The Boeing 747-8, the final version of the well-known “Queen Of The Skies,” marks two decades since its launch in 2005. This aircraft was introduced as the largest and last variant of the Boeing 747 series, intended to compete with the Airbus A380-800. The passenger version, called the 747-8I (Intercontinental), had its first flight in March 2011 and began commercial service with Lufthansa in 2012.
Despite initial delays and limited interest from passenger airlines—only Lufthansa, Air China, and Korean Air placed orders for a total of 31 aircraft—the freighter version (747-8F) proved more popular among cargo operators. Ten different cargo airlines ordered a combined total of 107 freighter units. UPS Airlines is currently the largest operator of this model.
“The program did face some delays, and the type only received orders from three commercial carriers for passenger use, but, when Boeing proposed a freighter variant, the 747-8F, it proved to be more popular. Subsequently, this model gained orders from 10 cargo operators for three times the number of passenger aircraft. The 747-8 also received orders for a limited number of aircraft configured to transport the governments of countries, which included the likes of Egypt and South Korea.”
The last passenger Boeing 747-8 left production in 2017 for Korean Air. The final freighter unit was delivered to Atlas Air in January 2023. This delivery marked not only the end of the 747-8 line but also closed out production for all Boeing 747s.
Of the original passenger fleet ordered by Lufthansa, Air China, and Korean Air—31 in total—27 remain active today. Lufthansa is noted as operating most of these on long-haul routes such as Los Angeles, Tokyo Haneda, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, and Buenos Aires.
Korean Air stands out as it is also an operator of both passenger and freighter versions of the jet.
Cargo variants have generally enjoyed longer operational lives than their passenger counterparts. As noted by industry sources, cargo jets often stay active far longer than typical commercial airliners because older planes can be converted for freight use rather than retired.
While over 140 units were built across all versions of the Boeing 747-8 family (including both passengers and freighters), this figure is much smaller compared to earlier models like the Boeing 747-400. Nearly 700 examples of that earlier variant were produced between 1989 and 2009.
In terms of technical specifications, “the former has a typical capacity of 467 passengers in a three-class configuration,” referring to the newer -8 model versus “the older -400 variant could only accommodate a maximum of 416 passengers.” Additionally, using data from Lufthansa’s fleet: “the 747-400s can fly for 6,567 NMs (12,200 km) while the 747-8s can manage 7,073 NM (12,100 km).”
Despite offering better fuel efficiency due to improved engines and higher capacity per flight compared to older four-engine jets like itself or competitors such as Airbus’s A340 or A380 families—the shift towards efficient twin-engine widebodies like Boeing’s own Boeing 777, Boeing 787, or Airbus A350 has reduced demand for large quad-jets overall.
Today’s closest replacements include Airbus’s A350-1000—which carries up to about 400 passengers with advanced materials offering improved economics—and eventually Boeing’s upcoming 777-9. The latter program has faced certification delays but recently saw renewed interest after Emirates placed an order for an additional sixty-five units at Dubai Airshow 2025.
“The program made headlines this week at the Dubai Airshow 2025 when the type’s largest customer Emirates ordered an additional 65 aircraft showing increased commitment and confidence in the aircraft type.”
Although production has ended on new units for all versions including freighters—with many still relatively young—the existing fleet is expected to continue flying primarily as cargo jets well into future decades.
