Boeing 747-400
Wide-body, long-range, four-engine commercial jet
The Boeing 747-400 is the best-selling variant of the iconic 747 family. Distinguished by its stretched upper deck, winglets, and two-pilot glass cockpit, it served as the long-haul flagship for nearly every major airline through the 1990s and 2000s.
Specifications
| First flight | 1988-04-29 |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 1989-02-09 |
| Status | Still in service (cargo); passenger ops largely retired by major carriers |
| Production | 1988–2009 (694 built) |
| Crew | 2 (flight deck) |
| Capacity | 416 (3-class) to 660 (high-density) |
| Length | 0 m |
| Wingspan | 0 m |
| Height | 0 m |
| MTOW | 0 kg |
| Max speed | 0 km/h |
| Cruise speed | 0 km/h |
| Range | 0 km |
| Service ceiling | 0 m |
| Engines | 4 × Pratt & Whitney PW4000, GE CF6-80C2, or Rolls-Royce RB211-524 |
Fly it yourself
Which simulator handles this aircraft well, what to install, what it'll cost. Curated by an aerospace engineer who actually flies it.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Industry-standard 747-400 simulation. Fully clickable cockpit, complete FMC, accurate systems modeling. The benchmark for 747 sim flying. Includes -400ER variant.
X-Plane 12
Free with X-Plane 12. Decent for casual long-haul flying but not study-level. For serious 747 simulation, fly in MSFS with PMDG instead.
PRINT Boeing 747-400
Take it home
Precision blueprint of the Boeing 747-400, drawn from primary spec data. Available as digital download (print at home) or print-on-demand.
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History
Boeing launched the 747-400 program in 1985 in response to airline demand for a longer-range, more fuel-efficient successor to the 747-300. The type entered service with Northwest Airlines in 1989. Over its 21-year production run, 694 aircraft were delivered to airlines including British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Qantas — making it the most-produced 747 variant. Passenger retirements accelerated after 2010 as twin-engine widebodies like the 777 and 787 offered better economics.
Design
The -400 introduced a two-pilot EFIS glass cockpit (eliminating the flight engineer), 6-foot winglets, lighter aluminum-lithium alloys in the wing, and a 3-meter stretch of the upper deck inherited from the -300. Internal fuel capacity was increased by adding tanks in the horizontal stabilizer, extending range by roughly 1,000 nautical miles over the -300.
Variants
- 747-400 (passenger)
- 747-400D (high-density domestic, no winglets)
- 747-400F (freighter)
- 747-400ER (extended range, 2002)
- 747-400ERF (extended-range freighter)
- 747-400BCF (Boeing Converted Freighter, ex-passenger)
Notable operators
- British Airways (largest fleet, retired 2020)
- Lufthansa
- KLM
- Cathay Pacific
- Japan Airlines
- Qantas
- Singapore Airlines
- United Airlines
Notable
The 747-400 was the workhorse of long-haul aviation for two decades. It was the first 747 with a two-crew flight deck, and the last 747 variant produced in significant numbers before the -8. British Airways' fleet of 31 aircraft was the largest, retired during the 2020 pandemic.
See also
Sources
Last updated: 2026-05-05