Boeing 767-300ER

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B763  Boeing · Boeing 767

Boeing 767-300ER at a glance

  • What it is: the Boeing 767-300ER is a long-haul widebody built by Boeing, first flown in 1986.
  • On the radar: it shows up as type code B763. How to spot it overhead.
  • How far it flies: about 11,070 km without stopping, cruising near 851 km/h.
  • How many it carries: 218–290 passengers, depending on how the airline fits out the cabin.
  • Power: 2× GE CF6-80C2 / PW4000, with a 47.6 m wingspan.
11,070 km
Range
851 km/h
Cruise speed
218–290+
Passengers
1986
First flight

The widebody that opened the era of twin-engine transatlantic ETOPS flying in the 1980s. Delta and United still fly large passenger fleets, while the 767-300F remains in production for FedEx and UPS. Its 2-3-2 cabin is a passenger favourite for the low middle-seat count.

The story of the Boeing 767-300ER

Boeing launched the 767 in July 1978 with an order from United Airlines. It was designed alongside the 757 and became Boeing's first widebody twinjet. It gave airlines a widebody sized between a narrowbody and a jumbo, and nothing quite like it existed in fleets at the time. The 767-200 flew on September 26, 1981, and United began service in September 1982. Orders came quickly.

The stretched 767-300 first flew on January 30, 1986 and entered service with Japan Airlines that year. The longer-range 767-300ER flew in 1986 and joined American Airlines in 1988. That version became the main one. ETOPS rules let twin-engine jets fly farther from a diversion airport, and the 767 was among the first to benefit on Atlantic routes. Three- and four-engine jets soon began leaving medium-density routes.

More than 1,300 767s have been delivered, over 550 of them -300ERs. Passenger fleets peaked in the 2000s at Delta, American, United, ANA and Japan Airlines, and Delta still flies a large fleet. Freighters keep the line alive: FedEx has taken well over 100 new-build 767-300Fs, and UPS and Amazon Air rely on converted examples. Everett still builds 767 freighters and KC-46 tankers today. That is a great run.

Design and engineering

Two General Electric CF6-80C2, Pratt & Whitney PW4000 or Rolls-Royce RB211-524 turbofans power the 767-300ER. The widebody cross-section is fairly narrow, seating seven abreast in a 2-3-2 economy layout.

Almost every passenger sits beside a window or an aisle. Freighter versions keep the same efficient shape.

The two-crew glass cockpit is shared with the 757, giving the pair one type rating. The conservative aluminum wing suits efficient Mach 0.80 cruise, and later jets can carry blended winglets. Two-class capacity is near 260 seats. Range for the ER version is near 11,000 kilometers.

How to recognise the B763 in the wild

A medium-size widebody with a noticeably slimmer fuselage than a 777 or A330, two engines, a pointed tailcone, and often tall blended winglets; the 2-3-2 cabin width shows in the modest fuselage diameter relative to length. More tells in how to identify any aircraft overhead.

Variants and close relatives

VariantWhat sets it apart
767-300ERThe extended-range passenger version that became the family's best seller.
767-300FThe new-build freighter, ordered in volume by FedEx and UPS.
767-400ERA stretched version with raked wingtips flown only by Delta and United.
KC-46A PegasusThe US Air Force aerial refueling tanker derived from the 767.

Major operators: Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, FedEx Express, UPS Airlines, Japan Airlines - Find them in the airline database and watch their B763s on the live map.

Facts about the Boeing 767-300ER

  • The 767's 2-3-2 economy layout means roughly 87 percent of passengers get a window or aisle seat.
  • The 767 was the first Boeing airliner certified with a two-crew glass cockpit, ending the flight engineer era at Boeing.
  • The US Air Force's KC-46 Pegasus tanker is a military derivative of the 767-2C, keeping the line busy into the 2030s.
  • The famous Gimli Glider, an Air Canada 767 that ran out of fuel in 1983 and dead-stick landed on a drag strip, was an early -200.
ICAO type code
B763
Manufacturer
Boeing
Capacity
218–290 passengers
Range
11,070 km
Cruise speed
851 km/h
MTOW
186,880 kg
Engines
2× GE CF6-80C2 / PW4000
Wingspan / length
47.6 m / 54.9 m

Aircraft related to the Boeing 767-300ER

Comparable types selected by family, manufacturer, capacity, range and generation.

B788 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Boeing · 242–248 passengers B752 Boeing 757-200 Boeing · 180–239 passengers B789 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Boeing · 290–296 passengers B78X Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner Boeing · 330–336 passengers

More aircraft and tracking guides for the Boeing 767-300ER

Spot one overhead using our aircraft identification guide. Telling this maker apart from its rival is easier than it looks, as Boeing versus Airbus shows. Long-haul jets like this cruise high and far, explained in narrowbody versus widebody.

Data sources and review

Reviewed 2026-07-29 by Flight-Tracker.net Editorial Team

Range, seating, speed and weight describe the aircraft type, not a specific airline configuration. Published figures vary by engine, weight option and cabin layout.

Read our aircraft specification sourcing and review process, or inspect the machine-readable reference dataset.

Boeing 767-300ER frequently asked questions

What is the range of the Boeing 767-300ER?

The Boeing 767-300ER has a published range of about 11,070 km, cruising at roughly 851 km/h. Real-world range depends on payload, winds and reserves.

How many passengers does the Boeing 767-300ER carry?

A typical Boeing 767-300ER seats 218–290 passengers, though the exact number depends on how the operating airline configures its cabin.

What is the ICAO type code for the Boeing 767-300ER?

The Boeing 767-300ER uses the ICAO type designator B763. That is the code you will see when you click this aircraft type on a live flight-tracking map.

What engines does the Boeing 767-300ER use?

The Boeing 767-300ER is powered by 2× GE CF6-80C2 / PW4000, with a maximum takeoff weight of about 186,880 kg and a wingspan of 47.6 m.

How do you identify a Boeing 767-300ER?

A medium-size widebody with a noticeably slimmer fuselage than a 777 or A330, two engines, a pointed tailcone, and often tall blended winglets; the 2-3-2 cabin width shows in the modest fuselage diameter relative to length.

Which airlines operate the Boeing 767-300ER?

Major operators in this reference profile include Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, FedEx Express, UPS Airlines, Japan Airlines. Fleets change as aircraft are delivered, stored, leased and retired, so confirm current fleets with the airline.

Is the Boeing 767-300ER a narrowbody or a widebody?

The Boeing 767-300ER is a narrowbody, meaning a single aisle down the middle of the cabin. With 218–290 passengers seats and 11,070 km of range it is typically flown on intercontinental routes.