Derived metrics
Computed by aircraft.fyi from the core specification — see how we calculate these.
How big is it, really?
The Airbus Beluga's wingspan, against things you already know the size of.
The numbers
| Length (XL) | 63.10 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan (XL) | 60.30 m |
| Height (XL) | 18.90 m |
| MTOW (XL) | 227,000 kg |
| Payload (XL) | 51,000 kg |
| Range (XL, max payload) | ≈4,300 km |
| Engines (XL) | 2 × Trent 700 |
| First flight (XL) | 19 July 2018 |
| Built | 6 XL + 5 ST |
Put the Airbus Beluga next to something
Last verified: 2026-07-14 · Spot an error? business@luck.fyi
What makes it different
Airbus builds its aircraft across a continent — wings in Wales, fuselages in Germany, tails in Spain — and the Beluga is how the pieces meet in Toulouse and Hamburg. The original Beluga ST (an A300 with a whale's forehead) flew in 1994; the current BelugaXL, based on the A330, carries a full pair of A350 wings at once and wears a painted smile because Airbus staff voted for it.
The XL's cargo bay is the largest cross-section of any aircraft flying, loaded through a huge upward-hinging forward door above the dropped cockpit. Six were built, flying a constant shuttle between Airbus plants — statistically among the hardest-working aircraft in Europe.
The five older STs got a second career: Airbus Beluga Transport now hires them out for outsize cargo — satellites, helicopters, whatever won't fit in anything else except an An-124.
Airbus Beluga — the short answers
How fast is the Airbus Beluga?
How far can the Airbus Beluga fly?
Is the Airbus Beluga still in production?
How big is the Airbus Beluga?
The Airbus Beluga line
Beluga ST (A300-600ST)
BelugaXL (A330-743L)
Who flies the Airbus Beluga
All 2 current operators, verified 2026-07-14. Fleet counts are approximate where marked ≈.