The northern winter wheat region (NWWR) is one of the main wheat producing areas in China. A retrospective analysis of the nationally approved wheat varieties will facilitate rational utilization of wheat variety resources in wheat production in the region. Genotype by yield-trait (GYT) biplot analysis was used to cluster and comprehensively evaluate 47 wheat varieties nationally approved for NWWR during 2003-2023 based on the combinations of grain yield with other target traits including earliness, spike number per hectare, grain number per spike, 1000-grain weight, test weight, quality index, disease resistance index, and cold resistance index. The results showed that these wheat varieties could be classified into four distinct variety types. Type Ⅰ includes 8 varieties, i.e. Jingmai 179, Jingnong 16, Jinmai 3118, Jingmai 189, Jinghua 12, Nongda 3486, Hangmai 2566 and Zhongmai 93, characterized by outstanding combination of yield with earliness, disease resistance, cold resistance, 1000-grain weight and test weight, and excellent performance in the combination of yield and spike number, grain number per spike and a quality index, and therefore has the highest value in wheat production. Type Ⅱ varieties constituted of 13 varieties, including Jingmai 202, Jingnong 19, Lunxuan 158, Zhongmai 623, Jingmai 183, Jingnong 72, Zhongmai Z21, Chang 6794, Jingmai 186, Zhongmai 5051, Jingnong 14-62, Lunxuan 149 and Zhongmai 121, characterized by superior combination of yield with a quality index and spike number, but slightly poor combinaiton between yield and disease resistance and cold tolernace. These varieties are valuable in wheat production in the region as soon as diseases and winterkill are under control. Type Ⅲ varieties had the best combination of yield with disease resistance and cold resistance index, but were poor in combination between yield and other traits. Therefore, their value in production is limited, but could be used as disease-resistant parents in wheat breeding. Type Ⅳ varieties were poor in overall yield-trait combination; but some may be outstanding in a single and can be used as breeding parents. Based on the projection position of each variety on the average yield-trait axis (ATA) of the GYT biplot, Jingmai 179, Jingnong 16, Jinmai 3118, Jingmai 189, Jingmai 202, Jinghua 12, Jingnong 19, Lunxuan 158 and Zhongmai 623 were identified to have superior overall yield-trait combination. While the varieties Beinong 9549, Jinnong 4, Jingdong 12, Jinnong 207, Zhongmai 415, Shiyou 20, Han 4564, Chang 4738, Lunxuan 518 and Jinnong 7 had poor overall yield-trait combination. This study provided an example for the use of GYT biplot for comprehensive wheat cultivar evaluation and classification based on yield-trait combinations for the NWWR region, which can be applied to other crops and regions.