Boeing 747 Passenger Routes – Update

It’s been a while since we last updated the details of where passenger Boeing 747s are still flying.

With every passing month it seems fewer opportunities still remain to fly the classic Jumbo Jet, and with the last ever example being delivered last month (albeit a freighter), its days are certainly becoming numbered.

If you want to keep up with which airlines are flying the Boeing 747 in passenger service, we maintain the Boeing 747 Routes Page here. Why not bookmark it and check back regularly. And if you notice a route we haven’t listed, please let us know!

Here’s a summary of the airlines and routes you can fly a Boeing 747 on in March 2023:

Air Atlanta Icelandic

The lease specialist does not have any routes of its own, but regularly operates aircraft on behalf of other carriers.

It recently reactivated a grounded 747-400 from storage at Kemble Cotswold Airport in the UK. The aircraft is being used on Hajj pilgrimage charters for other airlines, and may well return to storage when the season is over.

Air China

Air China 747-8I (B-2485) on approach to Beijing Capital International Airport (Photo: eangel, distributed under a CC BY-SA 2.0 Licence)

With both 747-400 and -8 examples in its fleet, Air China is only operating a couple of routes.

Presumably more will be introduced as China further removes restrictions on travel and tourism following the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Beijing Capital – Guangzhou (-8)
• Beijing Capital – Shenzhen (-400)

Asiana Airlines

Photo (c) kurtislee09

With its pending merger with Korean Air coming up, Asiana still flies two 747-400s in passenger service.

• Seoul Incheon – Changchun (-400)
• Seoul Incheon – Jeju (-400)
• Seoul Incheon – Shanghai Pudong (-400)

Iraqi Airways

Despite having two Boeing 747-400s in its fleet, neither have been active in recent months.

Korean Air

Korean Air 747-8I HL7638. Photo (c) Erik Ritterbach

Korean Air is slowly reintroducing more routes with its 747-8 fleet. At the time of writing it is operating the following:

• Seoul Incheon – Atlanta (-8)
• Seoul Incheon – Guangzhou (-8)
• Seoul Incheon – Honolulu (-8)
• Seoul Incheon – Los Angeles International (-8)
• Seoul Incheon – New York JFK (-8)

Lufthansa

The world’s largest operator of the Boeing 747, with both the -400 and -8 models in active service. Lufthansa is your best option for flying a 747, with many different routes to destinations in Asia, the Middle East, North and South America emanating from its Frankfurt hub.

• Frankfurt – Beijing Capital (-400/-8)
• Frankfurt – Bengaluru (-400)
• Frankfurt – Boston (-400)
• Frankfurt – Buenos Aires Ezeiza (-8)
• Frankfurt – Chicago O’Hare (-400/-8)
• Frankfurt – Johannesburg (-8)
• Frankfurt – Los Angeles International (-8)
• Frankfurt – Mexico City (-8)
• Frankfurt – Miami (-8)
• Frankfurt – New York JFK (-400)
• Frankfurt – Qingdao (-400)
• Frankfurt – San Francisco (-400/-8)
• Frankfurt – Sao Paulo Guarulhos (-400/-8)
• Frankfurt – Seoul Incheon (-400/-8)
• Frankfurt – Shanghai Pudong (-400)
• Frankfurt – Singapore Changi (-8)
• Frankfurt – Tokyo Haneda (-8)
• Frankfurt – Washington Dulles (-400/-8)

Mahan Air

Iran’s Mahan Air still technically has an active 747-300 in its fleet, but it has not been seen flying for a long time.

Its 747-400 fleet seems to operate these routes regularly:

• Tehran IKA – Beijing Capital (-400)
• Tehran IKA – Dubai International (-400)
• Tehran IKA – Moscow Sheremetyevo (-400)

Max Air

The Nigerian carrier has sent two of its 747-400s to storage. The other example has not flown recently.

Rossiya Airlines

Sanctions on Russia and the lack of available spare parts may finally be catching up with carriers like Rossiya Airlines.

All of its fleet of 747-400s have been transferred to Russian (RA-) registry from their previous Republic of Ireland (EI-) registry… illegally.

Despite still flying on domestic sectors and some international tourist routes into late 2022, none have been noticed active in 2023 so far.

Terra Avia

Not too much is known about this Moldovan carrier’s plans for their Boeing 747-400 passenger variants.

At the time of writing, neither had been seen on any active routes lately.

Do you plan to fly on a 747 this year? Leave a comment below!

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(Main image (c) Erik Ritterbach)