TravelSkills

News and Tips For Your Trips

Countdown is on for United’s final Boeing 747 flights

United-s 747s disappearing sooner than expected (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

United’s 747s disappearing sooner than expected (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

United Airlines had been hinting for a while that it might speed up the retirement of the venerable Boeing 747 from its long-haul fleet. This week company officials confirmed that October 2018 is the target date for the end of the airline’s 747 flights.

United execs said in an investor conference call that all 20 of the aging wide-bodies should be permanently grounded by then, as the airline relies on 777s and 787 Dreamliners to take over its long-distance routes.

The newer long-haul aircraft in United’s fleet can’t carry as many passengers as the 747. Its 777-200s accommodate 266 to 364, and Dreamliners can seat 219 (787-8) or 252 (787-9), vs. a passenger capacity of 374 for United’s remaining 747-400s.

United will likely be the last U.S. airline to fly the 747, since the only other one that has the plane in its fleet – Delta – expects to retire the last of its few remaining 376-passenger 747s by the end of 2017. Delta is turning to Airbus jets as long-haul replacements, including the A330 and the new A350.

Don’t miss: Is the 747 nearing its end? 

Newly refurbished economy section in a British Airways 747. (Image: British Airways)

Newly refurbished economy section in a British Airways 747. (Image: British Airways)

The U.S. carriers are not alone in turning away from the 747 . Boeing recently said that because of a lack of new orders, it plans to reduce production of the 747 – its current model is the 747-8 – from 12 a year to just six. Competitor Airbus is seeing a similar shrinking of demand for its competing jumbo, the A380.

Economics are at the heart of the trend. The four-engine 747 can’t compete on fuel efficiency with the newer twin-engine wide-bodies from both manufacturers. Other international airlines have also been taking the 747 out of their fleets over the past several years, although a few – like Lufthansa and Korean Air – are using the newer 747-8, and British Airways has been overhauling its 747s to keep them flying for the years ahead.

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

In the market for a new credit card? See our “Credit Card Deals” tab to shop around! It helps us help you!

.

Don’t miss out! Join the 150,000+ people who read TravelSkills every month! Sign up here for one email-per-day updates!

 


Print pagePDF pageEmail page

Comments

  2. I flew SFO-ORD last week (day before Thanksgiving) and got upgauged from a 777 to a 747. Always cool to get a complimentary upgrade into international-style business class on a domestic flight.

    (And less cool to have the plane go mechanical, get to ORD 2 hours late, and miss my connection.)

  3. Have had many a nice experience upstairs on the 747 starting with AA back in 1980 JFK-LAX, SA IAH-JNB, LH First Class IAH-FRA via CLT, and many a PA flight!

  4. Not all airlines put a premium cabin in the bubble. I recall taking a SwissAir 747 in economy and was seated in the bubble.

  8. Time to start looking for award space so I can finally fly on the upper deck of a 747 before it goes away!

  9. As much as I like the 777, 787 and the A350, you just can’t beat 4 engines. I always feel a little safer and more relaxed on a long-haul flight if I have four engines, which means the 747, the A-380 and (less so) the A-340.

    The BAe-146 4-engined WhisperJets are fun too.

  13. I think you misread the article. It reads the 772 seats 266 to 364 and the 744 seats 374. Happens to the best of us.

  14. 2018 was the target date that UA had planned to retire the 744’s anyways, so nothing new in this article.

  15. ” … as the airline relies on 777s and 787 Dreamliners to take over its long-distance routes.” Actually United’s main replacement for the 747 will be the A350 (and some 777-300ERs), but the 787 won’t really be replacing the 747 in any meaningful sense.

    ” … a passenger capacity of 266 to 364 for the variants of United’s remaining 747-400s.” Where did you get this? United has just a single configuration of the 747-400 now, with 374 seats.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Editorial Disclaimer: This editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through the credit card issuer Affiliate Program. Responses in the comments section are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.”