This has to be the most sleek and beautiful commercial passenger aircraft flying today. The beauty of the Boeing 747 has always captivated me, but its latest variant, the 747-8, is the most beautiful of all. Unfortunately, as airlines transition to twin-jet ultra-long range aircraft, this may become a rare sight. Which airlines still fly the most recent version of this classic jumbo, the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental?
The 747-8 Intercontinental was created to fill the void between the 777-300ER and Airbus’ massive A380. It was not intended to compete directly with the A380, but rather to fill a gap between the two aircraft. The 747-8 Intercontinental can carry 410 passengers in a three-class configuration. With a total length of 76.3 m, it is the longest passenger aircraft currently in service. This will soon be surpassed by the Boeing 777-9X, which measures 76.72 m. The A340-600 is Airbus’ longest aircraft, measuring 75.36 meters in length.
Unfortunately, only 47 of the 747-8’s passenger-config were delivered, compared to 467 of its older sibling, the 747-400. The 747-8I, like the Airbus A380, was born at an inconvenient time in aviation history, when most airlines prioritized frequency over capacity. Many airlines are currently retiring A380s, and production of Airbus’ superjumbo ended in December 2021.
Because these planes are rare, seeing a 747-8 Intercontinental is one of planespotters’ favorite things to do. Only a few (if any) airlines fly the 747-8 passenger version. The 747-8 Intercontinental is operated by only three airlines: Lufthansa, the frame’s largest operator, Korean Air, and Air China. The passenger 747-8 is also operated by state governments.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa is currently the largest operator of the Boeing 747-8I, with 19 of these aircraft in service. In fact, Lufthansa plane D-ABYT is painted in retro Lufthansa livery. Lufthansa was also the first customer for the 747-8 Intercontinental, which arrived in April 2012.
Korean Air
Korean Air, like Lufthansa, has both jumbos, the A380 and the 747-8, in its fleet. The airline operates 9 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft. They also have 7 747-8Fs, which are freighter versions of the 747-8. Korean Air received its first 747-8 in August 2015 and continues to operate it to this day.
Air China
Air China still operates eight Boeing 747-8Is. In September 2014, the airline received its first 747-8. They also use the same aircraft for the country’s President’s official state visits.
Other operators of the 747-8 Intercontinental are head of states and governments such as:
- Brunei Government
- Egyptian Government
- Korean Government
- Moroccan Government
- Qatar Amiri Flight
- Royal Flight of Oman
- State of Kuwait
So if you want to get inside a Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental, you might want to try to book flights in those airlines mentioned above.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
Long Live the Boeing 747!!!