Alerts Sign-up
Lufthansa continues to operate a small fleet of Boeing 747-400 aircraft on its international routes, maintaining a connection with an aircraft type that has been central to its operations for decades. The airline, which once operated 31 of the 747-400s at its peak, now flies just eight of these planes. These aircraft serve as a stopgap until Lufthansa receives new deliveries from Boeing.
The German carrier’s relationship with the Boeing 747 began in 1970 when it became the first European airline to order and operate the model. Over time, Lufthansa expanded its fleet with newer variants, including the 747-200 and later the more advanced -400 series, first delivered in 1989. The arrival of the Airbus A380s and Boeing 747-8s led to gradual retirement of older -400s throughout the last decade.
Currently, Lufthansa’s remaining eight 747-400s are over 23 years old on average and have identical configurations: each features 371 seats spread across business class (67 seats), premium economy (32 seats), and economy (272 seats). Notably, these planes do not include a first-class section. One aircraft, D-ABVX, has spent much of 2025 out of service for maintenance.
