By Unicore Overseas SIA team
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Aircraft Loadability Chart

Enter your shipment dimensions to find compatible aircraft

Enter package dimensions to check loadability

How to use:

  1. Enter the width, length, and height of your package
  2. Select your preferred measurement unit (cm or inches)
  3. View instantly which aircraft can accommodate your shipment
  4. See specific compartment details and container types

Cargo door dimensions and maximum piece size by aircraft

A piece has to pass through the cargo door and then fit under the ceiling of the deck. The table gives both for common narrow-body and wide-body passenger aircraft and for main-deck freighters. Use it for a first check, then run the exact dimensions through the checker above.

All sizes in cm. Max piece height is for an upright piece in that deck; length and width limits also depend on the shape of the hold.
AircraftDeck / doorDoor width × height (cm)Max piece height (cm)Typical ULD / pallet
Narrow-body bellies
Airbus A220-300 (airBaltic)Lower deck, forward and aft doors110 × 81 (Airbus); Delta Cargo lists 117 × 8484Loose (bulk) loading only
Airbus A320 / A321Lower deck, forward and aft doors182 × 124 (aft 182 × 123)about 109 inside an LD3-45; about 119 looseLD3-45 (AKH) containers or loose
Boeing 737-800Lower deck, forward and aft doors121 × 88 (aft 121 × 78–88)86Loose (bulk) loading only
Wide-body bellies
Airbus A330Lower deck, forward and aft doors270 × 170 (aft 272 × 168)163LD3; 88 × 125 in and 96 × 125 in pallets
Airbus A350-900Lower deck, forward and aft doors284 × 167 (aft 279 × 167)*163LD3; 88 × 125 in and 96 × 125 in pallets
Boeing 767-300ERLower deck, forward door340 × 175 (767-300: 178 × 175)163LD2, LD8; 96 × 125 in pallets
Boeing 767-300ERLower deck, aft door178 × 175154 inside an LD8LD2 and LD8 containers only
Boeing 777Lower deck, forward door269 × 170163LD3; 96 × 125 in pallets
Boeing 777Lower deck, aft door178 × 170 (optional 269 × 170)153 inside an LD3LD3; 96 × 125 in pallets only with the optional 269 cm door
Boeing 787Lower deck, forward and aft doors269 × 170163LD3; 96 × 125 in pallets
Freighters (main deck)
Boeing 777FMain deck, side door373 × 30530096 × 125 in pallets (27 positions); 96 × 238.5 in (20 ft) pallets
Airbus A350FMain deck, side door431 × 31430096 × 125 in pallets (30 positions); not yet in airline service
Boeing 747-8FMain deck, side door340 × 30530096 × 125 in pallets up to 118 in (300 cm) high
Boeing 747-8FMain deck, nose door264–356 × 249 (narrows towards the top)244Long and out-of-gauge pieces
Boeing 747-400FMain deck, side door340 × 30530096 × 125 in pallets up to 118 in (300 cm) high; nose door the same size as on the 747-8F
Airbus A330-200FMain deck, side door358 × 256*24496 × 125 in or 88 × 125 in pallets
Boeing 767-300FMain deck, side door340 × 256244Up to 24 pallets, or 14 M-1 (96 × 125 in) pallets
Boeing 737-800BCFMain deck, side door358 × 21820811 × 88 × 125 in or 10 × 96 × 125 in pallets and containers

* Turkish Cargo publishes smaller usable openings for its own fleet (A350-900 forward door 253 × 167 cm, A330F main-deck door 350 × 250 cm). A350-900 doors are as published by Delta Cargo; the operating airline's figure decides the booking.

Sources: Airbus, Aircraft Characteristics – Airport and Maintenance Planning (A320 and A321, Jul 2026; A330 incl. A330-200F, Dec 2025; A350 incl. A350F, Jul 2026); Airbus newsroom (A350F first flight, 29 Sep 2026); Airbus Canada, A220 Aircraft Characteristics Publication (Issue 013, Nov 2025); Boeing, Airplane Characteristics for Airport Planning (747-8 Rev E, Jan 2026; 747-400 Rev F, Dec 2024; 767 Rev K, Dec 2024; 777-200/-200ER/-300 Rev E, Dec 2024; 777-200LR/-300ER/777F Rev G, Dec 2024; 787 Rev Q, Oct 2025); ANA Cargo Dimension Guide (737-800 doors and package tables, 767 and 777 aft doors, 777F side door, 767-300F main-deck contour, LD3-45 height, LD3 and LD8 door openings); Atlas Air 777F, 747-8F, 747-400F and 737-800BCF specification sheets (777F side door, main-deck pallet height, 747-8F nose-door limits, 747 and 737-800BCF main-deck positions); Delta Cargo A350-900, A220-300 and 767-300ER specifications (A350-900 doors, A220-300 cargo door, 767-300ER doors); Turkish Cargo fleet data (A320/A321 loose-loaded height). The 163 cm lower-deck height is the 64 in LD3 and pallet contour shown by Boeing (777) and ANA Cargo.

Loading air cargo out of Riga (RIX)

On scheduled passenger flights from Riga Airport, cargo travels in the belly, so the aircraft type on the flight sets the size limit. airBaltic, Riga's home carrier, flies the Airbus A220-300: its cargo doors are 110 × 81 cm by Airbus's figures (Delta Cargo lists 117 × 84 cm), the hold is 84 cm high, and each piece must weigh under 100 kg. Lufthansa, Finnair, LOT and Turkish Airlines also take cargo from Riga to their hubs. If the flight is an A320 or A321, the door is 182 × 124 cm; on a 737-800 it is 121 × 88 cm.

Wide-body bellies and freighters are available at the hubs. Unicore moves the cargo by road feeder service (RFS), a truck that runs under the air waybill, to Frankfurt, Leipzig, Helsinki or Warsaw, or connects it through Istanbul. From there a piece can be up to 163 cm high in a wide-body lower deck and up to 244–300 cm on the main deck of a freighter.

Since May 2025, Unicore has recorded piece dimensions for 103 air shipments from Riga. In 26 of them at least one piece was taller than 84 cm, too tall to stand upright in an A220-300 hold. 16 had a piece taller than 119 cm, above the A320/A321 limit, and 9 had a piece taller than 163 cm, which fits upright only on a freighter's main deck. Among the pieces over 163 cm, most were footwear, medical equipment and spare parts on pallets.

How Unicore checks loadability before booking

  1. We take length, width, height and weight for every piece and ask whether it may be tilted or laid on its side.
  2. We check each piece against the door and hold of the aircraft type that operates the flight, using the door sizes above and the airline's package tables.
  3. If a piece is too big for the A220-300 or a narrow-body jet, we quote a road feeder service to a hub with wide-body or freighter capacity instead. How the routing changes the price is explained in air freight costs.
  4. For pieces close to a limit, we get the airline's acceptance of the dimensions before we confirm the booking.
  5. Pieces taller than 300 cm, or too long and wide for the 747-8F nose door, usually go by sea or charter: see oversized project cargo by sea to Latvia.

Send the piece list with a quote request on our air freight service page.

Key Facts

  • An LD3 (AKE) container holds ~4.5 m³ and up to 1,588 kg — the standard widebody lower-deck unit.
  • A PMC/PAG pallet is 96" × 125" (2.44 × 3.18 m) and carries up to ~6,800 kg.
  • Main-deck freighters (747F, 777F) accept pallets up to 3.0 m high; belly holds of passenger jets are limited to ~1.6 m.
  • Chargeable weight uses the IATA volumetric ratio 1 m³ = 167 kg.
  • Maximum single-piece size is limited by the aircraft's cargo door — e.g. the 747-8F nose door opening is 2.64 m wide at the top and 2.49 m high.
  • Riga (RIX) handles widebody freighters and belly cargo on scheduled and charter services.

About This Tool

This aircraft cargo compatibility finder helps you determine which commercial aircraft can accommodate your shipment based on its dimensions. Simply enter the width, length, and height of your cargo, and our tool will check against the cargo hold specifications of major aircraft models.

Included Aircraft Models

  • Boeing 737 Series (737-500, 737-700, 737-800, 737-800BCF Freighter)
  • Boeing 747 Freighters (747-8F, 747-400F)
  • Boeing 767-300 and 767-300F Freighter
  • Boeing 777 Series (777-200, 777-300, 777F Freighter)
  • Boeing 787 Dreamliner Series (787-8, 787-9, 787-10)
  • Airbus A220-300 (with special dimensional restrictions)
  • Airbus A320 and A321
  • Airbus A330 (A330-200, A330-300, A330-200F Freighter)
  • Airbus A350 (A350-900, A350-1000, A350F Freighter)
  • Airbus A380
  • Bombardier DHC8-400 (Dash 8)

Door sizes and maximum piece height for each aircraft are in the cargo door table above.

How It Works

The tool checks your cargo dimensions against each aircraft's cargo compartment specifications. It automatically tests all possible orientations to find if your package can fit. Some aircraft have special restrictions (like the Airbus A220-300), which are handled with specific compatibility tables.

Important Notes

  • Dimensions shown are the largest piece for each hold. Where a hold takes containers only, they are for a piece inside the container. Actual loadable dimensions may be slightly smaller depending on packaging and handling requirements.
  • The Airbus A220-300 has weight restrictions (pieces below 100kg) in addition to dimensional limits.
  • Some compartments are designated for containerized cargo (LD3, LD8, etc.) or pallets, which may further restrict dimensions.
  • For oversized or special cargo, please contact our team for detailed consultation.

Need Help with Your Air Freight Shipment?

Our IATA-certified air freight specialists can help you find the best solution for your cargo, including special handling for oversized or dimensional weight sensitive shipments.

Get a Quote

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does a shipment fit one aircraft but not another?

Each aircraft has different cargo door dimensions and hold height limits. A 737-800 lower hold caps at 86 cm height, while a 777F freighter accepts pieces up to 300 cm. The narrowest restriction is usually the cargo door — even if the hold itself is large, the piece must fit through the door at its loading angle. The checker on this page tests all three dimensions, in every orientation, against each hold; check the door size in the cargo door table as well.

What is the maximum piece size I can ship via standard passenger aircraft?

On narrow-body passenger aircraft the cargo door sets the limit: 182 × 124 cm on the A320/A321 (pieces up to about 140 × 137 × 109 cm inside LD3-45 containers) and 121 × 88 cm on the 737-800 (pieces up to 86 cm high). Wide-body passenger aircraft (767, 777, 787, A330, A350) accept pieces up to 163 cm high and 318 cm long on 96 × 125 in (244 × 318 cm) lower-deck pallets. On the 767, and on 777s with the standard aft door, pallets go in the forward hold only: that door is 178 cm wide, so the aft hold takes containers, and a piece inside an LD3 can be up to 138 × 137 × 153 cm. Anything larger requires a freighter (777F, 747F, MD-11F) or a charter.

Does the aircraft type affect the air freight rate?

Yes. Belly-hold cargo on a passenger flight is usually 30–60% cheaper per kg than freighter capacity, because the aircraft is flying anyway and cargo subsidises the route. Freighter capacity is more expensive but offers more space, fewer dimension limits, and predictable schedules — essential for over-dimensional cargo, dangerous goods that are restricted on passenger flights, or charters.

What if my piece exceeds the largest passenger aircraft door?

The next options are (1) a freighter such as the 777F, 747F or 777-200LRF, which has a main-deck nose or side door accepting much larger pieces; (2) a charter on an Antonov An-124, IL-76 or 747-400F for outsize cargo; (3) splitting the shipment into smaller crates if the cargo allows. Unicore quotes all three when standard belly capacity is exceeded.

Can a piece that is taller than the cargo door still be loaded?

Cargo doors are not always rectangular — many are arched (e.g., 737, A320). A 100 cm high box will not pass upright through the 88 cm high 737-800 door, but may pass tilted or on its side. The checker above also tests each piece on its side and marks it yellow (requires rotation) when it fits only that way, which does not suit liquids, fragile goods or “This Side Up” cargo.

What are the A320 cargo door dimensions?

Unicore uses Airbus's figures for the A320: the forward cargo door opening is 182 × 124 cm and the aft door 182 × 123 cm (width × height), and the A321 has the same doors. In the hold, a piece can be about 109 cm high inside an LD3-45 container (114 cm is the container's outside height), or about 119 cm when loaded loose. The rear bulk-hold door is 95 × 77 cm.

What is the maximum cargo height for passenger aircraft?

Unicore plans 163 cm as the maximum piece height on wide-body passenger aircraft (A330, A350, 767, 777, 787), which is the height of the lower-deck pallet contour and the outside height of an LD3 container. A piece inside an LD3 can be up to about 153 cm high, the height of the container's door opening. Narrow-body aircraft are lower: about 119 cm on the A320/A321, 86 cm on the Boeing 737-800 and 84 cm on the Airbus A220-300. Taller pieces need a main-deck freighter.

What are the cargo dimensions on a narrow-body aircraft?

Unicore checks narrow-body pieces against the cargo door first: 182 × 124 cm on the A320/A321, 121 × 88 cm on the Boeing 737-800 and 110 × 81 cm on the Airbus A220-300 that airBaltic flies from Riga. The 737-800 and A220-300 holds take loose pieces only, up to 86 cm and 84 cm high. Long, slim pieces reach further: up to 323 cm in the A320 bulk hold if the piece is no more than 20 cm wide and 20 cm high.

What are the maximum cargo dimensions for freighter aircraft?

Unicore books main-deck pieces up to 300 cm high on the Boeing 777F, 747-8F and 747-400F; the 777F side door is 373 × 305 cm and the 747 side doors are 340 × 305 cm. The A330-200F and 767-300F take pieces up to 244 cm high, and the 737-800BCF up to 208 cm. Standard positions hold 96 × 125 in (244 × 318 cm) pallets; for long pieces the 777F also takes 20 ft (96 × 238.5 in) pallets and the 747 freighters have a nose door. The new Airbus A350F, which first flew on 29 September 2026 and is not yet in airline service, has a 431 cm wide main-deck door and takes pallets up to 300 cm high.

What are the Boeing 747 nose door (nose loader) dimensions?

Unicore uses Boeing's figures for the 747-8F nose cargo door: the opening is 249 cm high, 356 cm wide in its lower part and 264 cm wide at the top. Atlas Air's nose-door table allows a package up to 244 cm (96 in) high if it is no wider than 269 cm (106 in); at 152 cm (60 in) high it can be 356 cm (140 in) wide.

Is there a Boeing 747 freighter loading chart for long pieces?

Unicore checks long 747-8F pieces against Atlas Air's published side-door package table: a piece up to 244 cm (96 in) high can be 15.2 m (600 in) long if it is no wider than 51 cm (20 in), and a 340 cm (134 in) wide piece can be 4.9 m (192 in) long. Taller pieces get shorter limits; at 290 cm (114 in) high the longest is 13.6 m (536 in), for a piece no wider than 25 cm (10 in).

Related resources

Related service

Air Freight Service

IATA-certified express air cargo from Riga (RIX) worldwide.