Alerts Sign-up
The United States was once at the forefront of the aviation industry with giant widebody commercial aircraft, particularly with Pan Am's launch of the Boeing 747 Jumbo in 1969. This aircraft became a significant success in both U.S. domestic and international markets. However, the aviation landscape in the U.S. has since shifted. Presently, there are no double-decker or quad-engined aircraft in passenger service with major U.S. airlines.
No U.S. airline opted to purchase the Airbus A380 Superjumbo, and none have ordered the upcoming Boeing 777X passenger variants. These aircraft are considered too large for current U.S. airline needs. Despite the U.S.'s history with large aircraft, U.S. carriers have shifted towards smaller models. Notably, the last American Airlines Boeing 747 was retired in 1994. United Airlines retired its last 747 in November 2017, and Delta Air Lines followed in December 2017. Currently, airlines such as Korean Air and Lufthansa continue to operate 747s, but their numbers are dwindling worldwide.
U.S. airlines had the opportunity to purchase Boeing's 747-8I as a replacement for aging 747s but chose not to. Instead, orders for this aircraft came from U.S. cargo airlines and the U.S. Air Force. The Airbus A380 did not attract any U.S. orders, even though it had over 250 orders globally. The Boeing 777-300ER is the largest passenger aircraft currently in service with U.S. airlines, but its replacements are smaller aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliners and the Airbus A330s and A350s.
