# Narrow-body aircraft

A narrow-body aircraft or single-aisle aircraft is an airliner arranged along a single aisle, permitting up to 6-abreast seating in a cabin less than 4 metres (13 ft) in width. In contrast, a wide-body aircraft is a larger airliner usually configured with multiple aisles and a fuselage diameter of more than 5 metres (16 ft), allowing at least seven-abreast seating and often more travel classes.

## Market

Historically, beginning in the late 1960s and continuing through the 1990s, twin engine narrow-body aircraft, such as the Boeing 737 Classic, McDonnell-Douglas MD-80 and Airbus A320 were primarily employed in short to medium-haul markets requiring neither the range nor the passenger-carrying capacity of that period's wide-body aircraft.
The re-engined Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo jets offer 500 miles more range, allowing them to operate the 3,000 miles transatlantic flights between the eastern U.S. and Western Europe, previously dominated by wide-body aircraft. Norwegian Air Shuttle, JetBlue and TAP Portugal will open up direct routes bypassing airline hubs for lower fares between cheaper, smaller airports. The Boeing 737NG 3,300-mile range is insufficient for fully laden operations and operates at reduced capacity like the Airbus A318, while the Airbus A321LR could replace the less fuel efficient Boeing 757s used since their production ended in 2004.
Boeing will face competition and pricing pressure from the Embraer E-Jet E2 family, Airbus A220 (formerly Bombardier CSeries) and Comac C919.
Between 2016 and 2035, FlightGlobal expects 26,860 single-aisles to be delivered for almost $1380 billion, 45% Airbus A320 family ceo and neo and 43% Boeing 737 NG and max. By June 2018, there were 10,572 Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX orders: 6,068 Airbuses (57%, 2,295 with CFMs, 1,623 with PWs and 2,150 with not yet decided engines) and 4,504 Boeings (43%); 3,446 in Asia-Pacific (33%), 2,349 in Europe (22%), 1,926 in North America (18%), 912 in Latin America (9%), 654 in Middle East (6%), 72 in Africa (1%) and 1,213 not yet bounded (11%).
Many airlines have shown interest in the Airbus A321LR or its A321XLR derivative, and other extended-range models, for thin transatlantic and Asia-Pacific routes.

## Examples
### Six-abreast cabin

| Type | Country | Production | Fuselage width | Cabin width | Max. seats | Engines | seat width |
| Hawker Siddeley Trident | UK | 1962–1978 | | 344 cm (135 in) | 180 | 3 turbofan |
| Bristol Britannia | UK | 1952–1960 | 366 cm (144 in) | 350 cm (139 in) | 139 | 4×turboprop |
| Douglas DC-8 | US | 1958–1972 | 373 cm (147 in) | 351.2 cm (138 in) | 269 | 4×turbojet/fan |
| Ilyushin Il-62 | USSR/Russia | 1963–1995 | 380 cm (150 in) | 356 cm (140 in) | 186 | 4×turbofan |
| Vickers VC10 | UK | 1962–1970 | 375 cm (148 in) | 351 cm (138 in) | 151 | 4×turbofan |
| Boeing 707/Boeing 720 | US | 1958–1979 | 376 cm (148 in) | 354 cm (139 in) | 219 | 4×turbojet/fan | 17" |
| Boeing 737 | US | 1966–present | 376 cm (148 in) | 354 cm (139 in) | 220 | 2×turbofan | 17" |
| Boeing 757 | US | 1981–2004 | 376 cm (148 in) | 354 cm (139 in) | 295 | 2×turbofan | 17" |
| Boeing 727 | US | 1963–1984 | 376 cm (148 in) | 356 cm (140 in) | 189 | 3×turbofan | 16.9" |
| Tupolev Tu-154 | USSR/Russia | 1968–2013 | 380 cm (150 in) | 356 cm (140 in) | 180 | 3×turbofan |
| Tupolev Tu-204 | Russia | 1990–present | 380 cm (150 in) | 357 cm (141 in) | 215 | 2×turbofan |
| Tupolev Tu-334 | Russia | 1999–2009 | 380 cm (150 in) | 357 cm (141 in) | 102 | 2×turbofan |
| Yakovlev Yak-42 | USSR/Russia | 1977–2003 | 380 cm (150 in) | 360 cm (142 in) | 120 | 3×turbofan |
| Dassault Mercure | France | 1971–1975 | | 366 cm (144 in) | 162 | 2×turbofan |
| Airbus A320 family | Multi | 1986–present | 395 cm (156 in) | 370 cm (146 in) | 244 | 2×turbofan | 18" |
| Comac C919 | China | 2016–present | 396 cm (156 in) | 390 cm (154 in) | 192 | 2×turbofan |
| Yakovlev MC-21 | Russia | 2017–present | 406 cm (160 in) | 381 cm (150 in) | 230 | 2×turbofan |
| Tupolev Tu-114 | USSR | 1958–1963 | 420 cm (165 in) | 406 cm (160 in) | 220 | 4×turboprop |

### Five-abreast cabin

| Type | Country | Production | Fuselage width | Cabin width | Max. seats | Engines | Seat width |
| de Havilland Comet | UK | 1949–1964 | | 292 cm (115 in) | 81 | 4×turbojet |
| Douglas DC-4/DC-6/DC-7 | US | 1942–1958 | | 301 cm (118.5 in) | 95 | 4×piston engine |
| Sud Aviation Caravelle | France | 1958–1972 | | 301 cm (118.5 in) | 80 | 2×turbojet |
| Vickers Viscount | UK | 1948–1963 | | 305 cm (120 in) | 75 | 4×turboprop |
| Fokker F28/Fokker 70/Fokker 100 | Netherlands | 1967–1997 | 330 cm (130 in) | 310 cm (122 in) | 122 | 2×turbofan |
| Tupolev Tu-144 | USSR | 1963–1983 | 330 cm (130 in) | | 140 | 4×turbojet |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-9/MD-80/MD-90/Boeing 717 | US | 1965–2006 | 334.3 cm (131.6 in) | 311.2 cm (122.5 in) | 172 | 2×turbofan | 17.9" |
| Antonov An-148/An-158 | Ukraine | 2002–present | 335 cm (132 in) | 313 cm (123 in) | 99 | 2×turbofan |
| Comac ARJ21 | China | 2007–present | 336 cm (132 in) | 314.3 cm (123.7 in) | 105 | 2×turbofan |
| Boeing 377 Stratocruiser | US | 1947–1963 | 335 cm (132 in) | 315 cm (124 in) | 114 | 4×piston engine |
| Tupolev Tu-104 | USSR | 1955–1960 | 350 cm (137.7 in) | 320 cm (126 in) | 115 | 2×turbojet |
| Ilyushin Il-18 | USSR | 1957–1985 | 351 cm (138 in) | 315 cm (124 in) | 120 | 4×turboprop |
| BAC One-Eleven | UK | 1963–1989 | | 315 cm (124 in) | 119 | 2×turbofan |
| Sukhoi Superjet 100 | Russia | 2007–present | 345 cm (136 in)$^{:451}$ | 323.6 cm (127 in) | 108 | 2×turbofan |
| Convair 880 | US | 1959–1962 | | 325 cm (128 in) | 110 | 4×turbojet |
| Convair 990 | US | 1961–1963 | | 325 cm (128 in) | 149 | 4×turbofan |
| Lockheed L-188 Electra | US | 1957–1961 | | 325 cm (128 in) | 98 | 4×turboprop |
| Lockheed Constellation | US | 1943–1958 | | 328 cm (129 in) | 109 | 4×piston engine |
| Airbus A220 | Canada/Multi | 2012–present | 350 cm (138 in) | 328 cm (129 in) | 160 | 2×turbofan | 18.6" |
| British Aerospace 146 | UK | 1987–2001 | 350 cm (138 in) | 324 cm (128 in) | 112 | 4×turbofan |

### Four-abreast cabin

| Type | Country | Production | Fuselage width | Cabin width | Max. seats | Engines | Seat width |
| Yakovlev Yak-40 | USSR | 1966–1981 | 240 cm (94 in) | 215 cm (85 in) | 40 | 3×turbofan |
| Douglas DC-3 | US | 1936–1942, 1950 | | 250 cm (98 in) | 27 | 2×piston engine |
| De Havilland Dash 8 | Canada | 1983–present | 269 cm (106 in) | 251 cm (99 in) | 90 | 2×turboprop | 17.3" |
| Fokker 27/Fokker 50 | Netherlands | 1987–1997 | | 254 cm (100 in) | 58 | 2×turboprop |
| Bombardier CRJ | Canada | 1991–2020 | 269 cm (106.1 in) | 255 cm (100.5 in) | 104 | 2×turbofan | 17.3" |
| ATR 42/ATR 72 | France/Italy | 1984–present | 273 cm (107 in) | 257 cm (101 in) | 78 | 2×turboprop | 18" |
| Concorde | France/UK | 1965–1979 | | 262 cm (103 in) | 128 | 4×turbojet |
| Convair CV-240 | US | 1947–1954 | | 271 cm (106.5 in) | 40 | 2×piston engine |
| Tupolev Tu-124/Tu-134 | USSR | 1956–1984 | 290 cm (114 in) | 261 cm (103 in) | 56-84 | 2×turbofan |
| Ilyushin Il-114 | USSR/Russia | 1997–2012 | 264 cm (104 in) | 228 cm (90 in) | 64 | 2×turboprop |
| Embraer E-Jet/E-Jet E2 | Brazil | 2001–present | 301 cm (119 in) | 274 cm (108 in) | 146 | 2×turbofan | 18" |
| Antonov An-24 | USSR | 1959–1979 | | 277 cm (109 in) | 50 | 2×turboprop |

### Three-abreast cabin

| Type | Country | Production | Fuselage width | Cabin width | Max. seats | Engines | Seat width |
| de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | Canada | 1965–1988, 2008–present | 175 cm (69 in) | 161 cm (63.2 in) | 19 | 2×turboprop |
| BAe Jetstream 31/41 | UK | 1982–1997 | | 185 cm (73 in) | 30 | 2×turboprop |
| Short 360 | UK | 1981–1991 | | 193 cm (76 in) | 36 | 2×turboprop |
| Embraer EMB 120 | Brazil | 1983–2001 | 228 cm (90 in) | 210 cm (83 in) | 30 | 2×turboprop | 17.3" |
| Embraer ERJ 145 family | Brazil | 1989–2020 | 228 cm (90 in) | 210 cm (83 in) | 50 | 2×turbofan | 17.3" |
| Saab 340/Saab 2000 | Sweden | 1983–1999 | 231 cm (91 in) | 216 cm (85 in) | 50 | 2×turboprop | 18.1" |
| Dornier 328 | Germany | 1991–2000 | | 217.2 cm (85.5 in) | 32 | 2×turboprop | 18.1" |
| Cessna 408 SkyCourier | USA | 2023–present | | 188 cm (74 in) | 19 | 2×turboprop | |

### Two-abreast cabin

| Type | Country | Production | Cabin width | Max. seats | Engines |
| Beechcraft 1900 | US | 1982–2002 | 1.37m | 19 | 2×turboprop |
| Beechcraft Model 18 | US | 1937–1970 | | 6 | 2×piston engine |
| Beechcraft Model 99 | US | 1968–1986 | | 15 | 2×piston engine |
| Boeing 247 | US | 1933–1937 | | 10 | 2×piston engine |
| Britten-Norman Islander | UK | 1965–present | | 9 | 2×piston engine |
| Britten-Norman Trislander | UK | 1970–1982 | | 16 | 3×piston engine |
| de Havilland Dove | UK | 1946–1947 | | 8–11 | 2×piston engine |
| de Havilland Heron | UK | 1950–1963 | | 14–17 | 4×piston engine |
| Dornier 228 | Germany | 1981–1998, 2009–present | | 19 | 2×turboprop |
| Douglas DC-1 | US | 1933 | | 12 | 2×piston engine |
| Douglas DC-2 | US | 1934–1939 | | 14 | 2×piston engine |
| Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante | Brazil | 1968–1990 | | 18 | 2×turboprop |
| Evektor EV-55 Outback | Czech Republic | 2011–present | | 9–14 | 2×turboprop |
| Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner | US | 1968–2001 | | 19 | 2×turboprop |
| Ford Trimotor | US | 1925–1933 | | 11 | 3×piston engine |
| GAF Nomad | Australia | 1975–1985 | | 12–16 | 2×turboprop |
| Junkers Ju 52 | Germany | 1930–1952 | | 17 | 3×piston engine |
| Lockheed Model 10 Electra | US | 1934–1937 | | 10 | 2×piston engine |
| Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra | US | 1937–1946 | | 12-14 | 2×piston engine |
| Tecnam P2012 Traveller | Italy | 2016–Present | | 11 | 2×piston engine |

## Image gallery

* Two-abreast Beech 1900
* Three-abreast Saab 340
* Four-abreast Embraer E190
* Five-abreast Boeing 717
* Six-abreast Airbus A320