Reference
Boeing 737-400F
Converted 737 that feeds the long-haul hubs. Payload, hold, door and the job it usually flies are below.
- Structural payload
- 21,364 kg
- Hold volume
- 154 m³
- Hold length × width × height
- 24.40 × 3.19 × 2.14 m
- Main cargo door
- 3.40 × 2.10 m
How the Boeing 737-400F is used
A converted 737-400, and one of the most common narrowbody freighter conversions still flying.
It feeds the long-haul network: freight from secondary airports is gathered into the hubs where widebody freighters load, and inbound cargo is sent back out the same way. Short sectors, high frequency, a modest payload.
Cargo it usually takes
How this family is arranged
- A passenger airframe converted for freight: cabin removed, floor strengthened, and a large cargo door cut into the forward left side.
- A rigid 9g barrier sits just behind the flight deck, so a shifting load does not reach the crew.
- The powered floor is sized for narrower single-aisle pallets and containers, not full widebody ULDs.
- Windows are plugged and cabin systems come out, which cuts weight and simplifies the shell.
Why operators pick it
- It pays on short and medium sectors where a widebody would leave half the deck empty.
- It uses many more airports, including ones with no widebody handling.
- Converting an existing airframe costs a fraction of a new freighter, which is why this segment keeps growing.
- Several flights a day suit express and e-commerce better than one large departure.
Settle these points before you book
- Payload and volume are a fraction of a widebody, so a large shipment needs several rotations.
- The main deck takes narrowbody ULDs, not the full-size pallets used on widebody aircraft.
- Range is short. An intercontinental trip needs a fuel stop or a different aircraft.