Airbus and Boeing dominate the commercial aviation industry, accounting for the vast majority of aircraft carrying passengers and cargo through the skies. With so many similarities between aircraft, it can be difficult to visually differentiate between the two. Here, we’ll take a look at the biggest clues to spotting the difference in the European and American giants’ fleets.
Flight deck windows
When you’re spotting at the airport (or with a long lens) one key difference between the manufacturers are the flight deck windows. On all Airbus narrow-body aircraft (with the exception of the Airbus A220) as well as the Airbus A330 and A340, you’ll find the rear flight deck window on both sides with a “missing corner” in top rear of the window.
On the other hand, Airbus’ American counterpart tends to have more angular side windows, particularly noticeable on the Boeing 737 and 777. On some older Boeing models you’ll also find “eyebrow” windows above the main windows.
A feature that you’ll almost never see on Boeing aircraft is the masked cockpit, present on most of Airbus’ new aircraft, namely the A350, A330neo, and A320neo family. This is a black outline on all the flight deck windows and is there to balance the temperature around the window area. However, some airlines, such as Air Canada and HiFly, have begun adding a black outline to all aircraft in their fleets for the same purpose as that of Airbus.
Aircraft engines
On the latest Boeing aircraft, there are ridges at the rear of the engine. These are known as chevrons, and are designed to reduce engine noise. As the hot engine exhaust meets cold air, it creates turbulence, which in turn creates noise. According to NASA, these Chevrons “smooth out” the point where hot and cold jet-streams meet each other, so less noise is produced. Chevrons can be found on the engines of the Boeing 787, 747-8, 777X and 737 MAX series.
All Airbus aircraft have round engine nacelles (the housing in which the actual engine sits). But Boeing 737NGs are distinctive for their flattened nacelle bottom. This design allows the larger CFM56 engine used on the NG to sit below the wing with enough ground clearance. You can see the flattened nacelle in the 737 image above.
Wings and wing tips
On Boeing aircraft, the wings generally rise from the fuselage, angling upward toward the wingtip. Airbus aircraft tend have a flatter wing. You can see the differences in the photo below, with two Boeing aircraft taxiing for departure in Mumbai followed by two Airbus aircraft.
On both Airbus and Boeing aircraft, the shapes of wing tips can vary depending on the aircraft type. However, there are a few which can be unique to either manufacturer. For example, on the older versions of Airbus narrow bodies, such as the A320ceo and the A380, Airbus features a distinct triangular wing fence. Airbus later turned to the option which lines the wings of the A320neo, the Sharklet. Sharklets attach to the wing vertically. All wing tip devices are designed to lessen the vortices created at the tip of the wing, increasing fuel efficiency.
Many Boeing narrow-body aircraft have winglets, which are similar to the Sharklet on the Airbus fleet. However, some have have upgraded to split scimitar winglets, which feature a smaller part on the underside of the wing tip. These are designed to reduce drag even further. These can be found on the 737 NG, while the MAX series takes the split scimitar design even further with the MAX Advance Technology winglet.
Whether its wing tips, the shape of the nose or the cockpit windows, Airbus and Boeing aircraft have their own features that stand out. Whilst it can be quite difficult to tell the aircraft apart, one thing’s for sure, you can always check your work by looking on Flightradar24.
For those who have been planespotting for a long time, what are some of your favorite ways to tell aircraft apart? Let us know in the comments below.
29 Responses
The tail cones are an easy way to spot older 737s, which have a short stub, from the A320 family, which have a longer conical structure. The new 737Max, however, has a cone similar to the Airbus family.
Also an easy way to tell Airbus planes apart from Boeing and other manufactures, the strobe lights on Airbus’ planes blink twice per cycle (technically 2 lights blink once each), while other planes only blink once.
A quick way to spot the difference between some Airbus and Boeing is to look at the tail. Airbus look like the fuselage top continues straight and the lower fuselage comes up to meet it. On Boeing, the top and bottom both taper to meet in the middle.
Boeing rudder has a triangular extention in the front bottom on the fuselage, Airbus has not.
These are what I use: The Boing 737’s have an angled (think triangular) leading edge at the joint between the tail and fuselage.
The Boing 787 has very flexible wings that flex up more than the Airbus A-350 when in flight.
The Boing triple 7 has very straight wings with no winglet. They also have a large flap next to the fuselage on each wing. Especially when landing.
Here is a fun one. The triple sevens have a more centered nose while the A-350 and 787 have a low nose location. This helps to do a quick ID when you get a clear view of the landing and can’t see the wingtips yet.
Airbus planes have a rounder nose, Boeing’s are narrower
Vertical stabilizers seem proportionally larger on Boeing than Airbus. Also, one has a blunter nose profile.
Oh gosh, there are so many little ways to tell the aircraft apart. The nose shape is a major one (dolphin noses for the A318, A319, A320, A321, and B757). “Roman” noses apply to B787s and the A350, which can then be differentiated by other features. The 787s’ tail fins slope slightly downwards towards the front. I also use the shape of the cockpit windows a lot. I love the graceful upward curve of the A350’s wingtips. Airbuses tend to have small porthole windows on their doors, while Boeing’s door windows tend to be more elongated. My current favourite way to tell a 787 is watching it come into land or just after take-off – the wing flex is a beautiful thing to behold. No other aircraft comes close. 😀
Airbus lot more “screamier” and louder when taking off then Boeing and the reverse is true when coming in to land.
You need to show the silhouette differences as most people see aircraft flying overhead
Why don’t you mention the most simplest and obvious way to tell them apart that doesn’t require a set of binoculars?
Good article as usual ! I would add for the easy visual differenciation between the Airbus and the Boeing narrow body aircraft the following:
On all the Airbus 320 family aircraft , the vertical tail and the top of tge fuselage are joined using a short smooth rounding feature. On the contrary on the Boeing 737 family, the tail and the fuselage are joined on the top through a sharper triangle shape piece of fuselage which certainly adds to the side surface of the tail itself.
I have spent my whole life (almost), plane spotting. While in the Airforce, I went to a school that taught us great plane identification practices. Goodfellow in San Angelo Texas. I’m split between their way and my way.
So for the small Boeing 737’s it’s the not so round engine’s, and the wing tips. To tell the different 737 models apart, it’s emergency row exit doors above the wing, the tail area to know if it’s a max, or older. The max has the pointy end, and the older ones are stubby by comparison. As well the max has the chevrons at the back of the engine’s.
Now for the tough one, the 787 vs. the a350. The wing tips are the sure thing, as the 787’s wing tips flair back, but not up, whereas the a350 has the wing tips faired up.
777 is easy, as it’s big, and has the main gear with 6 wheels each 3×2. As well, it’s the only one with the tail cone shaped like a chisel.
747, no problem for anyone, same for the a380 and a340.
Now, the 767 vs. The a330, the a330 has its wing tips canted up slightly, but not like the sharklets. (I think some 747 have this, as well as some md-11’s). The 767 depending on the model, has the sharklets, or just a normal wing tip.
Interesting for some, is the DC-9, Boeing 717, MD-80, through MD-90, the military version, the C-9 all look pretty much the same, with the exception of the fuselage length. Boeing acquired McDonald Douglas, and gave it the rarely used 717 badging.
The old school 707, vs the DC-8. The 707 has a stinger facing forward on the top of its tail, and the DC-8 has cheeks. Two small flat ovals under the nose area.
To many entertainment groups don’t have a qualified airplane spotter on their staff, and release shows, or series with inaccurate aircraft shown. There are very few who ever sweat the details anymore. It’s a shame, and a disgrace when it deals with military aviation in an historic setting.
O.K., now let’s get into Military aircraft of the world!! I’m just kidding, it would take hours!!
Interesting article Sam!
Thank you.
I believe you can also tell the difference by looking at the strobe marker lights and how many times they flash per cycle. Airbus strobes flash twice, whereas Boeing strobes flash once.
My preferred way, living on approach to Rwy 014 at Coolangatta [ OOL ] where most aircraft pass us at 450 – 500 feet and 130 knots [ thanks to Flight Radar 24 ] is the APU on the A 320 /321 which protrudes further aft than the B 737.
Retired seaplane pilot.
Useful info, for the ‘terraspotters’, but these days identifying commercial aircraft in flight (say below 8000 ft) has simply become ‘4 engines or 2’ which doesn’t help much!!
Thank you Sam for your article, that is a topic that I wanted to find without really searching!
Easy to read, even for a French guy.
Thanks to you and to Flightradar24 for publishing you.
Best regards
Patrick
Airbus wing tip lights flash twice; Boeing tips flash just the once – making instant brand recognition in the air simple!
There are a few features not mentioned in the article:
The B737 tail fin has a stepped design whilst the A320 family has a rounded root for its vertical stabilizer.
The B787 has a unique rounded wing shape without upwards-angled winglets but has very pointed wingtips (horizontal winglets).
The B777 also lacks traditional winglets.
The old A330 has very typical winglets, the latest generation is hard to distinguish from the A350, the latter having a blunter nose (similar to the B787).
Well observed. On the Boeing airplanes, the side windows makes a shallow V. Huu
Airbus wingtip anti-collision lights flashes twice whereas Boeing is a single flash.
Thanks Lonn time spotter and these aircraft are a challengee to differntiate
Excellent article.
Nice, the different is easy to identify.
Airbus barks before takeoff.. Boeing doesn’t.
When the landing gear is raised, the wheels on a B737 are still visible. On the A318, A319, A320, A321, you can not see the wheels when they are stowed.
All 737 you can tell from the ground ,look up bottom middle the airplane two big black cycles that it 737,because 737 have no main landing gear door.
I love the takeoff