Aircraft built with two main wings (or three in a triplane) can usually lift up to 20 percent more than can a similarly sized monoplane of similar wingspan, which tends to afford greater maneuverability. The struts and wire bracing of a typical biplane form a box girder that permits a light but very strong wing structure.

On the other hand there are many disadvantages to the configuration. Each wing negatively interferes with the aerodynamics of the other. For a given wing area the biplane produces more drag and less lift than a monoplane, but this effect can be slightly reduced by placing one wing forward of the other though NACA research into this suggests that the reduction of drag is minimal.