Reference

Boeing 737-300F

The earlier 737 conversion. Payload, cargo hold, door size and typical role below.

Boeing 737-300F cargo aircraft
Photo: Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Maximum payload
19,460 kg
Cargo volume
130 m³
Cargo hold (L × W × H)
23.24 × 3.17 × 2.14 m
Cargo door
3.48 × 2.16 m

About the Boeing 737-300F

An earlier-generation 737 conversion, still working regional feeder and express networks.

Payload sits a little under the -400F on a shorter fuselage. Both do the same job: moving freight between secondary airports and the hubs where widebody freighters load.

What it carries

  • E-commerce
  • Express parcels
  • Mail
  • General freight feeder traffic

How it is built

  • A converted passenger airframe: cabin stripped, floor reinforced, and a large cargo door cut into the forward left fuselage.
  • A rigid 9g barrier immediately aft of the flight deck, protecting the crew if the load shifts.
  • A powered floor system sized for the narrower single-aisle pallets and containers rather than full widebody ULDs.
  • Windows plugged and the cabin systems removed, cutting weight and simplifying the shell.

Why it is used

  • Economic on the short and medium sectors where a widebody freighter would fly half empty.
  • Operates from a far wider range of airports, including those with no widebody handling.
  • Conversion of an existing airframe costs a fraction of a new-build freighter, which is why the segment keeps growing.
  • Frequency over capacity: several daily rotations suit express and e-commerce traffic better than one large flight.

What to check before booking

  • Payload and volume are a fraction of a widebody, so a large consignment will need several rotations.
  • The main deck takes narrowbody ULDs, not the full-size pallets used on widebody equipment.
  • Range is limited; intercontinental work needs a fuel stop or a different aircraft.
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