Aircraft Winglet Types: A Visual Identification Guide for Spotters
Winglets are one of the most useful identification features in a spotter's toolkit. Once you know what to look for, you can narrow down an aircraft's model — sometimes even its variant — from hundreds of meters away.
This guide covers every major winglet type in commercial and military aviation, explains what each looks like, and tells you exactly which aircraft use them.
Why Winglets Matter for Identification
Winglets were introduced to reduce wingtip vortices and improve fuel efficiency. But from a spotter's perspective, they're visual fingerprints.
Different manufacturers and engineers developed different solutions. A Boeing 737 MAX looks nothing like a 737NG from the wingtip. An A320neo is instantly distinguishable from an A320ceo. Once you learn these shapes, a distant silhouette becomes readable.
1. Blended Winglets
Shape: A smooth upward curve flowing from the wing surface — no sharp joint.
Invented by: Aviation Partners (now Aviation Partners Boeing)
Key identifiers:
- Smooth, aerodynamic curve at the junction
- Typically swept backward at 30–45°
- Height: roughly 2.4 m on 737NGs
Aircraft using blended winglets:
- Boeing 737 Classic / 737NG (700, 800, 900) — the defining look of the NG family
- Boeing 757-200 (retrofitted on many)
- Boeing 767-300ER (optional retrofit)
- Boeing Business Jet (BBJ)
Spotter tip: If you see a blended winglet curving smoothly upward on a narrowbody twin, it's almost certainly a 737NG or 757. The 737MAX has a completely different winglet — see below.
2. Split Scimitar Winglets
Shape: Like a blended winglet, but with an additional blade pointing downward (the "scimitar" tip).
Key identifiers:
- Upward swept main winglet
- Noticeable downward-swept lower blade
- Larger overall than standard blended winglets
Aircraft using split scimitar winglets:
- Boeing 737NG (retrofitted — most obvious on 737-800 operators like Southwest)
- Boeing 737-900ER
- Boeing 757 (some operators)
Spotter tip: Split scimitars are a retrofit option for 737NGs. They look beefier than the original blended winglets. If you see that distinctive downward blade, you're looking at a NG variant, not a MAX.
3. Sharklets (Airbus)
Shape: A sharp, angular tip device curving upward at approximately 45°. More geometric and "bladed" than Boeing blended winglets.
Developed by: Airbus
Key identifiers:
- Sharp, defined junction where wingtip device meets the wing
- More angular than blended winglets
- Typically 2.4 m tall on A320 family
Aircraft using Sharklets:
- Airbus A319neo, A320neo, A321neo — the neo family's signature look
- Airbus A319ceo, A320ceo, A321ceo (optional retrofit, introduced from 2012)
- Airbus A330-300 (some variants)
Spotter tip: Sharklets vs blended winglets: sharklets look more "cut" or angular at the base where they meet the wing. Blended winglets curve smoothly. This distinction alone often tells you Boeing vs Airbus.
4. Raked Wingtips
Shape: No upward extension — the wing simply tapers at a sharp, highly swept angle. Flat but dramatically angled backward.
Key identifiers:
- No vertical rise
- Wing tapers to a very thin, swept point
- Clean, minimal look
Aircraft using raked wingtips:
- Boeing 777-200LR / 777-300ER — the classic long-range twin
- Boeing 787-8 / 787-9 / 787-10 Dreamliner — flexible composite wings make traditional winglets unnecessary
- Boeing 747-8 — raked at the tip, different from the 747-400's classic winglets
Spotter tip: Raked wingtips look like they were designed for speed. The 787 and 777 use them precisely because their wings flex so much during flight that a rigid winglet would be inefficient. If you see a widebody with no upward winglet — just a very swept, angular tip — think 777 or 787.
5. Classic Upswept Winglets (First Generation)
Shape: A simple upward-pointing tip device with a visible sharp junction. Older technology, more angular than blended types.
Key identifiers:
- Clear visible joint where winglet meets wing
- Often shorter than modern winglets
- Sometimes tilted slightly inward
Aircraft using classic winglets:
- Boeing 747-400 — the most iconic example; small upswept tips on the world's most recognized widebody
- Boeing 737-200/300/400/500 Classic (some retrofits)
- Airbus A310 (some variants)
- Fokker 70/100
Spotter tip: The 747-400's winglets are short, about 1.8 m. If you see a four-engine widebody with small upswept tips, it's almost certainly a 747-400. The 747-8 replaced these with raked wingtips.
6. Winglet Fence (Airbus Older Generation)
Shape: A flat, fence-like device sticking up and sometimes slightly down from the wingtip — looks like a small vertical card attached to the end.
Developed by: Airbus (originally on A310/A300-600, widely used on A320 family prior to sharklets)
Key identifiers:
- Small, flat vertical surface — minimal height
- No dramatic sweep
- Both upward and downward section (creating a "fence" effect)
Aircraft using winglet fences:
- Airbus A300-600 / A310
- Airbus A319ceo / A320ceo / A321ceo (without sharklet retrofit)
- Airbus A340-200/300
- Airbus A380 — uses a version of the fence design, contributing to that distinctively flat wingtip look
Spotter tip: If you see an A320-family aircraft without the angled sharklet blade, it either has these flat fence winglets (older ceo) or no winglet device at all. The A380's flat wingtip with a subtle fence is unlike any other aircraft.
7. Advanced Technology Winglets (Boeing 737 MAX)
Shape: Dual-tip design — one blade sweeping up, another sweeping down, creating a distinctive "double winglet" or "AT winglet" profile.
Key identifiers:
- Two distinct blades per wingtip: one angled up ~70°, one angled down ~30°
- Looks like a "check mark" or split fork from the front
- Very different from 737NG blended winglets — the two blades are clearly distinct, not a continuous curve
Aircraft using AT winglets:
- Boeing 737 MAX 7 / MAX 8 / MAX 9 / MAX 10 — exclusive to the MAX family
Spotter tip: If you can identify the split double-blade design, you've confirmed a 737 MAX vs a 737NG. Combined with the LEAP engine's distinctive serrated nacelle, MAX identification becomes straightforward even at a distance.
8. Spiroid Winglets
Shape: A looping, closed-loop wing tip device — the winglet curves around to connect back to the wing surface, forming a complete loop.
Rarity: Rare — limited to specific business jet applications
Aircraft using spiroid winglets:
- Gulfstream GIV-SP (Aviation Partners spiroid retrofit)
- Some Falcon jet variants
Spotter tip: If you ever see a winglet that looks like a closed loop, you're looking at something special — and probably a business jet. Very few aircraft use this design commercially.
9. No Winglets / Clean Wingtip
Some aircraft deliberately use no winglet at all — either because the wing design makes them unnecessary, or because they predate the winglet era.
Aircraft with clean wingtips:
- Boeing 737-100 / 737-200 Original
- Boeing 727 (all variants)
- McDonnell Douglas DC-9 / MD-80 / MD-90
- Embraer ERJ-145 family
- Fokker F27 / F28
Quick Reference: Winglet ID at a Glance
| Winglet Type | Shape Key Feature | Main Aircraft | |---|---|---| | Blended | Smooth curve, no joint | 737NG, 757 | | Split Scimitar | Blended + downward blade | 737NG retrofit | | Sharklet | Angular, sharp base | A320 family | | Raked Wingtip | No rise, swept point | 787, 777 | | Classic Upswept | Short, visible joint | 747-400 | | Winglet Fence | Flat vertical card | A320ceo, A380 | | AT Winglet (MAX) | Double blade, forked | 737 MAX | | Spiroid | Closed loop | Business jets | | Clean/None | No device | 737 Original, DC-9 |
Practical Identification Workflow
When you're at the fence and a plane taxis past, here's how to use winglets in your ID process:
- Count engines first — narrows down the family
- Widebody or narrowbody? — fuselage width visible from the front
- Look at the wingtip — which type from the table above?
- Confirm with engine nacelle — GEnx vs CFM vs PW all look different
For example:
- Narrowbody twin + sharklet → Airbus A320 family
- Narrowbody twin + AT (forked) winglet + serrated nacelle → Boeing 737 MAX
- Narrowbody twin + blended winglet → Boeing 737NG
- Widebody twin + raked tip + composite flex wings → Boeing 787
The AI Shortcut
Learning winglet types takes time — but our AI aircraft identifier can recognize winglet types automatically from your photo. Upload your shot and the AI will analyze the visual features, including wingtip configuration, as part of its aircraft identification.
Still, knowing the theory makes you a better spotter. When the AI says "Boeing 737 MAX 8," you'll understand why — and you'll be able to spot the next one before you even pull out your phone.
Related Guides
Try AI Aircraft Identification — Free
Upload any aircraft photo and get instant identification. No registration, no limits.
Identify an Aircraft Now →