These 9 US Airports Have Passenger Boeing 747 Flights This Summer
Summary
- Air China, Korean Air, and Lufthansa use passenger Boeing 747s to the US.
- New York JFK is the only airport to welcome the trio.
- Washington Dulles will not see the type this summer, with Lufthansa flights replaced by the Airbus A340 and A330.
The US has the world’s third-highest number of scheduled passenger Boeing 747 flights this summer, behind only Germany (thanks to Lufthansa) and China (primarily because of Air China and the domestic market). However, three operators will use the 747 to the US – more than any other country.
US airports with passenger 747 flights
Analyzing schedules supplied by airlines to OAG indicates that the following nine airports will have flights by the ever-reducing type between April and September 2024. Interestingly, that’s precisely the same number of airports that will see the Airbus A380.
These 9 US Airports Will Have Airbus A380 Flights This Summer
More airlines will use the aircraft to the US than to any other country.
Due to the geographic vastness, huge demand, and the number of important Star Alliance hubs, more US airports have passenger 747 services than anywhere else globally.
|
Airport |
Airline(s) |
To… (April-September flights) |
Variant |
Want tickets? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Atlanta |
Korean Air |
Seoul Incheon (daily)* |
747-8 |
|
|
Chicago O’Hare |
Lufthansa |
Frankfurt (daily) |
747-8 |
|
|
Honolulu |
Korean Air |
Seoul Incheon (daily)** |
747-8 |
|
|
Houston Intercontinental |
Lufthansa |
Frankfurt (daily) |
747-400***, 747-8**** |
|
|
Los Angeles |
Air China, Lufthansa |
Beijing Capital (3 weekly) Frankfurt (daily) |
747-8 |
|
|
Miami |
Lufthansa |
Frankfurt (daily) |
747-8 |
|
|
Newark |
Lufthansa |
Frankfurt (daily) |
747-8 |
|
|
New York JFK |
Air China, Korean Air, Lufthansa |
Beijing Capital (3 weekly), Seoul Incheon (daily to 2 daily), Frankfurt (daily) |
747-400 (Lufthansa), 747-8 (Air China, Korean Air) |
|
|
San Francisco |
Lufthansa |
Frankfurt (daily) |
747-8 |
|
|
* The world’s longest passenger 747 route ** The type returns on May 10 |
*** Until April 30, then from August 1 **** From May 1 until July 31 |
Dulles: no 747 flights this summer
For now, Lufthansa uses the jumbo between Frankfurt and Washington Dulles, continuing its year-round operation last year. However, there will be no flights on the type this coming summer.
Instead, the German Giant will primarily use the Airbus A340-600 from Frankfurt, along with the A340-300 and, less interestingly, the A330-300. The 747-8 is due to return to Dulles on October 27, when northern airlines switch to winter schedules. (The carrier doesn’t use the 747 from Munich.)
The 13 US Routes Lufthansa Will Fly Its Airbus A340s This Summer
Some 11 US airports will see the aging quadjet.
A quarter of 747 services versus 2019
Given the change in jumbo use since 2019, it seems unfair to look back at what was available then. Still, analyzing schedules using OAG data shows that the US had an average of 46 daily passenger departures (each way) between April and September 2019.
It was a time when Air China, British Airways, El Al, KLM, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Qantas, and Virgin Atlantic all deployed the Queen of the Skies to the US.
Five years on in the post-coronavirus environment, there is now an average of just 11 747 departures, more than three-quarters fewer than before. But to end positively, departures have risen from 10 daily last summer.
What do you make of it all? Let us know by leaving a comment.