The maximal total range is the maximum distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing. Powered aircraft range is limited by the aviation fuel energy storage capacity (chemical or electrical) considering both weight and volume limits. Unpowered aircraft range depends on factors such as cross-country speed and environmental conditions. The range can be seen as the cross-country ground speed multiplied by the maximum time in the air. The fuel time limit for powered aircraft is fixed by the available fuel (considering reserve fuel requirements) and rate of consumption.

Some aircraft can gain energy while airborne through the environment (e.g. collecting solar energy or through rising air currents from mechanical or thermal lifting) or from in-flight refueling. These aircraft could theoretically have an infinite range.

Ferry range means the maximum range that an aircraft engaged in ferry flying can achieve. This usually means maximum fuel load, optionally with extra fuel tanks and minimum equipment. It refers to the transport of aircraft without any passengers or cargo.

Combat radius is a related measure based on the maximum distance a warplane can travel from its base of operations, accomplish some objective, and return to its original airfield with minimal reserves.

For most unpowered aircraft, the maximum flight time is variable, limited by available daylight hours, aircraft design (performance), weather conditions, aircraft potential energy, and pilot endurance. Therefore, the range equation can only be calculated exactly for powered aircraft. It will be derived for both propeller and jet aircraft. If the total mass ${\displaystyle W}$ of the aircraft at a particular time ${\displaystyle t}$ is: $${\displaystyle W=W_{0}+W_{f},}$$ where ${\displaystyle W_{0}}$ is the zero-fuel mass and ${\displaystyle W_{f}}$ the mass of the fuel, the fuel consumption rate per unit time flow ${\displaystyle F}$ is equal to $${\displaystyle -{\frac {dW_{f}}{dt}}=-{\frac {dW}{dt}}.}$$

The rate of change of aircraft mass with distance ${\displaystyle R}$ is $${\displaystyle {\frac {dW}{dR}}={\frac {\frac {dW}{dt}}{\frac {dR}{dt}}}=-{\frac {F}{V}},}$$ where ${\displaystyle V}$ is the speed), so that $${\displaystyle {\frac {dR}{dt}}=-{\frac {V}{F}}{\frac {dW}{dt}}}$$

It follows that the range is obtained from the definite integral below, with ${\displaystyle t_{1}}$ and ${\displaystyle t_{2}}$ the start and finish times respectively and ${\displaystyle W_{1}}$ and ${\displaystyle W_{2}}$ the initial and final aircraft masses

The term ${\textstyle {\frac {V}{F}}}$, where ${\displaystyle V}$ is the speed, and ${\displaystyle F}$ is the fuel consumption rate, is called the specific range (= range per unit mass of fuel; S.I. units: m/kg). The specific range can now be determined as though the airplane is in quasi-steady-state flight. Here, a difference between jet and propeller-driven aircraft has to be noticed.