Airbus A340-300

The long-haul widebody that expanded Airbus into intercontinental markets.

Overview

Airbus France ICAO: A343 1993–2011 Active $238 million (2011)

The Airbus A340-300 formed the backbone of the early A340 family. Introduced in the 1990s, it provided airlines with a four-engine alternative for long-haul routes. The aircraft played a central role in Airbus’s expansion into intercontinental operations.

Live Fleet Activity (A343)

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Specifications

Units
Engine
4 × CFM International CFM56
Engine type
Turbofan
Thrust
4 × 34,000 lbf · 151 kN
Avionics
Thales – Smiths Avionics
Wing tips
Canted winglets
Seats
290 economy · 267 business
Crew
—
Cabin width
17 ft 4 in  ·  5.28 m
Cabin height
8 ft 4 in  ·  2.54 m
Cabin length
165 ft 2 in  ·  50.35 m
Exterior length
208 ft 8 in  ·  63.60 m
Tail height
55 ft 9 in  ·  16.99 m
Fuselage diameter
18 ft 6 in  ·  5.64 m
Wing span
197 ft 10 in  ·  60.30 m
Baggage volume
8,122 ft³  ·  230.0 m³
Gross weight
—
Empty weight
—
Max takeoff weight
553,000 lb  ·  251,000 kg
Max landing weight
384,000 lb  ·  174,000 kg
Max payload
87,000 lb  ·  39,500 kg
Fuel capacity
39,050 gal · 147,900 L · 118,300 kg (Jet A)
Max cruise speed
470 kt  ·  541 mph  ·  870 km/h
Maximum speed
—
Cruise speed
—
Approach speed
—
Range
7,300 nm  ·  8,400 mi  ·  13,520 km
Fuel burn
0.19 nm/gal  ·  0.09 km/L
Ceiling
41,000 ft  ·  12,500 m
Rate of climb
5,700 ft/min  ·  29 m/s
Takeoff distance
9,050 ft  ·  2,770 m
Landing distance
6,000 ft  ·  1,830 m
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Airbus A340-300 swiss

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Operational Context

Airbus A340-300 — long-range widebody airliner

The A340-300 first flew in 1991 and entered service in 1993. Sharing a common fuselage cross-section with the A330, it was optimized for extended range and international routes. Airlines valued its four-engine design for long overwater operations under earlier ETOPS limitations.

Powered by four CFM56 turbofan engines producing approximately 34,000 pounds of thrust (151 kN) each, the aircraft cruised at about Mach 0.82. Maximum takeoff weight exceeded 600,000 pounds (275,000 kg). Typical seating ranged between 250 and 300 passengers depending on layout.

The A340-300 served major global carriers for decades. As twin-engine aircraft became more efficient, airlines gradually retired the type. Despite that shift, it remains an important milestone in Airbus’s widebody development history.