The Boeing 757-200 is a long, powerful single-aisle jet seating about 160 to 200 passengers, famous for its steep climbs. Delta and United still fly it on domestic and transatlantic routes, and FedEx, UPS and other cargo airlines use converted freighters.
757-200 at a glance
- First flight
- 1982
- Length
- 155 ft 3 in (47.3 m)
- Wingspan
- 124 ft 10 in (38.0 m); ~135 ft (41.1 m) with winglets
- Engines
- 2 × Rolls-Royce RB211-535 or Pratt & Whitney PW2000 turbofans
- Seats
- 160–200
- Cruise speed
- ~459 kt (528 mph) / Mach 0.80
- Service ceiling
- 42,000 ft
- Range
- ~3,900 nmi
How to recognize the 757-200
The 757 looks like a narrowbody that has been stretched and lifted. Its long, slim body rides on tall, spindly landing gear, and its wing and engines look bigger than you would expect on a single-aisle jet.
- Stance: very tall gear gives a nose-up, long-legged look on the ground. Each main gear has a four-wheel bogie, unusual for a narrowbody.
- Fuselage: long and pencil-thin; the nose is pointed and slopes down sharply to the cockpit windows.
- Engines: large turbofans under the wing, with good ground clearance.
- Wingtips: plain tips or, on many Delta, United and cargo jets, tall blended winglets.
- Tail: a tall fin and a tail cone that ends in a rounded point.
- Climb: it climbs very steeply on departure thanks to its big wing and power, often noticeable from the ground.
- Sound: a deep roar; the Rolls-Royce-powered ones have a distinctive growl.
It is easy to confuse with an A321, the other long narrowbody. The 757 is longer, has a bigger wing, four-wheel main gear bogies and a much more nose-down cockpit profile.
At altitude, two thick contrails trail behind the engines, and the long fuselage can make it look larger than it is.
Where and when you'll see it
Delta (callsign DAL) and United (UAL) are the main US passenger operators, using 757s on transcontinental flights, Hawaii and some transatlantic routes. FedEx (FDX), UPS (UPS) and contract cargo carriers fly converted 757 freighters on overnight package routes to and from hubs like Memphis and Louisville. The US Air Force flies 757s as the C-32A, often carrying the Vice President as Air Force Two.
Cruise is typically FL350 to FL410. On ADS-B the type code is B752, and the emitter category may show as "high vortex large," a special wake-turbulence class for the 757. Cargo 757s often arrive late at night or before dawn.
Some airlines still fly 757s across the Atlantic from East Coast cities to smaller European airports, as well as on routes to Central and South America. Delta also flies the stretched 757-300, which shows as B753.
Easily confused with
- Airbus A321: The A321 is shorter, sits lower and has a two-wheel main gear on each side.
- Boeing 767-300 / 767-300ER / 767-300F: The 767-300 is a widebody with a much fatter fuselage and twin aisles.
- Airbus A321neo: The A321neo has a smaller wing and curved sharklets, and lacks the 757's tall stance.
Quick facts
- Boeing built 1,050 757s before production ended in 2004.
- Air traffic controllers apply extra wake-turbulence spacing behind 757s because their wingtip vortices are unusually strong for their weight.
- The 757 was designed alongside the 767 and shares a nearly identical cockpit, so pilots can fly both with a common type rating.
757-200 questions
Why does the 757 climb so steeply?
It has a large wing and powerful engines for its weight, giving it excellent climb performance. Airlines and pilots often call it a 'rocket.'
Are 757s still flying passengers?
Yes. Delta and United still fly 757s on domestic and long-range routes, and many have been converted into freighters.
Cities where it's a regular
Philadelphia · Riverside · Cincinnati · Indianapolis · Louisville
Spot one live
Open the live sky tool and look for B752 in the type column, or browse the live map on airplanes.live.