The competing twin-engine Douglas 12-seat DC-1, flew in 1933. The first production version, the DC-2, started scheduled
During the Second World War the DC-3 was called the Dakota by the British, the C-47 Skytrains by the Air Transport Command, R-4Ds by the US Navy. Though production ceased in 1946, two thousand DC-3s were still in service in the late 1980s.
This will be a tough act to follow. Only the 737 looks like it can come close.