LPLarge Planes

Antonov · historical

An-225 Mriya

The unique six-engine An-225 Mriya was created to carry the Buran spaceplane and became the world’s heaviest completed aircraft and a global heavy-lift icon.

Destroyed in 2022; no aircraft currently operationalVerified 9 September 2026
Length
Wingspan
Height
Maximum takeoff weight640 tonnes
Maximum payload250 tonnes
Maximum passengersNot applicable
Range15,400 km
Engines6 · Progress D-18T turbofans
First flight21 December 1988

Overview

Why this aircraft matters

Derived from the An-124, Mriya received fuselage extensions, six engines and a twin tail for external loads. The sole completed aircraft was destroyed at Hostomel Airport during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Size and design

Its 84-metre length and 88.4-metre span made it larger than conventional cargo aircraft, while the kneeling nose gear and forward ramp supported outsized cargo loading.

At 84 metres long and 88.4 metres across, the An-225 Mriya occupies a very different physical envelope from an everyday single-aisle airliner. Dimensions alone do not tell the entire story: payload, cabin volume and intended role determine how that space is used.

Operators and current status

Antonov Airlines (historical).

Destroyed in 2022; no aircraft currently operational. Operator lists can change; they are reviewed against first-party material and are not a live fleet-tracking service.

Notable records

  • Heaviest aircraft ever completed
  • 250-tonne commercial payload capability
  • Numerous payload-to-altitude records

Source notes

Dimensions, first-flight date and principal payload figures come from Antonov. The status wording distinguishes the historic aircraft from reconstruction proposals.

  1. Antonov An-225 history
  2. Antonov Airlines An-225 brochure

Last verified: 9 September 2026. Values may differ by variant, operating condition and source definition.