The A320 and 737 are the most common short haul aircraft. However, most airlines only operate one variant or the other. This has caused many to wonder which of the two aircraft are truly superior.
Whilst there have been several contenders (most notably the MC-21 and C919), the 737 series and A320 series have always been the two best.
A320 vs 737: The Basics
Before we can decide which aircraft is better between the A320 and 737, we first need to know a little bit of background.
A320
As with many other Airbus jets, the A320 has its origins in the A300. The A300 was envisioned to be the start of a family of aircraft that would fly the world. The A320 was the shortest of this family, designed for shorter routes than the A310.
Airbus consolidated in the early 1970’s. They saw the success of the 737 in particular and saw the seeming monopoly that they had in the short haul market.
As such, they began designing a short haul aircraft that was bigger than the DC-9/717 and was slightly shorter than the 737. However, it also needed to be wanted by airlines, as such, they made the A320 wider than the 737 to compensate.
Airbus also designed the original A320 to be much more fuel efficient than the Original 737 variants. This is something that Airbus has tried to keep up, with relative success.
The A320 has been so successful that it has become a family of airliners all in itself! Unlike most other airliner families, the A320 family has featured both stretches and shortenings of the A320.
737
The 737 has its origins in the 727 and the 747. The immensely successful 747 had been released to airlines to buy, to great success. The 727 was also quite successful, but it needed some help.
Boeing needed an aircraft that could do short haul routes that wasn’t quite a regional jet but wouldn’t compete with the 727 in a negative way. The result was an aircraft that didn’t fly as far as the 727, but was still attractive to airlines.
The 737 was first released to the public and airlines to line up and place orders for. This led to Lufthansa becoming the launch customer for the 737-100 who launched with a $150 million bid.
The 737 was very successful for airlines as it tapped into a way of traveling that the world had never seen before.
The 737 was also a hit with passengers and became an essential part of pop culture- you weren’t a cultured person in the 1970’s or 1980’s if you hadn’t flown on a 737 or 747.
As such, the 737 has become a family all on its own. The first 737-100s were so successful that Boeing made a lengthened 737, the 737-200 and then the 737-300 and the 737 Classical, Next Generation and now the infamous 737 MAX family.
A320 vs 737: Safety
When it comes to comparing the 737 and the A320, we need to look at their safety record. After all, the past year has provided much skepticism over the safety of Boeing aircraft, especially the 737 family.
A320
The original A320 was known for being one of the most dangerous aircraft on the planet. The original A320 was involved in 119 crashes since its introduction in February 1987.
Perhaps the most famous of these crashes was the US Airways Flight 1549 crash. This was coined the “Miracle on the Hudson” by the media and inspired perhaps one of the best aviation movies ever- Sully.
Despite this, the A320’s lack of safety, subsequent models have been at the height of safety. Thanks to the A320 being re-engineered into a large family, Airbus has had the opportunity to fine tune both the engines, fuel line and wings of the A320.
In fact, newer variants of the A320 such as the neo or the ceo haven’t had a crash to date. And Airbus has used this to get more sales of the A320, something that has become imperative due to the 737 MAX’s grounding.
Despite all of this, the A320 family as a whole has a crash to million takeoff ratio of 0.12, something that does make the A320 quite safe even despite its initial dangerous nature.
737
Throughout its history, the 737 has been mired in controversy. Most recently, the new 737 MAX has been grounded after two fatal crashes in only a few months. The 737-200 has also been mired in controversy, with it too having been grounded after a series of fatal crashes.
Perhaps the most famous crash involving a 737 is actually quite recently. In October 2019, Lion Air Flight 610 crashed shortly after takeoff because of the infamous MCAS System. Other famous 737 accidents include Aloha Airlines Flight 243, where the 737-200 broke up mid-flight.
Despite this, the 737 is considered extremely safe. Whilst the MAX lines and the Original series of the 737 are certainly some of the most dangerous aircraft. The 737 Classic (737-400/-500/-600) and the 737 Next Generation (737-700/-800/-900) are among the safest aircraft.
Boeing saw the commercial success of the 737 Original line but also its failure. Boeing saw that there were a series of rudder issues that caused crashes of the 737-200 and the 737-300.
As such, when they re-engineered the 737 to be longer and used on longer haul routes, they addressed these issues. The result was an aircraft family that prided itself on its safety, something that Boeing used to sell the Boeing Next Generation and MAX lines.
A320 vs 737: Comfort
Comfort often depends on the airline you fly, however, most A320s and 737s have their interior designed and manufactured at the Boeing or Airbus manufacturing plants.
A320
Airbus is well known for having much larger seats, and the A320 is no exception. No matter what class you are in- economy or business class, the A320 seats are far bigger than their 737 counterparts.
With the A320, both legacy carriers and low cost carriers operate it. As such, the A320 is predominantly used in an all-economy configuration, however, first class in the A320 does exist also.
In economy, the A320 is typically used in a “2-3” configuration. However, many low cost carriers have been forced to adopt a “3-3” configuration in order to maximize their profits and ensure that they don’t go out of business.
In first class, most airlines operate the A320 with a common “2-2” configuration or even a “2-1” configuration in some rare instances.
The A320 also have what many consider to be better placed windows. The A320 has windows that built for adults to look out of whilst they’re sat in their seat, the 737 often doesn’t.
737
Despite the 737 having slightly smaller seats than the A320 does, the 737 does make up for it.
First of all, the 737 has wider walkways than the A320 does. Whilst this may not seem as though it is important, it is very noticeable when compared to the A320’s. This means that you can go down the aisle easier on a 737 than you do on a A320.
Secondly, most 737 variants are much quieter than their A320 counterparts. Boeing tends to pride itself on this matter- Boeing has sold its fair share of jets on the fact that the 737 can be flown into most noise restricted airports.
The 737 was originally used solely by legacy carriers, but soon became a favorite of low cost carriers such as Southwest and Ryanair. As such, the 737 is used in both an all economy configuration and a first class/economy configuration.
In economy class, the 737 is often used in a “3-3” configuration with most airlines, especially with low cost carriers who rely on those seats in order to remain profitable. In first class, the 737 is often used in a “2-2” configuration.
A320 vs 737: Specs
Both the A320 and 737 are very similar in terms of their specifications. Although several variants of each aircraft exist, the specifications will include those from the main variant of both aircraft.
The most common variant of the A320 is the A320-200. The most common variant of the 737 is the 737-800.
| Specifications | A320-200 | 737-800 |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 123 ft 3 in (37.57 m) | 129 ft 6 in (39.47 m) |
| Width | 13 ft 0 in (3.95 m) | 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m) |
| Height | 38 ft 7 in (11.76 m) | 41 ft (12 m) |
| Seats | 150-186 | 160-175 |
| Cruise Speed | Mach 0.78 (447 kn; 829 km/h) | Mach 0.789 (455 kn; 842 km/h) |
| Range | 3,300 nmi (6,112 km) | 2,935 nmi (5,436 km) |
| MTOW | 172,000 lb (78 t) | 174,200 lb (79.016 t) |
| Takeoff | 2,100 m (6,900 ft) | 2,316 m (7,598 ft) |
A320 vs 737: Today
Despite their success, the A320 and 737 are both ageing aircraft. The A320 is a 1980’s aircraft at heart, making it almost 40 years old. The 737 on the other hand is a 1960’s aircraft at heart, making it almost 60 years old.
A320
The A320 is in need of a replacement. Airbus is fully aware that the A320 will soon become too old and too fuel consuming for airlines to operate. As such, they have come up with a solution.
Airbus is very clear that there will be no A320 replacement announced until at least 2024. However, Airbus has released a project they’re working on known as the Airbus NSR.
The Airbus NSR (“New Short Range”) will be a short haul aircraft that can both travel a longer distance and carry more people than any A320 variant that has come before it.
The Airbus NSR is expected to be unveiled in the mid-2020’s to be released at the beginning of the 2030’s. However, this is only the current plan and could be changed and/or altered in the coming years.
However, there are rumors that the A320’s replacement will be an as yet unmentioned electric-fuel hybrid aircraft. However some have speculated that this will be the Airbus NSR.
737
The 737 too is in need of a replacement. Boeing too is fully aware that the 737 is becoming too old to be what airlines are looking for. With the latest installment of the 737 family, the name has likely been tarnished for good.
As such, Boeing has two options- the Boeing NMA project (more commonly known as the Boeing 797) and the Boeing Yellowstone project (Boeing Y-1).
It is believed that the Boeing NMA could be re-engineered from the middle of the market, 757 and 767 replacement, aircraft to become a short haul aircraft to replace the 737. However, as of the time of writing, Boeing hasn’t released anything as to whether they’ll do that.
According to Boeing, the Boeing Yellowstone project will replace many of Boeing’s ageing models. The Yellowstone project will replace the 737, 757 and 767 lines. The aircraft that is supposed to replace the 737 is the Boeing Y-1.
A320 vs 737: Opinions
As usual, we asked several different groups about their opinions on the question of “A320 vs 737?”
Pilots
As pilots, whenever there is an Airbus vs Boeing debate, we always get brought into this. This is mostly due to the fact that we are the ones at the helm of the aircraft that everyone is comparing.
Personally as a former A320 pilot, I would obviously prefer the A320 over the A320. Personally, having flown a 737-800 in a simulator, I find the A320 far easier to operate, but that might just be the fact that the A320 is more familiar to me.
However, our Editor-in-Chief Christopher Harrow, a former 747 and 787 pilot, naturally prefers the 737 as that is what feels more “natural” to him.
And this is shared by most commercial pilots. Most commercial pilots fly either a Boeing or an Airbus, or perhaps a subsidiary like Embraer or Bombardier in that regard.
Passengers
As passengers, many of us have our preferences, be it the A320 or the 737. Some of the passengers I interviewed had very strong views either way.
Some of them preferred the large seat pitch (size) that is common of A320 models. Their seats are often a little bit wider and longer than their Boeing counterparts.
Some of the passengers I interviewed preferred the simplicity of Boeing. Despite their being less than a 0.01 Mach difference, when flying both an A320 and 737, there is a noticeable difference in speed- the 737 is clearly the faster aircraft.
C-Suite Executives
This one may seem strange. After all, the A320 and 737 are predominantly passenger aircraft, designed for transporting large groups of people to and from vacations as well as for work.
With that being said, the emergence of business jets has given both Boeing and Airbus another avenue to compete against one another. This has resulted in the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) and Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) lines, with the Boeing Business Jet 2 and ACJ A320neo being the best sellers.
And these jets have competed for orders from the largest corporations and the richest people in the planet.
Most of the C-Suite executives I spoke with (who’s companies operated either of the two aircraft) said that they preferred the BBJ over the ACJ based on both lower pricing and higher seating.
Avgeeks
As usual, I asked several avgeeks which of the two aircraft they preferred. This led to the usual vehement debate as is so common when comparing different Airbus and Boeing aircraft.
As usual, there were one lot of avgeeks who preferred the A320 based on their love for Airbus. They stated that the A320 was the superior aircraft as it overtook the 737 as the most popular commercial aircraft.
As usual, there was another group that preferred the 737 based on their love for Boeing. They stated that despite the A320’s recent surge in popularity, the 737 was the better aircraft as it had been the best short haul aircraft since the 1970’s.
Summary
The question of the A320 vs 737 is one of the most charged aircraft comparisons that there is. People, whether pilots, passengers, avgeeks or the general public, have strong opinions on this subject.
The 737 is longer and taller than the A320 is, this results in the 737 having a higher lower number of seats when compared to the A320. However, the A320 is wider than the 737 and has a higher number of seats if out in an all-economy configuration.
The 737 is 0.009 Mach faster than the A320, despite this, the A320-200 actually has a higher range than the 737-800. The 737 also weighs just over 2000 lbs more than the A320 which results in the 737 needing a longer runway than the A320 does.
A320 vs 737: Which is the best short haul aircraft?