Do Virgin still use 747?

For 36 years, Virgin Atlantic flew Boeing 747 aircraft around the world. Now, the planes have been retired in favour of newer, more sustainable aircraft such as the Airbus A350-1000 and the Boeing 787-9. If you miss the 747 as much as we do, here are five things you might not know about the Queen of the Skies…



No, Virgin Atlantic officially retired the last of its iconic Boeing 747-400 aircraft in December 2020. This decision was accelerated by the global pandemic and a broader industry shift toward more sustainable, twin-engine long-haul jets. In 2026, the airline's fleet is composed entirely of modern, fuel-efficient aircraft: the Airbus A350-1000, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, and the newest Airbus A330-900neo. These planes offer significantly lower carbon emissions and a quieter passenger experience compared to the four-engine "Queen of the Skies." Virgin Atlantic’s 747s were famous for their "bubble" upper decks and names like "Barbarella" and "Ladybird," but they have now been replaced by aircraft that feature the airline's latest "Upper Class" suites and social spaces like "The Loft." If you are a 747 fan, you will no longer find them flying for major UK passenger airlines, as British Airways also retired their entire fleet around the same time.

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If you want to rekindle memories of flying aboard the world's first jumbo, your first and best choice is Lufthansa. The German carrier operates more passenger 747s than the rest of the world's airlines combined, with eight 747-400s and 19 747-800 models still flying.

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As our last 747 departs, we know that replacing them are the next generation of airliners. The very latest Boeing 787 and Airbus A350s, and soon, the Airbus A330 NEO. These modern, sophisticated, quiet and green jets are the worthy successors of the 747. So that's it.

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The A350-1000 is Virgin Atlantic's 2nd best plane ( the A330neo is their best ) and features very good iteration of the Upper Class seat and service, and London Heathrow Terminal 3 is where you get the flagship Virgin ground experience replete with private check in: Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Check-in.

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According to data from ch-aviation.com, the oldest active Boeing 747 family aircraft left in the world today is a 747-100SF that flies for the Iranian Air Force. Bearing registration 5-8103, this veteran quadjet is 52.86 years old and flew for TWA from 1970 to 1975 before being converted for usage as a freighter.

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According to Boeing's data, the 777-9 has a total length of 251 feet 9 inches (76.72 meters). The 747-8 is just a bit smaller at 250 feet 2 inches (76.3 meters). The 777-9 is the longest commercial aircraft ever built.

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Over the past decade, the giant aircraft was eclipsed by smaller, more nimble models like Boeing's own 777 or Airbus SE's A350 that only have two engines but still manage to fly the same routes, albeit at much lower operating costs.

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As an airline, we take safety and security extremely seriously. Our safety and security programme exceeds statutory requirements and we always go beyond the basic regulatory standards. We believe that safety and security can be continuously improved.

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This airline is rated amount the Top 10 carriers on Flight-Report. Frequent travelers give the airline an average rating of 8.3/10.

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KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the oldest scheduled airline in the world still operating under its original name – and Virgin Atlantic are very proud to welcome such a prestigious partner. Together with KLM we can offer passengers more travel options from the UK to Canada, the United States and Mexico via Amsterdam.

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No more 747s are being made, but Boeing notes that they're still taking flight. The 1970s version even inspired one man to build a ground-based replica. We are proud that this plane will continue to fly across the globe for years to come, Boeing's Smith said. Copyright 2023 NPR.

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