IATA 343ICAO A343

Airbus A340-300

Airbus

TravelerPulse profile

Long-range four-engine widebody for intercontinental routes.

First flight

1991

Category

Wide-body jet

Seating

~295 (3-class); up to ~440 (high-density)

Range

~13,500 km

Engines

4x CFM International CFM56-5C turbofans

Status

In service (limited)

The Airbus A340-300 is a long-range, four-engine wide-body commercial airliner developed by Airbus as part of the A340 family. It entered service in 1993 and was designed to serve high-capacity intercontinental routes where twin-engine ETOPS restrictions once limited operations. The aircraft shares its fuselage cross-section and many components with the twin-engine A330, allowing significant commonality between the two types. The A340-300 typically seats around 295 passengers in a three-class configuration and offers a range of approximately 13,500 km, making it suitable for ultra-long-haul routes. It is powered by four CFM56-5C turbofan engines, giving it reliability on transoceanic and remote-area routes. As more fuel-efficient twin-engine alternatives such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 became available, demand for four-engine widebodies declined. Many operators have retired their A340-300 fleets, and Airbus ceased production of the type. A small number remain in service with select carriers.

Notable operators

Major operators included Lufthansa, Air France, Swiss International Air Lines, South African Airways, and Thai Airways International.

Notable facts

›The A340-300 shares its fuselage and many systems with the twin-engine A330-300.
›It entered commercial service in March 1993 with Lufthansa and Air France.
›Airbus ceased production of the A340 family in 2011 due to competition from more fuel-efficient twins.
›The four-engine layout was originally favored for ETOPS-free transoceanic operations.
›A total of 218 A340-300s were built before production ended.