When an airline decides to refresh the livery on the world’s largest passenger jet, the Airbus A380, they are not just buying a few cans of spray paint. They are committing to one of the most complex and expensive maintenance tasks in commercial aviation. Every square inch of paint affects branding, weight, fuel burn, and even long-term structural protection. And when you’re dealing with the biggest passenger aircraft ever built, nothing about that process is small.

So in this video we take a look at what it really costs to paint the world’s largest commercial aircraft, why the bill can reach half a million dollars, and why, despite the price, airlines still see it as money well spent.