When did they stop making Boeing 747? (2023)

When was the last Boeing 747 built?

The last 747-400s were completed in 2009. As of 2011, most orders of the 747-8 have been for the freighter variant. On February 8, 2010, the 747-8 Freighter made its maiden flight. The first delivery of the 747-8 went to Cargolux in 2011.

Boeing has announced that production of the iconic 747 will come to an end in 2022 as dwindling customer demand and low sales for its latest variant became the final nail in the coffin for the aging plane line. The 747 was the first quad-jet engine and dual-level passenger aircraft to roam the skies.

FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom, July 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Cargolux today announced that Europe's largest all-cargo airline has selected the 777-8 Freighter as the preferred solution to replace its 747-400 fleet. The selection was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow.

Boeing claims that the 747-8 is more cost-effective per seat per mile than any other aircraft. However, Airbus claims that the A380 is the most efficient jet in the world. It does not make much sense to compare the two jets in fuel burn and seat-mile cost. The planes are considerably different in size.

Boeing 747-400 Private Charter Flights and Prices

The B747-400, best known as the world's fastest commercial jetliner, has the capability of carrying up to 660 passengers in a partial double deck configuration. The average hourly rental rate of the Boeing 747-400 is around 30,950 USD per hour.

Lufthansa has the largest passenger 747 fleet in the world, consisting of the -400 and -8 series variants.

The oldest Queen of the Skies still used for passenger operations by a commercial airline is a 32 years old Boeing 747-400, which currently belongs to Mahan Airlines fleet, according to the Planespotters.com data. Originally, the wide-body aircraft was ordered by the American air carrier United Airlines.

According to Boeing's data, the 777-9 has a total length of 251 feet 9 inches (76.72 meters). The 747-8 is just a bit smaller at 250 feet 2 inches (76.3 meters). The 777-9 is the longest commercial aircraft ever built.

Despite the initial fanfare, the plane didn't last so long as part of the Atlanta-based carrier's fleet. The company felt that the jet was too large for its services. Subsequently, the last of its five original 747s flew in April 1977.

Why did United get rid of 747?

The move away from the four-engined 747 comes as newer fuel-efficient two-engine models have gained favor among the world's airlines. Increasingly, carriers have looked to Boeing's 777 and 787 or Airbus' A350 and A330 when buying new widebody jets. The outlook isn't all doom and gloom for the 747, however.

The 787 is both shorter, smaller and thinner than the 747. With that comes a lower passenger count than the 747, as well as a lower MTOW. Surprisingly however, the 747 is much faster than the 787.

As of June 2022, there are 341 total orders for the 777X passenger and freighter versions from eight identified customers and other buyers. The 777-9 first flew on January 25, 2020, with deliveries delayed multiple times and expected to commence in 2025.

Which is safer: Boeing or Airbus? But this question is not really relevant, since both Boeing and Airbus have remarkably similar safety records. The differences between Airbus, Boeing, and Bombardier are minor, all of them being more dangerous than Embraer but far safer than ATR or Sukhoi.

An airplane's parts and components can be very expensive, especially when it comes to the engines. The Boeing 747-8 uses 4 General Electric GEnx engines, which cost $13 million each, meaning that replacing all four of a Boeing 747-8's engines costs $52 million.

The 747 is certified to fly on just three engines, and there was no indication of any damage to the aircraft's other engines. Safety experts and aviation regulators still questioned the decision to operate such a long flight with one engine out.

Do pilots prefer Boeing or Airbus? Pilots will always differ in opinion. The general feeling is that Airbus aircraft on the narrowbodies (A320 etc) are slightly more comfortable in terms of space in the flight deck than a 737 for example.

The producers had said they would come up with improved engine systems. Yet those engines were developed secretly and deployed first in the smaller and more efficient 737 Dreamliner from rival Boeing. Beyond those factors, the main problem was the long delay in bringing the A380 to market.

Hi Fly had hoped that there would be a big market for a wet lease Airbus A380 though this failed to really materialize, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, the pandemic rendered the aircraft's services largely unwanted, and Hi Fly decided that a wet lease A380 was not economical.

How much fuel does a 747 cost?

A 747 can seat 380 to 560 people, depending on how an airline sets it up. A full one is a moneymaker. But an airline that can't fill all the seats has to spread the cost of 63,000 gallons of jet fuel — roughly $200,000 — among fewer passengers. The jets also are too big for most markets.

Let's start with a look at the most famous of jets, the Boeing 747. The Boeing website states that this model, with a gas tank capacity of 63,500 gallons, may burn five gallons of jet fuel per mile of flight. A 4,000-mile flight, then, requires 20,000 gallons of fuel.

Airlines get an average of just under $189 of revenue for each passenger they fly, which include the base fare, ancillaries such as bag fees, fuel surcharges, and revenue for any cargo carried.

So the first commercial passenger airline in the series was assigned the number 707 (pronounced Seven Oh Seven). The Boeing 707 is credited with launching the beginning the “Jet Age.” It was decided that all model numbers that either began or ended in a “7” would be reserved for commercial jets.

China was one of the last countries to recertify the MAX for flight. The MAX has been flying in the U.S. since late 2020. “We continue to work with global regulators and our customers to safely return the 737 MAX worldwide,” said a Boeing spokeswoman in an emailed statement.

The oldest plane still flying in the world is the Bleriot XI. And it's not even close! Where generations of aircraft have been built and retired in its wake, the Bleriot XI, one of the first planes ever, built in 1909, still flies in Hudson Valley, New York.

There were 449 Boeing 747 aircraft in active airline service as of September 2022, comprising 5 747-100s, 18 747-200s, 4 747-300s, 271 747-400s, and 151 747-8s. These aircraft are listed by airline operators and variant in the following table.

There Are Only 7 Remaining 747 Passenger Operators Remaining. After more than 50 years, Boeing announced in July 2021 that it will bring an end to the production of the iconic 747 line in 2022.

The iconic carrier collapsed in 1991. The rest of the 747 aircraft from 1970 were stored with United Airlines and have since been scrapped.

What is the oldest Boeing 747 in service?

The oldest Queen of the Skies still used for passenger operations by a commercial airline is a 32 years old Boeing 747-400, which currently belongs to Mahan Airlines fleet, according to the Planespotters.com data. Originally, the wide-body aircraft was ordered by the American air carrier United Airlines.

According to Boeing's data, the 777-9 has a total length of 251 feet 9 inches (76.72 meters). The 747-8 is just a bit smaller at 250 feet 2 inches (76.3 meters). The 777-9 is the longest commercial aircraft ever built.

COST. Today, the newest model of the 747, the 747-8, is on sale from Boeing for $386.8 million US. But if you are interested in buying a second hand 747-200, prices vary widely.

China was one of the last countries to recertify the MAX for flight. The MAX has been flying in the U.S. since late 2020. “We continue to work with global regulators and our customers to safely return the 737 MAX worldwide,” said a Boeing spokeswoman in an emailed statement.

Within Asia, the plane can be found flying to Tokyo, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Taipei, and more, depending on demand. Outside, the 747-8 is a staple on flights to San Francisco, Honolulu, Auckland, as well as Atlanta and New York.

The company felt that the jet was too large for its services. Subsequently, the last of its five original 747s flew in April 1977. However, the type would eventually return to Delta's fleet following the firm's merger with Northwest Airlines in 2008.

Last 747 Flights

Delta retired its 747 fleet for the second and final time in 2017, replacing the 747-400 with more compact and efficient, twin-engine aircraft, such as the Airbus 350. The drawdown began on September 30, 2014, when three of the 16 Boeing 747-400s inherited from Northwest Airlines retired.

The aircraft's double-decker layout allows for airlines like Emirates, Etihad, and Korean Air to install onboard lounges. Emirates' onboard lounge, which is reserved for first and business class passengers, even has a bartender.