Type library — Outsize / ramp-loading heavy freighter
Antonov An-124 payload, specifications and charter access
The An-124 is the aircraft of last resort and first choice for the heaviest single pieces in air freight: kneeling landing gear, onboard cranes, winches and track systems let it swallow cargo no other production freighter takes. The fleet is small, sanctioned-market complexity is real, and lead times matter.
Submit a requirement any time without an account · first response usually within 60 minutes · 24/7 for AOG and time-critical.
In short
The Antonov An-124-100 lifts approx. 120 tonnes (the -150 variant up to ~150 t) and loads through both a kneeling nose ramp and a rear ramp — drive-in capability for vehicles, helicopters, generators and indivisible industrial units. It remains the default aircraft when a 747 nose door is not enough. CCN sources An-124 capacity from the small worldwide operator base and handles permits — we broker, we do not operate.
Planning figures
Antonov An-124
- Max payload
- ≈ 120,000 kg (-150: ≈ 150,000 kg)
- Range with typical load
- ≈ 4,500–7,500 km by load
- Cargo cabin
- ≈ 36.5 m × 6.4 m × 4.4 m
- Loading
- Nose + rear ramp, onboard winches and cranes
- Cruise
- ≈ 800 km/h
Requirement enquiry
Send the requirement to the desk
Route, ready date and payload are enough for us to start checking operators.
Requirement data stays confidential; supplier identities and margins are never shared.
Typical missions
- Indivisible heavy units: generators, transformers, presses
- Helicopters, vehicles and rolling stock driven straight in
- Aerospace: satellites, rocket stages and aircraft sections
- Humanitarian and government relief into austere airfields
Where this type is the wrong tool
- Very small operator base — availability windows are scarce
- Permit and overflight planning adds lead time on many routings
- Airport compatibility (pavement, ground power, towing) must be verified per station
Cost
What an An-124 costs to charter
Outsize and ramp aircraft are planned at roughly 23,100 to 37,800 USD per block hour, the widest band in our calculator. The spread is real: this fleet is small, demand is lumpy, and a single unavailable aircraft can move the market for a week.
Ground time adds cost that hourly rates hide. Ramp loading of a single heavy piece, spreader beams, cranes and an engineering survey can occupy a day at each end, and that day is chargeable.
- Block hours plus long positioning from a small global fleet
- Loading engineering: ramps, spreader beams, cranes, surveys
- Overflight and landing permits with their own lead times
- Airport strength: apron bearing capacity and runway length
Questions
Questions on this type
See all questionsPieces that exceed the 747's nose-door contour or floor limits: typically indivisible units above ~3 m height, extreme lengths, or weights beyond ~35 t per piece. Drive-in rolling cargo via ramp is the other classic case.
An-124 rotations are among the most expensive in air freight and priced per mission. Send the requirement with dimensions and weights — we return operator-priced options including permits and handling.
Plan for weeks, not days: fleet availability, positioning, diplomatic clearances and special handling equipment all take time. AOG-style urgency is possible but priced accordingly.
Other freighter types
Need this type — or not sure yet?
Send us the requirement — no account needed. We check which operators can release this type on your routing and come back with priced options, usually within 60 minutes.
All figures are indicative planning values. Payload, range and door dimensions vary by variant, tail and operator. Every mission is subject to availability, permits and operator acceptance.