According to data from Planespotters.net, Cirium, ch-aviation, and airline fleet pages, there are now only a little more than a dozen airlines remaining around the world flying quad-engined passenger jets. This excludes aircraft operated by charter airlines (including Atlas Air and this fleet of five Boeing 747-400s) and governments operating quad-jets as VIP or military aircraft. Importantly, it also excludes aircraft operated by cargo airlines, which now operate most of the world’s remaining commercial quadjets.

Missing from this list is Rossiya Airlines, which has reactivated 3-4 Boeing 747-400s for domestic routes due to sanctions. It is also missing Iranian airlines, like Mahan Air, as its A340s may have been destroyed in the 2026 US/Israeli air campaign over Iran. Cuba’s Cubana de Aviación, and its singular Il-96 quad-engined passenger jet, is also omitted. Here is what to know about which major commercial airlines still operate quadjets.

12

All Nippon Airways (ANA)

Three quadjets in service

All Nippon Airways is one of the two main carriers in Japan, alongside Japan Airlines, and it is remarkable for having placed a late and minimal order for the Airbus A380. It only ordered three superjumbos, and these exclusively serve its Tokyo-Narita to Honolulu route. Having three allows one to be down for maintenance.

As stated, this was a late order for the A380, meaning that ANA’s A380 fleet is one of the world’s youngest at just 7.1 years old on average, with these being delivered between 2019 and 2020. Airbus delivered the final A380 to Emirates in 2021. ANA’s A380s are famous for their extraordinary liveries.

11

Swiss International Air Lines

Four quadjets in service

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is the flag carrier of Switzerland and is a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group. It operates a fleet of four quad-jet Airbus A340-300s that are used on long-haul routes. These are expected to be retired in the coming years as new Airbus A350-900s replace them.

SWISS started taking delivery of its A350-900s in late 2025 and is phasing out its A340 fleet. According to Planespotters.net, SWISS has removed 11 A340-300s from its fleet since 2016, with the most recent retirement coming in April 2023. Another airline from Switzerland, Edelweiss Air, phased out the last of its A340s in 2025.

10

Air China

Seven quadjets in service

Air China is one of the final operators of the Boeing 747 as a passenger aircraft and is one of only two airlines still operating the Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 747-8 as a regularly scheduled passenger aircraft (the other being Lufthansa). However, this is soon to change as Air China is poised to retire its remaining two 747-400s in the coming months.

Air China was one of only three commercial airlines to purchase the final 747-8 variant for passenger service. It purchased a total of seven 747-8s, although two are configured for VIP transport for Chinese officials. This gives the Chinese flag carrier a fleet of five 747-8s in commercial passenger service.

9

Asiana Airlines

Six quadjets in service

Asiana Airlines has been purchased by Korean Air, and its brand will be phased out and fully integrated into Korean Air by the end of 2026. For now, six Airbus A380s continue to operate under the Asiana Airlines brand. These are now an average of 11 years old and were delivered between 2014 and 2016.

The A380s are used on long-haul routes, but Korean Air is itching to retire them. Korean Air had previously planned to retire its Boeing 747s, its A380s, and its older 777s, but Airbus and Boeing are late in deliveries of their replacement widebody aircraft. This is forcing Korean Air to hold onto them for longer.

8

Qatar Airways

Eight quadjets in service (six operational)

Qatar Airways famously called the decision to purchase the Airbus A380 the biggest mistake the airline has ever made. However, for now, it is stranded with its fleet, of which six are operational. Qatar Airways had planned to retire the superjumbos in 2024, but it was forced to hold onto them to prevent a capacity gap as it received new A350-1000s and waits for the 777-9s.

For now, it appears Qatar Airways remains committed to these A380s until 2027, when the Boeing 777-9 is expected to enter service. It seems that Qatar Airways’ A380 fleet could be the next to be phased out, with other airlines like Etihad, Emirates, and British Airways planning to hold onto them for longer.

7

Etihad Airways

Nine quadjets in service

Etihad is the Abu Dhabi-based rival flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates to the Dubai-based co-flag carrier Emirates. It has a fleet of nine Airbus A380s, of which two have been in storage since 2020. However, Etihad is reported to be dragging these mothballed aircraft out of storage and returning them to service.

During the pandemic, Etihad decided to retire its superjumbo fleet, but that decision has now been reversed, and it plans to keep them operating until around 2032. Etihad is one of the airlines purchasing the upcoming Boeing 777-9, although not in the numbers of its Qatar Airways and Emirates rivals.

6

Qantas

Ten quadjets in service

Qantas ordered a fleet of 12 Airbus A380s, but it scrapped two of them. It has now returned all of its remaining 10 A380s to service and mainly uses them to fly from Sydney to London, via a refueling stop in Singapore. Airbus is now building a special fleet of Airbus A350-1000ULR (Ultra Long Range) airliners for Qantas.

These A350-1000ULRs will have a range of up to 9,700 nautical miles, allowing Qantas to fly from Sydney to London and from Sydney to New York on a nonstop basis. The Sydney to New York route is currently served by its Boeing 787-9s via a refueling stop in Auckland, New Zealand. The A380s are expected to be phased out around 2032.

5

Korean Air

Ten quadjets in service

Korean Air is absorbing Asiana and its quadjets, meaning its four-engine fleet will grow before being phased out. It was one of the three airlines to purchase the final Boeing 747-8 passenger variant, of which it purchased 10 examples. However, it has since sold five of them to a US contractor for the US Air Force, and another 747-8 is used as a VIP transport for the Republic of Korea Air Force.

Korean Air has six Airbus A380s remaining in service, down from the 10 superjumbos it acquired. This gives Korean Air a fleet of 10 passenger quadjets plus cargo quadjets and the VIP 747-8. The last of its 747-8s is expected to retire by 2031, while the A380s had been planned to retire in 2026, but that has been postponed.

4

Singapore Airlines

12 quadjets in service

Singapore Airlines operates a fleet of seven 747-400s, but these are cargo aircraft and are outside the scope of this article. Its 12 remaining A380s make up its quad-engined passenger fleet. Singapore Airlines was the launch customer for the A380, and it ordered the second-largest fleet, buying some 24 examples.

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However, it retired half of them, leaving it with a fleet of just 12 today. Singapore Airlines is expected to retire these remaining A380s when replacement twin-engined Boeing 777-9 aircraft arrive. The Boeing 777-9 is being delayed in getting its FAA certification and is not expected to enter service until 2027.

3

British Airways

12 quadjets in service

After British Airways retired the last of its Boeing 747-400s during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was left with a fleet of 12 remaining quadjets, all Airbus A380s. British Airways is now tied with Singapore Airlines as having the second-largest A380 fleet in the world, and the carrier appears to be a rare example of an airline happy with its superjumbos.

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This is unsurprising as the A380 was specifically designed for airports with limited slots, but high demand, like London Heathrow, in mind. British Airways is rolling out a new cabin interior for its A380s, including a new first class cabin. The aircraft are used on routes to destinations in the United States and to Dubai.