Airbus A320 vs Boeing 737: Key Differences

The Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737 are the world’s two most common narrow-body airliners. They are very similar in size and range but differ in cabin width, cockpit design and appearance.

At a glance

• Seats: both seat roughly 150 to 190 passengers, depending on the version and the airline’s layout.
• Range: both fly roughly 5,000 to 6,500 km, depending on the version.
• Engines: both have two turbofans.
• First flights: A320 in 1987; the 737 first flew in 1967, with later generations updated over time.

Cabin

The A320’s cabin is slightly wider, which gives more room per seat or wider aisles. The 737 cabin is a little narrower.

Cockpit and controls

The A320 introduced fly-by-wire controls in airliners of its type, with a side-stick instead of a control column. The 737 uses a conventional control column and yoke, with a more traditional cockpit. Both are safe and widely used.

How to tell them apart

• The 737’s engines have flat-looking bottoms, because they sit close to the ground.
• The A320’s engines are rounder.
• Look at the nose and windshield shapes: the Airbus has a rounder nose.

In Pakistan

The A320 family is the most common type on Pakistani domestic and Gulf routes. See Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-800.

Our free data does not include aircraft type, so we cannot tell you which type a given flight uses; the airline’s booking page lists it.

General information only, not legal or safety advice. Details change; check with your airline and the relevant authority. See our editorial policy.