Airbus A380 offers greater capacity but Boeing 747-8 leads in fuel efficiency per passenger

The Airbus A380 remains the biggest commercial jetliner, with a length of 239 feet and a wingspan of nearly 262 feet. Airbus produced 254 units between 2003 and 2021. In comparison, Boeing built over 1,500 aircraft in the broader 747 family during its production run from 1968 to early 2023.

Both aircraft have served airlines by meeting demand on busy routes between major hubs. Passengers benefit from spacious cabins and quieter flights despite each plane having four engines.

Fuel consumption figures do not account for all factors affecting efficiency. Aircraft weight, cargo carried, engine type, wing design, and operational procedures such as takeoff play significant roles in overall fuel use. For example, an aircraft may burn about three percent of its maximum take-off weight (MTOW) just reaching cruising altitude—a process that uses more energy for heavier planes like these.

When standardizing for cargo weight per seat, analysis shows that the A380 is less efficient than the 747-8 per tonne-kilometer; specifically, it consumes about .288 liters per tonne-kilometer versus .254 liters for the newer Boeing model—an efficiency difference of almost twelve percent.

Comparing these large jets with other popular long-haul airliners reveals that modern midsize widebodies are often more efficient per passenger but carry fewer people overall. For instance, current models like the Boeing 787-9 or Airbus A350-900 typically achieve between roughly two and two-and-a-half liters per passenger over one hundred kilometers but offer lower total capacity than either jumbo jet.

Aircraft layout also impacts measured efficiency. Lufthansa’s configurations resulted in its A380 being more efficient per passenger than its own fleet of 747-8s because it fit substantially more seats into each flight—509 versus just under four hundred on comparable routes—even though total fuel burn was higher for the larger plane.

Ultimately, airlines must weigh operational costs against their ability to fill these large-capacity jets with paying customers when making purchasing decisions. Advances in technology have extended ranges for midsize jets while shrinking the specific market niche where very large planes like the A380 or latest-generation Jumbo remain optimal choices.

"About halfway through the flight, I walked down the stairs from the lounge and I walked the entire length of the plane’s lower deck, up the stairs and from the aft cabin of the upper deck I did an entire extra lap, without covering the same ground twice."