostomel Airport resulted from direct artillery strikes and structural collapse, leaving it irreparable and ending its operational history. Ukrainian engineers confirmed that critical systems and the nose-end were destroyed, though some tail and wing sections remained intact.
In the absence of An‑225 in 2025, the Antonov An‑124 Ruslan is now the largest cargo aircraft in operation, with a payload capability of around 150 tonnes and dimensions of 226 ft in length and 240 ft in wingspan. It remains the most capable transport aircraft active today.
Photo: Clément Alloing2. World’s Largest Passenger Plane
The Airbus A380‑800 continues to hold the title for the largest passenger aircraft in service by dimension and cabin volume in 2025.
At approximately 238.5 ft in length and 79 ft tall, and with a wingspan of around 260 ft, it remains unmatched in internal capacity. It can seat up to 853 passengers in a high-density layout and has a range of about 8,000 nautical miles.
Though Airbus ended production in 2021, existing A380s are expected to remain in commercial operation for years. No successor larger than the A380 has entered service, keeping it at the top for cabin size and passenger transport capability by default.
Its two full-length decks, wide-body design, and long‑haul range continue to serve airlines on high‑capacity international routes, ranging from premium layouts to high-density configurations spanning Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Qantas.
Photo: Digital RC | YouTube Channel3. World’s Largest RC Plane
The UK-based Bishop brothers hold the unofficial record for the largest radio‑controlled (RC) model aircraft, building a 1:6 scale replica of the Concorde. It measures 33 ft long, 13 ft wingspan, weighs 328 lb, and flies using four JetCat P300 Pro turbine engines.
A notable mention is the 1:16 scale RC model of the Antonov An‑225, with a wingspan of 19 ft, a length of 17 ft, a weight of about 206 lb, and requiring approximately 104 lb thrust from two engines.
While not officially certified by Guinness, these models are regarded in the RC community as the largest flyable RC aircraft by size and weight.
The Concorde model is the largest in length, while the Mriya model is substantial in wingspan and thrust demand.
Photo: By aceebee from Camberley, UK – 87-0120 McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender USAF, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=711897994. World’s Largest Military Aircraft
In military tankers, the McDonnell Douglas KC‑10 Extender is the largest in terms of fuel capacity. It holds 52,250 gallons (about 178 tonnes) of fuel and can operate over 3,800 nautical miles when fully loaded.
Besides refueling, it carries cargo or personnel. It measures roughly 181 feet long and has a wingspan of around 165 feet 4 inches.
However, for strategic airlift capability, the Antonov An‑124 Ruslan is still the largest operational military transport aircraft. With a cargo payload capacity of nearly 150 tonnes and a wingspan of 240 ft, it surpasses the KC‑10 in payload and sheer size, though it lacks the fuel volume of the KC‑10 tanker.
The An‑124 also features nose-tilt loading, a rear ramp, and the ability to carry armored vehicles, helicopters, and oversized cargo to austere airfields. Its size and flexibility remain unmatched in the military transport category.
Photo: Hughes H-4 Hercules – Store norske leksikon5. World’s Largest Seaplane
Historically, the Hughes H‑4 Hercules (“Spruce Goose”) was the largest flying boat ever built, with a wingspan of 321 ft and a length of about 216 ft. It flew only once in 1947, was made largely of birch, and remains a landmark in seaplane design.
In operational status today (2025), the title belongs to China’s AG600 Kunlong, which first flew in 2020. It measures 121 ft long, 39 ft tall, and wingspan of 128 ft. It supports firefighting, marine rescue, or transport of up to 50 passengers and can fly about 2,700 miles.
Though smaller than the Hercules historically, the AG600 is the largest working seaplane currently in service. It combines range, payload, and water-operational capability for both civilian and military missions.
Photo By Eva Folsom | Wikimedia Commons6. World’s Largest Mothership Launchpad
The Scaled Composites Stratolaunch “ROC” holds the record for the largest wingspan of any aircraft ever flown, approximately 385 ft (117 m), exceeding all fixed-wing or lighter-than-air craft.
Designed to air-launch rockets or hypersonic test vehicles, ROC can carry payloads of up to 250 tonnes (about 550,000 lb). It uses six Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines salvaged from Boeing 747‑400s, making it the heaviest and widest aircraft in operational test use.
Though built as a prototype, ROC demonstrates a new class of aerospace platform. Its size and launch-mission profile place it distinctively in this category, unmatched by any other aircraft class.
Photo: By Alan Wilson – Mil Mi-26 Halo ’88 blue’, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=268996377. World’s Largest Helicopter
The Mil Mi‑26 Halo is the heaviest helicopter in service. Introduced in 1981, it has an empty weight of about 62,170 lb (over 28 tonnes) and an overall length exceeding 131 ft. Its cabin can carry up to 80 troops or vehicles; it has lifted aircraft and heavy loads in both military and civilian roles.
Mi‑26 remains in service with several countries for disaster relief, transport missions, and heavy-lift operations. It outclasses all other helicopters by maximum payload capacity, making it the largest in the rotorcraft category.
Photo: By Anthony Levrot, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=627310308. World’s Largest Airship
The LZ‑129 Hindenburg holds the historical record as the longest airship built. It measures about 803 ft in length and 135 ft wide, weighing around 242 tonnes. It is no longer operational.
As of 2025, the Hybrid Air Vehicles Airlander 10 is the largest operational airship or hybrid aircraft. It measures about 302 ft long (≈98 m), 164 ft wide, and about 98 ft tall. It can carry up to 10 tonnes of cargo or accommodate up to 130 passengers on luxury routes.
Airlander 10 achieves lift through both helium buoyancy and aerodynamic lift via its hull shape. It can fly for up to five days straight or ninety hours crewed. It does not require runways and can land on water, ice, sand, or flat terrain. It reduces emissions by up to 90% compared to traditional aircraft.
Image: Beebom9. World’s Largest Drone
The Aevum Ravn X is the largest unmanned aerial system in operation as of 2025. Weighing about 25.4 tonnes, it has a wingspan of about 59.7 ft and a height of 17.7 ft. It is designed for autonomous satellite launches into low Earth orbit. It handles takeoff, flight, landing, and parking without human pilots aboard.
Ravn X represents a new class of drone: a large, heavy-lift, autonomous aerospace vehicle. Its size and purpose distinguish it from reconnaissance or cargo drones; it aims to replace rocket launch platforms and ground-launched systems.
Photo: By Mike1979 Russia – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1550980910. World’s Largest Fighter Jet
The Tupolev Tu-28, also known as the Tu-128 “Fiddler,” is the largest fighter jet ever built. Developed by the Soviet Union, it measures about 98.7 feet (30 meters) in length and has a wingspan of 57.6 feet (17.6 meters).
This long-range interceptor was designed to engage threats from a distance. It has a range of 840 nautical miles (1,560 kilometers) and is equipped with advanced radar and air-to-air missiles.
The Tu-28 served from the mid-1960s until it was retired in 1990, playing a key role during the Cold War.
Antonov-company | Credits To WikicommonsBottom Line
The review of the largest aircraft in the world by category in 2025 underscores how “largest” varies by mission: cargo haulers rely on payload and volume; passenger planes maximize seating and cabin length; seaplanes and airships expand capability in remote or low‑infrastructure zones; drones and mothership launchers redefine aerospace logistics; RC aircraft push hobbyist engineering.
The An‑225 defined the extreme scale until its loss in 2022. The An‑124 now leads cargo operations. The Airlander 10 promises hybrid, eco‑friendly air transport. And Aevum’s Ravn X pushes drone boundaries into spaceflight.
All choices here hinge on confirmed specifications, operational status, or credible production plans as of 2025, not speculation.
Moreover, the future innovation may soon produce even larger designs, but these aircraft currently represent the extreme in their classes.
FAQs on the Largest Aircraft in the World
As of 2025, the Antonov An-124 Ruslan is the largest operational cargo aircraft, following the destruction of the Antonov An-225 Mriya in 2022. It has a maximum payload capacity of around 150 tonnes.
Yes. The Airbus A380-800 remains the world’s largest passenger aircraft by cabin volume and passenger capacity in 2025, even though production ended in 2021.
The Stratolaunch ROC holds the record for the widest wingspan ever flown, measuring approximately 385 feet (117 meters). It is used for air-launching hypersonic and orbital payloads.
Yes. The AG600 Kunlong, built by China, is the largest operational seaplane in 2025. It supports firefighting, marine rescue, and passenger transport over long ranges.
The Aevum Ravn X is currently the largest operational unmanned aerial vehicle. Designed for autonomous satellite launches, it weighs over 25 tonnes and flies without a human pilot on board.
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Top 10 Largest Cargo Planes in the World Ever Built
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