dailynewsnblog
The iconic ‘Queen of the Skies,’ as the Boeing 747 was fondly known, ended production in 2023 but continues to serve on and in fact remains in demand for a number of specialized missions even though more fuel-efficient twinjets have replaced it in mainline passenger service. Used airframes have reportedly gone up for sale between $75 million and $400 million, with the price varying significantly depending on the condition of the aircraft, as Axion Aviation reports.
One of the primary sources of continued demand for the 747 airframe is the air cargo industry. Some models, constructed originally as a freighter by 
Boeing, feature a hinged nose door that opens to load cargo directly, and are some of the most prized variants. Additionally, the United States Air Force continues to rely on the 747 for specialized roles that no other aircraft can fulfill and seeks out the best examples remaining to convert for military missions.
The Enduring Queen Of The Skies
The 747 has remained in demand even though production is permanently shut down, unlike the Airbus A380′ super jumbo,’ which was also canceled in 2021. Unlike the A380, the 747 was originally conceived with air cargo being one of its primary missions. Many aircraft were built at the factory with a nose door, and all the passenger variants were intended to eventually be easily converted to the freighter mission, which is how they gained their iconic ‘hump’ upper deck.
The secondary mission of air cargo hauling built into every 747 has given a new lease on life to many of the airframes that flew passengers around the world for decades. On the contrary, newer Airbus A380 double-decker jumbo jets have been scrapped or worse. Some of the most notorious examples include a number of Thai Airways A380s that have wasted away in the tropical climate for years and are expected to never be airworthy again despite their relatively low age.
Although twinjets have largely replaced quadjets in passenger air transit, they remain less than ideal for a number of other missions. Converting a Boeing 747 from a passenger configuration to a Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) is a strategic decision that trades high operational costs for significantly lower initial capital investment compared to buying new aircraft. Then there’s a preference for the 747 over twin-jets with government and ultra-high-net-worth missions that leverage its systems’ redundancy, payload capacity, and sheer volume.
Boeing’s Precious Commodity
There are only 150 examples of the 747-8 still in service out of the 420-strong global fleet of 747s. A very limited pool of airframes available for purchase has notably made the USAF programs to replace the Air Force One and E-4B Nightwatch, ‘Doomsday,’ aircraft a costly and lengthy project. Similarly, President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to convert a 747-8 into a temporary AF One has been mired in criticism over cost.
Cargo operators like Atlas Air and UPS are competing with government agencies in actively purchasing the world’s remaining high-quality 747s to consolidate their dominance in the outsized and heavy cargo sector. While the new Boeing 777-8F is intended to eventually replace 747 cargo capacity, it is not expected to enter service until late this year or next year. It will not be a one-for-one successor as it lacks a nose cargo door and the extra-tall cargo bay that the 747 had.
Continued demand for high-volume air freight keeps older freighters profitable despite high fuel costs. Although there are many more 747-400s still airworthy in the world, with around 250 globally, the performance and efficiency enhancements of the 747-8 make it a far superior aircraft and therefore much more desirable. High-profile government acquisitions have simultaneously significantly inflated market prices for the 747-8 series. The price for a 747-8 is unusually high for commercial aircraft of that age, reflecting their value as mission-critical platforms.
The Quadjet Comeback
In a unique turn of events in the history of commercial aviation, jumbo quadjets like the 747 and A380 were grounded during the COVID-19 pandemic, but due to surging demand after travel restrictions were lifted, many returned to service. Also, the rising air freight traffic from the growth of the e-commerce sector during the lockdown saw a sudden resurgence and value for these giants of the sky.
When international travel plummeted in 2020, the 747 became impossible to fill profitably. Airlines like British Airways, Qantas, and KLM used the crisis as a catalyst to retire their entire 747 fleets years ahead of schedule to save on storage and maintenance costs. A few carriers like Lufthansa, Korean Air, and Air China have brought the 747-8 back to major routes. These routes have enough dense premium traffic in first and business class that are better satisfied by the 747’s despite higher operating costs.
Boeing launched a specialized program to ‘upcycle’ retired passenger 747-8s into ultra-luxury Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) for heads of state and high-net-worth individuals. Government and VIP conversions add an incredible amount of weight that standard passenger aircraft aren’t designed to handle. The 747-8 has a Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) of nearly one million pounds. A twinjet with the same configuration might struggle with performance or range, but the 747 can comfortably carry that mass across oceans.
Why Didn’t Boeing Build The 747-9?
Unveiling the Mystery of Boeing’s Shelved 747-9
The Airbus’ Shortfall
Airbus never produced a dedicated A380 freighter. The A380’s full double-deck design makes it technically difficult to convert into a freighter because the upper floor lacks the structural strength to hold heavy cargo, and its cockpit position makes a nose door impossible. The lack of a cargo conversion path for the A380 means many are being scrapped for parts at just half their useful service life.
A 747-8 typically seats 467 passengers on average, while the A380 seats around 525 in the most popular configurations. It is easier for airlines to fill a 747 to a profitable capacity than the ‘behemoth’ A380, which requires nearly full flights to break even. The A380 costs more to fly at roughly $30,000 per flight hour to operate, compared to approximately $25,000 for the 747-8.
The A380 was designed almost exclusively for a ‘hub-and-spoke’ passenger model that the industry has largely outgrown. The 747 can operate at over twice as many airports as the A380. The A380 requires specialized ‘Code F’ gates, widened taxiways, and double-decker jetways, which many airports are unwilling to fund.
How Many 747s Did Boeing Build?
The reign of the Queen of the Skies: Unveiling the staggering total of Boeing 747s built.
The 747 Difference
While a twin-engine jet is a more sensible financial choice, it often fails to meet the rigid, high-stakes requirements of national security and global diplomacy. For a Head of State, an aircraft is not a transport vehicle; it is a mobile seat of government. There is an undeniable psychological impact when a 747-8 lands. For governments, the aircraft is a mobile embassy.
A 747 can continue to climb and maintain cruise altitude safely even after losing one engine. While modern twins can fly on one engine, the performance margin is significantly thinner, especially when carrying heavy defensive equipment. The 747-8 provides four massive GEnx engines, each with its own electrical generator. This creates a massive surplus of power needed to run advanced jamming equipment, anti-missile lasers, and global satellite arrays simultaneously.
Government aircraft are essentially ‘flying bunkers’ filled with high-energy electronics. 747s are often lined with Kevlar or armored plates and must be shielded against the Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) of a nuclear blast. The massive main deck allows for a Situation Room and a separate medical suite, including a full operating table, without infringing on the leader’s private quarters or the press cabin at the back.
The 747’s unique double-decker layout allows for Zoned Security, which is difficult to achieve on a single-deck aircraft. The 747 hump even acts as a natural, physically separate sanctuary. On government missions, the upper deck is often used for the flight deck and secure communications, keeping the main deck free for the leader’s office, medical facilities, and staff seating.
No More British Boeing 747 Flights: What Are Your Memories Of Flying On The Type In The UK?
Simple Flying reported earlier today that the era of passenger Boeing 747 flights in the UK has officially come to an end, with Korean Air replacing the 747-8’s seasonal coverage on the Seoul-London Heathrow route with the 777-300ER. With this in mind, and given how common jumbo jets used to be at British airports, it would be great to hear your memories of the type in the UK.
After years of seeing such aircraft in the skies or on the ground, one of my most exciting flights to date was my first trip on a 747, which came in the form of a United Airlines service from London to San Francisco in 2013. While the type already felt a bit dated, its aura was undeniable, and I’m glad to have had the chance to fly on one. What are your memories of the 747 in the UK? How many have you flown on? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
The Final Form Of The 747
In 2024, the US Air Force awarded Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) a $13 billion contract to develop the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC), the successor to the aging E-4B ‘Nightwatch’ doomsday fleet. The SAOC program aims to replace four 51-year-old E-4B aircraft with a more modern, survivable fleet, often referred to as the E-4C.
Since the 747 is no longer in production, SNC purchased five used 747-8 passenger jets from Korean Air for approximately $674 million, or $135 million per airframe. SNC began flight testing the first SAOC testbed in August 2025. The program is expected to deliver its first operational aircraft in 2032, with the full project concluding by 2036.
Boeing was eliminated in December 2023 after reaching an impasse with the Air Force regarding contract terms and data rights. Boeing refused to sign a fixed-price agreement, a type of contract where the manufacturer must cover any costs that exceed the agreed-upon limit. Boeing’s reluctance stemmed from massive losses it incurred on other fixed-price government projects, including the KC-46A tanker and the new Air Force One (VC-25B).
The Boeing-led program to replace the current presidential fleet (VC-25A) with two new VC-25B aircraft has faced severe delays and rising costs. The project has encountered design flaws, supplier bankruptcies, and complex wiring requirements needed to militarize the surplus 747-8 airframes.
