Which is the most efficient Freighter today? |

We took a look at the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) databases to see if we could determine which of the current aircraft models is the most efficient freighter. We began by looking at the US freight carriers that report to the DOT to examine activity, and then fuel efficiency for their operations. The chart below shows revenue ton-miles per flight for each carrier by year plotted against average stage length. The size of the circle represents the number of flights operated by each carrier. This clearly shows a distinction between FedEx and UPS, who operate primarily domestic hub and spoke operations, and Kalitta, Atlas, and Polar, who operate longer stage lengths. This chart is interactive, and pressing the play button at the left of the years column provides a history from 2010 through 2021. The model operated by each carrier can also be selected on an aircraft by aircraft basis by ticking the box for a particular aircraft type. The next chart shows the same result by aircraft model across all carriers, again plotted against average stage length. As one might expect, the 747 and 777 freighter models flew longer range international routes, with domestic routes filled by a variety of models. Those models will have a natural advantage in revenue ton-miles per gallon, as they operate longer routes with additional time at cruise, the most fuel-efficient portion of a flight. Now that we understand the operations of each carrier and type, the question turns to what is the most efficient freighter. We combined data from two DOT datasets, using the same airlines and time period, to compute a measure of revenue ton-miles per gallon. This was computed by taking revenue ton-miles and dividing it by the number of gallons used for each aircraft type within the same time period. The results, as one might expect, were that the most recent models, the 747-8 and 777F, are the most efficient freighters when compared against their older peers. Interestingly, the 767-300 came in third, slightly ahead of older and larger 747-400s and MD-11s, an indication of the strong efficiency of that aircraft for shorter range domestic operations. The following chart plots that metric, revenue ton-miles per gallon against the average stage length of each flight operation from 2010 to 2021. This chart is interactive, you can press the play button to the left of the year to see how performance has changed over time. Looking at that same metric, by airline, and see on the next page that the five US freight carriers are relatively close together in terms of their relative efficiency, as most of the freighter aircraft are relatively close in revenue ton-mile per gallon performance. Again, our models are interactive, so checking a box for a particular airline or selecting an individual year, or playing the graph over time, also works. Holding your mouse over a circle should provide a pop-up of the values, and clicking on a circle will provide a graph of its individual history over time. Feel free to play with the results as you read this article. So which is the most efficient freighter? Of the aircraft in operation in the US today, it appears that the 747-8F remains the queen of the skies in the freighter category, just nudging the 777F. Both are much better than the older 747, MD-11, and 767-300 models from a prior generation. As supply chain disruptions and growth come into play, efficiency will become a competitive differentiator in the future as air freight continues to be a critical mechanism for quickly eliminating bottlenecks. With Boeing still manufacturing the 767-300F, and emission requirements causing production to likely stop in 2028 without an exemption, the question of re-engining emerges. Could Boeing successfully re-engine the 767-300? Boeing's Director of Product Marketing told AirInsight in January that no decision has been made. While the answer, from a technical standpoint, is yes if other re-engined models are prologue, that may actually be a sound idea. The 747-400F to 747-8F transition brought a 30 percent improvement in revenue ton-miles per gallon. With more fuel-efficient engines, the additional payload could be carried for the same fuel, improving efficiency from two directions A re-engined 767 would have significantly better efficiency A similar 30 percent gain would bring the aircraft near the performance of the 747-8F and 777F and quite competitive. As our metric measures volume, as well as fuel efficiency, the potential increase in payload from more fuel-efficient engines, would benefit domestic operators who fly shorter-range routes from their network hubs. But would it be able to compete with forthcoming models like the 777-8F and A350F, which are in the larger freighter segment compared to the medium-segment of the 767? We think it likely would not in terms of efficiency, but would be an excellent replacement for smaller aircraft utilized primarily in domestic operations, and the likely choice to replace older MD-10 and MD-11 models currently in service. With the Airbus launch of the A350F and Boeing’s launch of the 777-8F, new technology wide-body freighters will change the economics of long-haul international cargo routes. But there might be a niche for a GEnx or Trent 1000 powered 767F, particularly if cargo carriers continue to need a medium wide-body lift in the post-pandemic environment. A re-engined 767-300F could provide the impetus for a widespread fleet replacement of older aircraft at UPS, FedEx and Amazon's Prime Air. A harder look at the numbers, and how long production could continue after 2028 are critical for Boeing to consider as it also continues USAF tanker production also based on the 767 airframe. It might all come down to how many 767 re-engined freighters would need to be sold to recover the initial development costs, and whether Boeing believes that the market is robust enough to sell additional new freighters as the conversion shops are running at full capacity. Based on available data the 747-8 and 777F appear to be the most efficient freighters. Once the 777XF and A350F enter service in 2027 and 2026 respectively that will change. One thing is certain: freighters, an overlooked segment of the market for some time, have certainly gained our attention as air freight has become of critical importance to supply chains during the pandemic.

US Flight Planner - US DoT On-Time Data	Airbus vs Boeing - Official OEM Data
US Airline Schedule Performance - US DoT Data	Daily OEM Production & Deliveries -

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