What is the range of an MD-80?
Isabella Ramos
Updated on February 27, 2026
1,600 miles 2,400 miles
Technical Specifications
| MD-80 | MD-90 | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 140,000 pounds | 156,000 pounds |
| Power plant | Two 18,500-pound-thrust Pratt & Whitney JT8D-209 engines | Two 25,000-pound-thrust International Aero Engines V2500 engines |
| Speed | 546 mph | 0.76 Mach |
| Range | 1,600 miles | 2,400 miles |
Are any DC 8 still in service?
As of May 2021, four DC-8s remain in commercial service, with three operating for Trans Air Cargo Service and one with CFS Air Cargo.
Does Delta still fly MD80?
Mad Dog retires: On Tuesday, Delta Air Lines retired the last McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series aircraft flying scheduled passenger service in North America.
What kind of plane is a McDonnell Douglas MD-80?
McDonnell Douglas MD-80. The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of twin-engine, short- to medium-range, single-aisle commercial jet airliners. It was lengthened and updated from the DC-9.
What is the MD-80 series?
The popular MD-80 series is a stretched and improved development of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9. The origins of the MD-80 lie in 1975 testing where a standard DC-9 was fitted with improved, more efficient, higher bypass ratio JT8D-200 series turbofans.
When did the first MD-80 make its first flight?
The first MD-80, DC-9 line number 909, made its first flight on October 18, 1979. Although two aircraft were substantially damaged in accidents, test flying was completed on August 25, 1980, when the first variant of MD-80, the JT8D-209-powered MD-81 (or DC-9-81), was certified under an amendment to the FAA type certificate for the DC-9.
How many passengers can an MD-80 plane seat?
The MD-80 aircraft were lengthened and updated from the DC-9. The MD-80 series can seat from 130 up to 172 passengers. They typically feature cabin layouts that seat 140 passengers on scheduled flights, and 165 on low-cost flights. The MD-80 series was introduced commercially in October 1980 by Swissair.
