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The Boeing 747, once a symbol of intercontinental air travel, has seen its passenger service era come to an end in the United States. Delta Air Lines was the last U.S.-based carrier to operate this iconic aircraft on commercial passenger flights, retiring its fleet by 2018.
Delta Air Lines operated 16 Boeing 747-400 aircraft between 2009 and 2017. These jets were acquired through a merger with Northwest Airlines and used extensively for high-capacity long-haul services. The final flight took place on December 19, 2017, from Seoul Incheon International Airport to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
The aircraft in question was originally delivered to Northwest Airlines in 1989 and logged over 115,000 flight hours. Despite being an icon, the Boeing 747-400's high operational costs led Delta to retire the fleet in favor of more efficient twin-engine models like the Airbus A350 and A330neo.
