US cargo airline Atlas Air has received a lot of publicity recently thanks to being the recipient of the last ever Boeing 747 built in early February 2023.

[Boeing Delivers the Final 747]

But this airline has a long history and a widespread network, with an interesting fleet and even some hybrid liveries to look out for.

Here’s our profile and history of Atlas Air.

Atlas Air History

Founded in 1992, Atlas Air recently celebrated its 30^th birthday.

In its early days, Atlas Air was merely a provider of aircraft on charter contracts to other carriers. However, with significant funding in prospect, the airline placed an order for ten Boeing 747-400F freighters in 1997 (with two more added to the order the following year).

Despite entering bankruptcy protection in 2004 following a few difficult years of trading after the downturn in aviation experience since 2001, the airline managed to grow by adding contracts with the US Air Force and other organisations.

Atlas Air and the Dreamlifer

Airbus is famous for its Beluga transport aircraft, based on the A300 and A330 models.

However, in the USA, Boeing has developed its own super transporters based on the 747, and known as the Dreamlifter.

Atlas Air has had the contract to operate this small fleet of aircraft since 2010, using them to transport aircraft parts between suppliers and manufacturing sites.

Passenger Flights

Unusually for an airline known as a cargo operator, Atlas Air also operates passenger flights.

A number of its Boeing 747-400 fleet are in passenger configuration, and these have been used on various charter contracts, such as ferrying oil industry workers between Texas and Africa, and on military troop transportation roles.

It also owns a number of Boeing 767-300ER aircraft in passenger configuration.

Boeing 747-8

When Boeing introduced the latest -8 model, Atlas Air had the honour of being the launch customer for the freighter variant.

It took delivery of the first example in 2011.

The airline also had the honour of taking delivery of the final ever 747 built – also a -8 freighter model – in February 2023.

Work With Other Suppliers

Atlas Air has consistently sought collaborations with other operators, often operating its fleet in their liveries, or in hybrid liveries.

They include Amazon Air, with a fleet of 20 Boeing 767-300 freighters are operated for Amazon Air by Atlas Air. This has since expanded to include Boeing 737-800BCF freighters operating for Amazon.

Kuehne+Nagel also have an agreement with Atlas Air, operating the final two Boeing 747-8 deliveries, with titles of both carriers appearing on the aircraft. The final aircraft, N863GT, wears Apex Logistics titles, which is a partner of Kuehne+Nagel.

Since Atlas Air is a charter operator, it has also placed various aircraft on lease with other carriers (in their full colours), including Nippon Cargo, Qantas and DHL.

Atlas Air Livery

Jonnyknoxville1, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Whilst many aircraft feature hybrid liveries, the main Atlas Air livery is easy to spot.

It features a white fuselage with large blue and gold ATLAS AIR titles.

Blue sweeps up the tail from the rear fuselage, and the tail features a gold logo of Atlas holding up the world, from Greek mythology.

Atlas Air Fleet

At the time of writing, Atlas Air operated a fleet of almost a hundred aircraft, covering both narrow and widebody aircraft types.

Boeing 737-800 Freighter

N5113A (Amazon Air)

N5147A (Amazon Air)

N5153A (Amazon Air)

N5167A (Amazon Air)

N5179A (Amazon Air)

N5227A (Amazon Air)

N5233A (Amazon Air)

N5237A (Amazon Air)

Boeing 747-400LCF Dreamlifter

N249BA

N718BA

N747BC

N780BA

Boeing 747-400 Passenger

N263SG

N480MC

N481MC

N482MC

Boeing 747-400 Freighter

N404KZ

N405KZ

N406KZ

N407KZ

N408MC

N409MC

N412MC

N415MC

N416MC

N418MC (QANTAS)

N419MC (Martinair)

N429MC

N445MC

N446MC

N450PA

N451PA

N452PA

N453PA (DHL)

N454PA (DHL)

N471MC

N472MC

N473MC

N475MC

N477MC

N485MC

N486MC

N487MC

N489MC

N492MC

N493MC

N496MC

N498MC

N499MC (Polar Air Cargo)

N508KZ

Boeing 747-8F Freighter

N850GT

N851GT (Polar Air Cargo)

N852GT (Polar Air Cargo)

N853GT (Polar Air Cargo)

N854GT (QANTAS)

N855GT (Polar Air Cargo)

N856GT (QANTAS)

N857GT (Polar Air Cargo)

N858GT (Polar Air Cargo)

N859GT

N860GT

N861GT

N862GT Kuehne+Nagel

N863GT Kuehne+Nagel Apex Logistics

Boeing 767-300ER Passenger

N640GT

N641GT

N645GT

N649GT

N662GT

N664GT

Boeing 767-300ER Freighter

N1013A (Amazon Air)

N1093A (Amazon Air)

N1181A (Amazon Air)

N1229A (Amazon Air)

N1321A (Amazon Air)

N1327A (Amazon Air)

N1361A (Amazon Air)

N1373A (Amazon Air)

N1381A (Amazon Air)

N1399A (Amazon Air)

N1409A (Amazon Air)

N1427A (Amazon Air)

N1487A (Amazon Air)

N1489A (Amazon Air)

N1499A (Amazon Air)

N1619A (Amazon Air)

N1511A (Amazon Air)

N1709A (Amazon Air)

N1997A (Amazon Air)

Boeing 777 Freighter

N704GT

N707GT (MSC Air Cargo)

Polar Air Cargo

Fellow US cargo and charter operator Polar Air Cargo, with bases across North America and Asia, has been majority owned by Atlas Air’s owner, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings.

As a result, Atlas Air operates a number of aircraft on behalf of Polar Air Cargo.