Unexplained drone intrusions and short airspace breaches by foreign military aircraft in several NATO countries have disturbed civilian activities and alarmed both officials and the public. 

Although none of these events have resulted in direct conflict, their timing and coordination suggest they are more than a coincidence. Dr. Sean M. Maloney, a history professor at the Royal Military College of Canada, describes what we are seeing as grey zone warfare, the so-called space in between peace and war. 

As a Cold War and modern military expert, Dr. Maloney has dedicated his career to studying international conflicts. He served as Historical Advisor to the Canadian Army in Afghanistan, becoming the first Canadian civilian military historian to enter combat since World War 2. 

Using exclusive insights from Dr. Maloney, AeroTime explores the patterns, risks, and impact of the ongoing airspace violations in Europe.

Timeline of airspace violations

At the time of writing, AeroTime reported that NATO-controlled skies in various European countries had been disrupted 21 times in the past five months.  

Below is a brief overview of events that occurred in European airspace from July to November 2025:

Pattern or provocation?

The fundamental principle highlighted in Article 1 of the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation states that each country has complete authority over the airspace above its land and territorial waters. 

Both the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) define an aircraft as “unauthorized” if it operates outside its designated area or violates a sovereign country’s airspace rules. 

Such legal frameworks make clear why any violation – intentional or not – quickly escalates from an aviation safety concern to a broader geopolitical issue. 

Dr. Maloney explained that the ongoing airspace breaches in Europe mirror Cold War strategies but are accelerated by new technologies and social media – a period he calls “The Cool War”. 

According to Dr. Maloney, it is important to differentiate between types of airspace incursions, and each case should be evaluated based on specific circumstances and the prevailing political or diplomatic situation. 

“High-speed buzzing of a Polish oil platform is different from a handful of quadcopters deployed by Beijing-regime agents near a military airbase in Norway, which then differs from a swarm of unmanned vehicles used to shut down major airports launched from ‘ghost ships’,” he explained. 

Reflecting on recent events, Dr. Maloney highlighted that none of the airspace breaches that took place over the course of the last couple of months were random. Instead, they form a deliberate pattern of calibrated airspace provocations.  

Understanding grey zone warfare

Dr. Maloney believes that current airspace incidents in Europe are closely tied to Russia and its allies. Moscow, however, has denied any involvement. 

Recently, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov warned Europe against blaming Russia for the airspace incursions, suggesting that European leaders should broaden their perspectives instead. 

NATO has rejected this viewpoint stating that Russia “bears full responsibility for these actions, which are escalatory, risk miscalculation and endanger lives.”  

While some experts describe Russia’s actions as “hybrid threats”, Dr. Maloney said he prefers to classify them as “grey zone warfare”. This term describes a type of conflict that exists between war and peace, involving actions that harm another state and may be considered acts of war, even if they are not legally recognized as such. 

Dr. Maloney explained that during the Cold War era the Soviet Union carried out similar provocations to the airspace violations Europe is witnessing today.  

These included intercepting and harassing Western C-54 transport aircraft during the 1949 Berlin Airlift, firing anti-aircraft artillery near designated air corridors, and even severing undersea communication cables used by US nuclear forces during the 1961 Berlin Crisis. 

The professor recommended holding a critical approach to Russia’s actions, suggesting that everything it does or will do “is provocation or an event that will be exploited for information warfare effects”.   

How much do airspace violations cost?

The costs for airline compensation, care, and assistance related to delays are substantial, sometimes reaching billions of dollars annually, with airlines being liable for penalties even if the cause of delays is beyond their control.  

According to a financial outlook for the airline industry in 2025 from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), compensation for flight cancellations, delays, or denied boarding costs airlines approximately $5.68 billion annually. 

Against this backdrop, additional airspace violations introduce extra financial risks, putting additional pressure on airlines, airports, and passengers, leading to significant economic impacts. 

The Digital Travel Summit APAC 2026 report indicates that flight disruptions cost airlines around 5% of their revenue. When considering the broader effects on travelers, businesses, and the entire travel ecosystem, total losses can reach about $60 billion, or roughly 8% of airline revenue. 

For airports, even brief disruptions can be expensive. A study from September 2024 found that loss costs for airports can make up nearly 65% of their total expenses, regardless of traffic levels. 

While there is limited information on the specific amounts, estimates indicate that even short disruptions at airports can have a major effect. For example, Vilnius Airport stated that all closures due to smuggling balloons cost passengers, airlines, and the airport “hundreds of thousands of euros”. 

“These incidents have clearly demonstrated to the Russians and their targets how vulnerable commercial aviation and thus economic sectors based on it are to these kinds of low-level, low-cost operations,” Dr. Maloney said. “Clearly the use of small UAVs in swarms is of considerable concern to military aviation. As before, technical and procedural adaptation should take place to counter future moves and mitigate any effects.” 

Europe’s challenge: responding to Russian provocations

Dr. Maloney said that Mátyás Rákosi, the Hungarian Communist leader, created the phrase “Hungarian salami tactics” to describe small, unnoticed actions aimed at weakening an opponent’s will to fight. He believes this is what we are witnessing in Europe right now. 

“The idea that all of what we have been talking about somehow fits into some form of escalatory framework that inevitably leads to nuclear weapons use if NATO responds in any way at any level to Russian provocation is a Russian information operations line that sits in the background of this discussion and lurks within Western academia,” he explained. 

Dr. Maloney’s message is clear: Europe cannot afford complacency in the face of persistent provocations. The professor emphasized that it is essential to confront and respond to Russian provocations in any form during this type of indirect conflict.  

“The Russians can say what they like. We know that whatever they do, there is an ulterior motive for it,” Dr. Maloney said “We must act accordingly and stop giving them the benefit of the doubt. If we do not respond, they will keep pushing.”

The aircraft comes in two variants, with the A350-900 being the standard version with 535 aircraft currently flying. Its larger sister, the A350-1000, is less common, with 100 in active service with airlines worldwide.

The aircraft, still relatively new (its first flight was in 2013), has been used by carriers to replace older, less fuel-efficient aircraft on long-haul routes, although some can also be found flying higher-density regional routes, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. 

The largest operator of the type is Singapore Airlines, which has 65 aircraft in service. Next in line is Qatar Airways (58), Cathay Pacific with 47 planes flying, followed by Delta Air Lines (35), Air France (34), Lufthansa (30), and Air China (also 30).

Rather predictably, then, some of these carriers appear in the list of operators of the longest A350 routes being operated in October 2025. Using the type’s unique ability to fly many hours without the need to refuel, the A350 has become the long-haul of choice for many carriers, with it forming the backbone of their widebody fleets. 

The type has become so popular that it is becoming the leading type to replace other long-haul aircraft such as the Boeing 767-300, 777-200, and 777-300, as well as the A330-200 and even the Boeing 747-8 on some select routes.

The A350’s reliability means it can operate to ETOPS 370 rules, meaning it can take more direct transoceanic routes as long as it remains within 370 minutes from a suitable diversion airport. That is, should an engine fail over water, the aircraft is certified to fly for another six hours and ten minutes from landing, operating on a single engine.

Passengers have also taken to the A350, with operators recording the highest levels of positive customer feedback of any aircraft flying today. Passengers enjoy the A350’s wider cabin, lower interior noise levels, and the modern amenities on board that make flying on the type an enjoyable experience, even on the very longest sectors.

With 435 and 260 Airbus A350-900s and A350-1000s on order, respectively, the type will be in commercial airline service for many years to come. With the aircraft’s extraordinary ability to operate the longest commercial routes currently in service, the type has become a trailblazer for long-haul flying, opening up new routes that were previously unfeasible.

In this article, AeroTime looks at the world’s ten longest A350 routes by distance, which airline operates that route, and how often it is flown in October 2025. All data included in this article were obtained from the aviation route analysis website Cirium, as well as additional flight schedule data from Flightradar24 and fleet information from ch-aviation.  

#1. Singapore Airlines  –  Singapore (SIN) to New York JFK (JFK)

Total distance – 9,487 miles / 15,179 km

Operated daily as flights SQ24 (SIN-JFK) and SQ23 (JFK-SIN), these flights are operated by Singapore Airlines’ fleet of 65 A350-900s.

Each accommodates 253 passengers in a three-class configuration, equating to 1,771 in each direction weekly. The flights take on average 18 hours flying in each direction.          

#2. Singapore Airlines – Singapore (SIN) to Newark Liberty (EWR)

Total distance – 9,484 miles /  15,174 km

Failing to make position number one on this list by just three miles, this service to the New York area is also operated daily as flights SQ22 (SIN-EWR) and SQ21 (EWR-SIN). Like the carrier’s flights to JFK, these flights are also operated by the A350-900s in the same configuration. The flights also take around 18 hours to complete.

#3. China Southern – Shenzhen (SZX) to Mexico City (MEX)

Total distance – 8,778 miles / 14,044 km

This somewhat unusual route takes third place on this list. Operated three times per week by China Southern using its fleet of 20 Airbus A350-900s, the flight operates as CZ8031.

Each accommodates 314 passengers in a three-class configuration, equating to 942 seats in each direction weekly. The flight takes around 15 hours to complete.  

#4. Singapore Airlines – Singapore (SIN) to Los Angeles (LAX)

Total distance – 8,758 miles  / 14,012 km

The airline operates multiple flights on this route, both using the carrier’s A350-900s. Flight SQ36 (SIN-LAX) and SQ35 (LAX-SIN) operate three times per week, while SQ38 (SIN-LAX) and SQ37 (LAX-SIN) operate daily.

The eastbound flight takes 15 hours to complete, while the westbound leg takes around an hour longer at 16 flight hours. Between the two services, the airline offers 2,530 seats in each direction weekly, or a route total of 5,060 seats weekly.  

#5. Philippine Airlines – Manila (MNL) to New York JFK (JFK)

Total distance – 8,513 miles / 13,620 km

This route is Philippine Airlines’ longest and is the fifth longest anywhere on the A350’s international network. The carrier operates flights PR126 (MNL-JFK) and PR127 (JFK-MNL) three times per week in either direction using its pair of A350-900s.

Each accommodates 295 passengers in a three-class configuration – 30 in business class, 24 in premium economy, and 241 in economy.

The eastbound flight takes 15 hours to complete, while the westbound leg takes slightly longer at around  16:30 flight hours.

#6 Singapore Airlines  – Singapore (SIN) to San Francisco (SFO)

Total distance – 8,440 miles / 13,504 km

Returning to Singapore Airlines, the carrier has its fourth route in the top ten longest A350 routes. Just 158 miles shorter than the airline’s flights from Singapore to Los Angeles (see above), the flights SQ32/SQ 31 operate daily on the A350-900 while the carrier also operates its SQ34/SQ33 flights seven times a week.  

Between the two services, the airline offers 3,542 seats in each direction weekly, or a route total of 7,084 seats weekly.     

#7. Delta Air Lines – Atlanta (ATL) to Johannesburg (JNB)

Total distance – 8,433 miles / 13,493 km

The first appearance of a US carrier on the list, and the only current US-based operator of the A350. Delta uses A350-900s on this route, which operates daily as DL200 (ATL-JNB) and DL201 (JNB-ATL).

The flight from the US takes around 14:15 hours, while the flight from Johannesburg to Atlanta takes around 16 hours and 30 minutes. Delta’s fleet of 38 A350-900s carries 306 passengers in a three-class configuration.

#8. Qatar Airways  – Doha (DOH) to Los Angeles (LAX)

Total distance – 8,301 miles / 13,282 km

With Qatar Airways, Etihad, and Emirates now all flying the A350 on their networks, it is the first of the ‘Big Three’ that features on the list. The airline currently has 59 A350s in its fleet, with the carrier being the first on the list to fly the longer variant, the A350-1000.

The airline’s flights QR739 (DOH-LAX) and QR740 operate daily in each direction on the larger A350-1000, which carries 327 passengers. The flight from DOH takes around 15 hours, while the return flight takes approximately 14:45 hours of flying time.

#9. Philippine Airlines – Manila (MNL) to Toronto (YYZ)

Total distance – 8,217 miles / 13,147 km

A second appearance of Philippine Airlines on the list sees the carrier take ninth spot with its scheduled passenger flights between Manila and Toronto. Also operated by its A350-900s, the route is around 300 miles shorter than its JFK connection (see above).

The journey times on the route are PR118 (MNL-YYZ) takes around 14hours and 30 minutes, while it takes the return leg (PR119) around 15:30 hours to fly back to Manila.

#10. Delta Air Lines – Atlanta (ATL) to Cape Town (CPT)

Total distance – 8,127 miles / 13,003 km

Similar in length to its link to Johannesburg, the carrier’s flights to Cape Town come in at just 300 miles shorter, meaning they take slightly less time to complete. The eastbound sector (ATL-CPT) takes around 14 hours and 30 minutes, while the return leg (CPT-ATL) takes around 15 hours and 15 minutes.

The flights operate three times per week in each direction, and all are operated by the carrier’s A350-900s.

Special mention: Cathay Pacific – Hong Kong (HKG) to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)

Total distance – 8,120 miles  / 12,992 km

Worth a special mention, as it just misses our list by a mere seven miles, is Cathay Pacific’s new route between Hong Kong and Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas.

Operated four times per week in each direction, the flights (CX876/CX877) are flown by the airline’s fleet of 18 A350-1000s, which each seat 334 passengers in a three-class layout. This equates to a capacity of 1,336 seats in each direction per week.

Longer, and longer still…

With the A350 commonly operating flights of between 15-17 hours in length, the aircraft type’s reputation as the future workhorse of long-haul aviation is well established.

Its reputation will be expanded even further when, in early 2027, Australian carrier Qantas will employ brand new A350-1000s on the first-ever non-stop flights between Sydney and London, and Sydney to New York JFK.

Known as Project Sunrise, and with great circle distances of 10,573 miles (16,967km) and 9,950 miles (15,920km), respectively, these flights will even exceed the current longest A350 routes by some distance.

These flights, with durations of around 19 hours, will teach the industry a great deal about how humans endure such long-distance flights and what is feasible for the average passenger.

However, with the carrier’s specially equipped super long-range A30-1000s likely to operate some of the very longest routes on the planet, any airline will have to go some way to pip Qantas to the top spot if this list is recreated in a couple of years from now.      

Regrettably, this has not always been the case. It has taken years of development of specialist systems to reach this point. Notably, it also took one aircraft accident in particular to teach the airline industry about the dangers of microbursts and windshear and start a process to develop the technologies to deal with them more effectively.

Delta Air Lines Flight 191, a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, crashed following a windshear encounter while on approach to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport (DFW) in Texas on August 2, 1985, killing 134 occupants of the aircraft and one person on the ground, while just 29 people survived the accident.

AeroTime looks at the events surrounding this tragic accident and investigates how modern-day technologies might have prevented such a disaster from occurring.

Microbursts and windshear – what are they?

A microburst is a weather phenomenon that can pose a significant danger to aircraft during take-off and landing, as well as impact on aviation safety in general. A microburst is a sudden, powerful downdraft of air that occurs when a thunderstorm’s updraft reaches its maximum intensity and collapses. As the downdraft hits the ground, it spreads out in every direction, creating a burst of wind that can be incredibly strong and consequently making it difficult for aircraft to be handled with sufficient control.

Wet microbursts, such as that experienced by Delta Flight 191, occur when rain falls through a dry layer of air, causing the rain to evaporate rapidly and cool the air. This cooling effect makes the air denser, and as a result, it sinks rapidly towards the ground, creating a strong downdraft. The strength of the downdraft can be significant, reaching speeds of up to 150 mph. 

The temperature and humidity of the air influence the formation of wet microbursts. For wet microbursts to form, the air needs to be dry at lower altitudes, and there must be a moist layer of air above it. Wet microbursts are most common in areas with low humidity, such as deserts.

Dry microbursts occur when there is no rain, and a column of sinking air that evaporation has cooled creates the downdraft. This type of microburst is typically more challenging to detect because there are no visible signs of precipitation. The sinking air creates a strong downdraft that can be as powerful as a wet microburst, reaching speeds up to 100 mph.

Dry microbursts are most common in areas with high humidity, where the evaporative cooling effect is more pronounced. They can be particularly dangerous because they are more difficult to detect and predict than wet microbursts. 

Windshear, on the other hand, is a rapid, often dangerous, change in wind speed or direction over a short distance, significantly impacting an aircraft’s lift, airspeed, and performance, especially during low-altitude operations like take-off and landing. Nowadays, pilots use weather reports, ground-based detection systems, on-board monitoring, and crew reports to detect wind shear and take immediate action, such as increasing thrust and pitching up, to maintain control and avoid accidents 

Windshear directly affects an aircraft’s indicated airspeed, which determines the lift generated over the wings. The danger is greatest near the ground during take-off and landing, as an aircraft’s safety margins for aerodynamic stalls are much smaller at these times, with the low altitudes involved in these phases. Windshear can lead to a sudden loss of airspeed, altitude, and control, which requires immediate and correct pilot action. 

The background to Delta Air Lines Flight 191

Flight DL191 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight between Fort Lauderdale Airport in Florida (FLL) and Los Angeles, California (LAX), with an intermediate stop at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Texas. The flight on August 2, 1985, was being operated by a six-year-old Lockheed Tristar aircraft with registration N726DL. The flight that day had 163 people on board, including 152 passengers, three flight crew, and eight cabin crew.  

The aircraft departed Fort Lauderdale on a normal instrument flight plan at 15:10 local time. The forecast for Dallas contained in the flight crew’s dispatch documents stated that there was a possibility of widely scattered rain showers and thunderstorms around the time of the flight’s arrival in the area later that afternoon, although the risk of these was due to decrease into the evening.

A normal scheduled flight – initially 

According to Aviation Safety Network, the flight was uneventful until passing over New Orleans, Louisiana. A line of weather along the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast had intensified. Because of this, the crew of Flight 191 decided to alter their route of flight to the more northerly Blue Ridge arrival route into Dallas to avoid the developing weather to the south.

This change necessitated the flight to enter a 10 to 15-minute holding pattern at the Texarkana beacon north of Dallas to allow for approach sequencing at the airport itself.

At 17:35 local time, the flight crew received the latest weather broadcast for Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, which advised of clouds at 6,000ft. It also advised of good visibility, high temperatures (101 degrees Fahrenheit), and calm winds at the airfield.

Upon receipt of this information, flight 191 was subsequently cleared by Dallas area controllers (ATC) to head to the Blue Ridge beacon and begin its descent. At 17:43, air traffic control cleared flight 191 to descend to 10,000 feet and turn onto a heading of 250 degrees to clear of incoming weather systems, including possible thunderstorm activity.

The captain replied that he was looking at a “pretty good-sized” weather cell and advised that he would rather not go through it and would prefer to deviate around it. The controller acknowledged this request and issued an alternative heading for Flight 191 to follow towards Dallas Airport.

The weather deteriorates

At 17:46, ATC cleared Flight 191 direct to Blue Ridge and to descend to 9,000 feet. The crew of flight 191 acknowledged receipt of the clearance. At 17:48, the captain told the first officer (who was flying the aircraft for this leg of the trip), “You’re in good shape. I am glad we did not have to go through that mess. I thought for sure he was going to send us through it.” Three minutes later, the flight engineer said, “Looks like it’s raining over Fort Worth.”

At 17:51, ATC instructed flight 191 to contact DFW Airport Approach Control. At 17:56, the regional approach controller transmitted an all-aircraft message, which was received by Flight 191. The message stated, “Attention, all aircraft listening… there’s a little rain shower just north of the airport and they’re starting to make ILS approaches”, indicating that the weather was deteriorating at the airport and on the approach to the active runway, 17L. At 17:59, the first officer stated, “We’re gonna get our airplane washed.”

At 18:00, the approach controller asked American Airlines flight 351 (which was two aircraft ahead of flight 191 in the landing sequence) if it was able to see the airport. Flight 351 replied, “As soon as we break out of this rain shower, we will.” The controller then told flight 351 that it was four miles out and cleared for the approach to runway 17L.

At 18:00, the approach controller asked Flight 191 to reduce its airspeed to 170 knots and to turn left to 270 degrees, with Flight 191 then acknowledging receipt of the clearance. Flight 191 had been sequenced behind a Learjet 25 for landing on runway 17L. At 18:02, the approach controller told Flight 191 that it was six miles from the outer marker and stated, “Cleared for ILS one seven left approach.” The flight acknowledged receipt of the transmission.

The approach phase of flight 191

At 18:03:03, the approach controller requested Flight 191 to reduce its speed to 160 knots, to which the captain replied, “Be glad to.” The controller followed this request up a few seconds later with, “And we’re getting some variable winds out there due to a shower out there, north end of DFW.” This transmission was received by Flight 191

At 18:03, the approach controller requested Flight 191 to slow to 150 knots and to contact the Dallas tower controller for landing clearance. At 18:03:58, the captain, after switching to the tower’s radio frequency, stated, “Tower, Delta one ninety one heavy, out here in the rain, feels good.”

The tower cleared the flight to land and relayed the latest wind speed at the airport. At 18:04:07, the first officer called for the before-landing check. The flight crew confirmed that the landing gear was down and that the flaps were extended to their landing position.

On final approach into Dallas

Just three miles (4.8 km) ahead of Flight 191, the Learjet was making its final approach to runway 17L. While on final approach, the Learjet flew through the storm north of the airport and encountered what was later described as “light to moderate turbulence.” The Learjet encountered heavy rain and lost all forward visibility but was able to continue its approach and land safely.

When later asked why he did not report weather conditions to the tower, the Learjet’s captain testified that he had nothing to report because “the only thing that we encountered was the heavy rain.”

At 18:04, the first officer exclaimed to his colleagues that there was “lightning coming out of that one, right ahead of us.” Flight 191 continued descending along the final approach course.

At 18:05:05, the captain called out “1,000 feet.” At 18:05:19, the captain cautioned the first officer to watch his indicated airspeed, and a sound identified as heavy rain began to strike the aircraft. The captain then warned the first officer, “You’re gonna lose it all of a sudden, there it is.” The captain stated, “Push it up, push it way up.”

At 18:05:29, the sound of engines at high power was heard on the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), and the captain said, “That’s it.” From this point, the aircraft began a descent from which it never recovered. The plane’s angle of attack was over 30° and began to vary wildly over the next few seconds.  The pitch angle began to sink, and the aircraft started descending below the glideslope at this point.

At 18:05:44, the aircraft’s Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) enunciated a “Whoop whoop – pull up” alert, and the captain commanded “TOGA” – an industry-recognised command to apply full engine power and abort the landing attempt. The CVR recording suddenly ended at 18:05:58.

The impact and subsequent fire

Witnesses on the nearby State Highway 114 north of the airport saw Flight 191 emerge from the rain about one mile from the end of runway 17L. The airplane touched down heavily in a field short of the runway and briefly became airborne again before striking a car in the westbound lane of State Highway 114. The driver was killed instantly.

After the plane struck the car and a light pole on the highway, other witnesses saw fire on the left side of the airplane in the vicinity of the wing root. The witnesses generally agreed that the airplane struck the ground in a left-wing-low attitude, and that the fuselage rotated counterclockwise and broke into several sections after the left wing and cockpit area struck a water tank on the airport site.

A large explosion obscured the witnesses’ view before the aircraft’s tail section emerged from the fireball, skidding backwards. The tail section finally came to rest on its left side with the empennage pointing south and was subsequently blown to an upright position by wind gusts.

The immediate aftermath of the crash

With the aircraft shattered into several pieces and most of the wreckage on fire due to the egress of fuel that had leaked and ignited, the airport fire and emergency units were en route to the accident site within one minute of the crash. Forty-five seconds after first being alerted, three fire trucks from the airport’s fire station arrived at the crash and began fighting the fire.

Additional units from fire stations arrived within five minutes, and despite high wind gusts and heavy rain, the fire was mostly under control within ten minutes after the alert was sounded.

The investigation’s findings

In all, 134 passengers and crew on board the airplane, and the driver of the car, which was struck by the airplane, were killed in the accident. Meanwhile, 27 people on board the airplane and a single rescue worker at the accident site were injured. Miraculously, two passengers on the airplane were uninjured.

A lengthy investigation was carried out by the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB), which eventually published its report of findings on the loss of Flight 191 a year after the accident, in August 1986.

In the report, the NTSB concluded that the probable cause of the accident was caused by the flight crew’s decision to initiate and continue the approach into a cumulonimbus cloud, which they observed to contain visible lightning. Additionally, there was a general lack of specific guidelines, procedures, and training provided by Delta to its crews for avoiding and escaping from low-level windshear events, paired with a lack of definitive, real-time windshear hazard information on the day of the accident itself.

To quote the report, “This resulted in the aircraft’s encounter at low altitude with a microburst-induced, severe windshear from a rapidly developing thunderstorm located on the final approach course.”

Further research into windshear and microbursts

Following the conclusion of the investigation, researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center modified a Boeing 737-100 testbed to fly a series of trials featuring a newly developed Doppler weather radar system. The airborne windshear detection and alerting system developed by NASA in the aftermath of Delta flight 191 was later installed in all commercial airliners in the US after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated that all such aircraft must have on-board wind shear-detection systems installed.

To avoid the dangers of microbursts and other extreme weather events, pilots are now trained to rely on weather radar and visual cues to detect potential areas of turbulence and avoid flying through them. Additionally, pilots are trained to avoid areas with thunderstorms and look for visual cues such as cumulonimbus clouds and lightning that may indicate the presence of microbursts. 

Thanks to the work by NASA in the 1980s, advanced weather radar systems and onboard weather monitoring technologies now help pilots detect potential microbursts. Despite these aids, should they find themselves in a microburst situation, pilots are trained to react by increasing engine power, adjusting their flight path, and taking other evasive maneuvers to avoid the strong downdrafts involved. Pilots need to receive proper training on microbursts to ensure they can react appropriately and safely in such a situation. 

If a microburst is encountered during the landing phase, pilots are trained to understand that the safest procedure is to immediately abort the landing by performing a missed approach or “go-around”, as was attempted by the crew of Delta Flight 191, albeit too late.

The DSM-5 classifies aviophobia as a situational-specific phobia, often manifesting through inherited anxiety, traumatic flying experiences, or related phobias such as claustrophobia. According to existing studies, aviophobia may affect between 2.5% and 40% of individuals in industrialized countries.

To better understand why this fear persists, and to explore ways to overcome it, AeroTime spoke with Alon Pereg, an airline captain and flight instructor with over 40 years of experience flying military and commercial aircraft.

Having flown everything from A-4 Skyhawks and F-16s to El Al’s Boeing 737s, 747-100s, 747-400s, and 787 Dreamliners, Pereg brings a unique perspective on the phenomenon – and has even developed an app to help anxious travelers manage it.

Fear of flying remains overlooked

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual safety report for 2024, released in February 2025, five billion passengers traveled on over 40 million flights last year. The accident rate stood at 1.13 accidents per million sectors, with seven fatal accidents resulting in 244 onboard fatalities. The fatality risk was 0.06, meaning that on average, a person would need to fly daily for 16,000 years to experience a fatal accident.

For aviation professionals, these safety figures confirm that commercial air travel is among the safest forms of public transportation. This is why Pereg believes that most airlines and pilots do not really understand the magnitude of the fear of flying that passengers experience.

He admitted he was surprised to learn how many people remain genuinely afraid – even after spending more than 21,000 hours in the air himself, which is more than two years of nonstop flying.

“In the last nine years, I have seen, I think, thousands of people [experiencing this fear],” Pereg said. “Ever since I became an airline pilot, people have come to me with questions, fears, and requests for help, and ever since 2016, I started to really dive into this phenomenon.”

Types of fearful flyers

Although Pereg said he cannot describe one single pattern for fearful flyers, he did categorize them into three main groups.

The first group includes passengers who have gone through a traumatic flight, such as facing severe turbulence or being on a flight when an emergency was declared. Pereg said that even if the aircraft landed safely, the mind can create a lasting association between flying and danger.

The second group is made up of those who inherit their anxiety from others, most often parents, but also friends, partners, or spouses, absorbing fear from others rather than experiencing it directly. 

The third group comprises people whose pre-existing anxieties show up while flying. Pereg said that claustrophobia is a frequent example: discomfort in tight spaces can evolve into a broader fear of flying, and other phobias may similarly attach themselves to the flying experience over time.

Why facts matter for anxious flyers

Pereg said that most passengers know, on some level, that flying is safe. However, the real issue is dealing with fear, especially in the aftermath of high-profile aviation accidents, which dominate media coverage and reinforce perceptions of risk. 

So how can we address these fears? According to Pereg, knowledge is the most powerful tool. This is why he created an app called SimpliFly in 2021, designed to offer travelers a better understanding of the flight process.

The app combines two features. The first is a video course that aims to clarify the mechanics of flight in simple, understandable terms. The second features several audio clips, some of which are informational while others are designed to help you relax. 

“For example, one minute after the aircraft lifts off, in most flights, you can hear and feel a reduction in the thrust of the engines,” Pereg explained. “Many passengers might perceive this as a malfunction or a sign that something is wrong, but if you go through this course, then you will understand that the aircraft has to take off with double the thrust that is needed for takeoff.”

A third feature, an online chat with pilots, allowed users to pose questions directly for them. However, this feature has since been discontinued.

Practical steps to take beyond the app

In addition to SimpliFly, Pereg suggests that passengers learn mindset techniques.

Pereg pointed out that the first step in tackling a fear of flying is for travelers to understand and accept their fear. Fear is a natural mechanism, so being afraid of flying “makes sense”, the expert said.

“The whole secret of my program,” Pereg explained, “is helping passengers to understand that our main problem is that we try to avoid being in a state of fear, while the solution is to train our brain to be in that state.”

Alongside guidance offered through the app, Pereg stressed that brain training only works in practice. “You can prepare your mind, but real progress happens only when you face fear in the air, when you actually fly,” he said.

An industry blind spot?

Pereg believes that research into this phenomenon has lagged behind for years, and the aviation industry has yet to fully recognize “how widespread the fear of flying is”.

Looking ahead, Pereg predicts a future in which aircraft will operate without pilots. While this could one day make flying technically safer, he warns it might also take the fear of flying “to an extreme” level.

“Then the airlines and all the other participants in the aviation industry will start to understand this phenomenon and will tackle it,” he said. “Once that happens, all research and solutions will emerge – it will not take too long.”

And this ‘different’ and ‘better’ experience begins at the planning stage of travel. In November 2022, Emirates launched a reimagined retail travel store called the World Store, the very first being located in its Dubai headquarters.

An Emirates World Store is a fully immersive, experiential center where customers can actually try the airline’s lounge and onboard products such as actual lounge and aircraft seats. An apt description of a World Store is a travel retail center where actual products take the place of glossy brochures or Virtual Reality (VR), so customers can experience them, and not just see or imagine what they’re like.

Currently, there are eight Emirates World Stores in operation across the globe: Dubai, Kenya, Casablanca, Cairo, Manila, Singapore, Bangkok and the latest in Seoul.

Recently, AeroTime had the opportunity to visit the Emirates World Store in Manila, the third global World Store, and the first to open in Southeast Asia.

Located at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), the Emirates World Store in Manila opened in November 2024.

We've officially launched the Emirates World Store in Manila. An impeccably designed space which will redefine the retail experience for customers. https://t.co/19nRFZE6AC pic.twitter.com/szbCTSQc15

— Emirates (@emirates) November 21, 2024

Favoring an experiential and tactile shopping experience

The Emirates World Store in Manila is the very first of its kind in the Philippines, a country that has a consumer population which greatly values human, face-to-face interactions between buyers and sellers. 

Historically, market research agency Kadence International found that the Philippine economy was deeply rooted in agriculture, with local markets as the center of community life and commerce. 

“These markets were more than just places to buy and sell goods; they were cultural hubs where social bonds were formed and maintained. The exchange of goods in these settings was personal, with a strong emphasis on face-to-face interactions and establishing trust between buyers and sellers,” the agency noted.

This is the kind of interaction that the Emirates Store, located in the central business district of BGC, offers in Manila. 

Emirates Country Manager Philippines, Saeed Abdulla Miran, told AeroTime: “When we launched our first Emirates World retail store concept in Southeast Asia in Manila, our goal was to create an immersive space where our Filipino customers can experience Emirates’ premium offerings that are also tailored to their specific needs.”

The preference for opting to shop in-store despite the e-commerce boom is by no means exclusive to the Philippines. A 2023 Asia Pacific Retail Flash Survey showed that 61% of consumers in the Asia Pacific region prefer seeing a product in-store before ordering online, comparatively higher than consumers in Europe and the Americas.

The report suggested that physical stores will remain at the forefront of sales strategies, and companies must adapt and evolve to serve omnichannel retail. 

“This evolution will see retail stores shift away from being locations purely where transactions are made, towards becoming hubs that provide comprehensive customer experiences,” the survey said. 

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The investment in providing an all-embracing customer experience seems to be working for Emirates. Miran claimed that, during the first six months since the Emirates World Store in Manila opened, nearly 3,000 customers have made bookings on the site.

Brands that target markets outside the Asia Pacific (APAC) region might also benefit from considering an omnichannel model for retail goods. A December 2024 article by CNBC reported that Gen Z consumers, who make up 25% of the global population, prefer shopping in stores despite growing up as digital natives. 

What does the Emirates World Store offer that cannot be found on digital channels?

“The Emirates World Store provides a unique opportunity for our customers to get a closer look at what it offers on board, both in terms of products and service,” Miran said.

That “closer look” experience goes beyond seeing products in HD or 4K resolution. The store offers something much more tactile by having customers experience what it’s like to fly Emirates.

An example of this is the signature onboard lounge and bar found on Emirates’ A380 aircraft. This same-size replica is a standout feature of the 221-square meter Emirates World Store in Manila.

To experience what it’s like to have a drink in the middle of a long-haul flight from the onboard lounge and bar, guests are served coffee, tea and sweet or savoury snacks while discovering more of the store or discussing travel plans. These are served in seats that can be found on Emirates airport lounges, with soft-leather seating patterned after the interior of Mercedes Benz S-Class.

As part of its immersive travel experience, guests can also take an interactive mirror selfie, using technology that allows travelers to see themselves in different Emirates destinations. 

This is a feature found on all Emirates World Stores, giving customers that playful push by having them ‘step into’ their next holiday.

Increased interest in first and business class travel

Emirates flies 26,800 First Class seats per week, making it the world’s largest operator of international first class travel. Currently, it is the only airline to offer first class service to and from Manila International Airport (MNL).

According to Miran, Emirates continues to see an uptrend in the number of Filipinos who choose to go premium for their international travels, specifically first class. This trend comes despite the Filipino market in general being known to prefer low-cost carriers when traveling overseas, Miran said. 

“In 2024, we flew a total of 4,900 passengers in first class, exceeding our 3,609 first class passengers in 2023, and we expect to see this upward trend continue in 2025. If this is any indication, I think we can confidently say that more Filipinos are embracing premium travel,” Miran said.

In its 2024 Global Business Travel Forecast report, travel management company CWT (formerly Carlson Wagonlit Travel) said that airline passengers in the Asia Pacific region are paying more for business class seats, given the increase in demand for leisure travel after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report stated that average ticket prices for a business class seat in the region soared by 148.7% to $567 in 2023.

Why are travelers in the APAC region turning to luxury travel? 

There are a number of factors, but one major reason is that the population simply has bigger budgets due to a rapid economic growth in the APAC.

A significant increase in the number of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) has been seen in the region as a result of this growth.

At the 2025 International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Asia Pacific, Simon Baptist, APAC Principal Economist at Visa, revealed that Asia is set to account for nearly half of the world’s new HNWIs by 2028, driving a US$2.14 trillion addressable market across 10 key regional economies, according to a July 2025 report by Travel Weekly Asia. 

“Affluent spending is growing by 20% a year. It’s where the real opportunity lies – the middle class is struggling, but the wealthy are travelling and spending,” Baptiste said during the opening forum of ILTM in Singapore.

A 2025 consumer research by Visa found that today’s HNWIs are no longer simply buying branded goods, but also premium personal experiences, which includes travel. And although China still remains the biggest luxury outbound traveler due to its population, ‘new-entry’ markets are fast emerging from India, the Philippines and Vietnam.

The burgeoning middle-class population in these countries is becoming a crucial consumer group for luxury brands as they seek aspirational experiences that reflect their growing social status and lifestyle. 

Travel catered to the region: Basketball and group travel

While consumer spending may be increasing in the Philippines, some things remain unique to the culture.

One feature at the Emirates World Store in Manila that sets it apart from the other global World Stores is a section for NBA Cup merchandise.

The Philippines has a deep-rooted love for basketball, the most popular sport in the country. As such, the Emirates World Store in Manila has a special corner dedicated to the Emirates NBA Cup, where customers can also order various merchandise items such as scale model aircraft, caps and basketball.

According to Emirates Sales Manager for Philippines Barbie Gonzales, the store receives a significant number of orders for the special merchandise, which are delivered all the way from the Emirates Dubai Head Office.

Another trend, not exclusive to the Philippines, is the preference for group travel. All female-groups traveling overseas are becoming popular, most likely due to a ‘safety in numbers’ inclination. 

Gonzales noted that Emirates Philippines has seen an increase in female groups aged 50 and above traveling premium class for religious tour packages such as the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain or Lourdes in France.

Miran said that, during the first quarter of 2025, Emirates Philippines saw 36% of premium travellers fly solo, while 31% flew in groups. Another 20% flew as couples and 8% as families. More than 70%, he said, flew for leisure, with Europe being the most popular route.

The Emirates World Store in Manila has been open less than a year, but it already has plans for expansion. The airline hinted towards more floor space, and a dedicated area for a mock business or first class cabin, a true indication that premium travel is set for further growth in the country.

“Among the many things that customers can look forward to are the introduction of new routes, as well as the roll out of more refurbished aircraft which we believe will help improve their overall travel experience,” Miran said. “As always, Emirates is continuously thinking of new and innovative ways to delight our customers, so please stay tuned.” 

But a beautiful jet does not Air Force One make, and the cost of bringing it up to standard is likely to vastly eclipse the price tag of the plane. Experts speaking to NBC News said it could cost more than $1 billion to convert the luxury jet into a secure presidential transport.

Indeed, when you consider all the modifications required on this airframe, it seems highly unlikely it will be ready to serve the president anytime soon. The incoming replacements, the VC-25Bs – also based on the Boeing 747-8 – are set to be delivered in 2029, although the USAF is pressing Boeing to speed up.

The idea of an ‘interim’ Air Force One, with all the efficiencies of a much newer aircraft, looks good on paper. But if the Qatari 747 is to one day fly the president, it’s going to take a mountain of modifications.

1. The entire interior of the Qatar 747 will need to be stripped

It’s enough to make a grown girl cry, but that beautiful interior will need to come out, or at least be significantly dismantled. One of the biggest jobs here will be the installation of a hardened, multi-layered communications system, which is not exactly plug-and-play.

Such installations require shielded cabling to be routed through the fuselage, dedicated server racks, data centers, and encryption modules, as well as custom antenna arrays on the fuselage and tail.

This can’t just be bolted on; cables will need to be run behind walls and floors, sometimes through structural components of the aircraft, and that means removing pretty much everything inside.

Added to this, there is the security aspect. Every part will need to be disassembled and checked to ensure there are no listening devices, security vulnerabilities, or spyware. 

2. The layout will need some major modifications

While the Qatari 747 was used by prestigious people, it wasn’t designed to be a military jet. Air Force One is all about security, confidentiality, and enabling a literal ‘Flying White House’ that functions like a working office. 

While the Qatar 747-8 does have some smaller meeting rooms and suites, much of the aircraft is given over to opulent open-plan living and luxurious spaces. It prioritizes comfort and prestige, not secure operations and logistics.

The Air Force will need meeting rooms, compartmentalized areas for classified briefings, and spaces for staff to work. A crisis command center and Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) will be required, all of which demand RF shielding, soundproofing and secure access controls. The open plan layout has to go.

Lavish lounges will be replaced by stations for communications, intelligence officers, military aides, and Secret Service detail. Spacious guest cabins will be converted into more modest accommodations for senior staff, and while some galleys may be retained, they’ll need to be much bigger. The current Air Force One 747s can feed up to 100 people at a time, and can store supplies for 2,000 meals – enough for seven days.

3. The jet will need a full secure communication suite

It’s possible the 747 already has some secure communications built into it, given it was used to transport royalty and senior politicians. However, it’s highly unlikely it will come close to the standard required of a US presidential aircraft. 

Communications on Air Force One need to maintain the critical ‘continuity of government,’ ensuring the president can stay in touch regardless of what’s happening in the world. This will include facilities for SATCOM uplinks and downloads, secure voice, data, and videoconferencing, as well as direct connection to the National Command Authority (NCA), even in a catastrophic crisis. 

The connection to the NCA underpins the US’s nuclear deterrent and demands that the 747 remains operational and in communication in the most demanding situations, including a nuclear apocalypse. Doing things by half is just not an option.

4. It will need its own defense systems, too

To become an aerial command post, the 747-8 will need to defend itself from attack. Naturally, the exact specifications of the current VC-25A defense systems are highly classified, but some inclusions are known (or strongly inferred from similar aircraft), including:

• Missile detection to monitor for incoming threats from MANPADS or surface-to-air missiles
• Infrared countermeasures such as DIRCM, which use lasers to blind or confuse heat-seeking missiles
• Electronic countermeasures such as radar jammers, decoy dispensers, and potentially even electronic warfare suites

Over in Germany, its new VVIP Airbus A350 has had a DIRCM system installed, specifically the J-MUSIC system from Elbit. The system can be effective as a single turret installed on the belly of the aircraft, or as dual or even triple turrets installed around the plane. 

Asked about the need for such defensive measures on the new jet, Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius commented, “The safety of our passengers and crew is my top priority. I am therefore delighted that our long-haul fleet is receiving this important self-protection.” 

The USAF will be keen to ensure the same protection for President Trump, too.

5. A medical suite is a must-have on Trump’s Air Force One

A crucial component of the current VC-25A layout is the inclusion of a medical suite. The facility is compact but comprehensive, being described as a miniature hospital, housed in a dedicated room mid-cabin. It is staffed by a flight surgeon, who is a permanent member of the Presidential Airlift Group.

Inside the suite, there’s an array of medical supplies, including:

• A fold-down operating table
• A fully stocked cabinet of pharmaceuticals
• A defibrillator
• Oxygen supplies
• Blood pressure monitors
• Glucose meters

There’s probably a lot more too, but the USAF keeps the specifics of the facility tightly guarded. It is understood that, in a worst-case scenario, basic surgical procedures can be performed onboard, and supplies of blood, including the president’s type, are always carried just in case.

The plans for the forthcoming VC-25Bs called for an expansion of this facility, including improved infection control systems, implemented in the wake of COVID. While the Qatari plane might not need anything quite so comprehensive, even as an ‘interim’ Air Force One, it will need a medical suite of a good standard.

6. The jet will need to become self-sufficient

Less flashy but no less important, the VC-25As have an incredible level of self-sufficiency. The idea is that they allow the president to travel anywhere in the world without relying on host-nation infrastructure.

This begins with the built-in air stairs, which we’ve seen so many presidents wave from over the years. The VC-25As have stairs forward and aft, meaning passengers can be disembarked at any location without jet bridges or ground equipment.

The self-reliance continues with the VC-25A’s onboard cargo loading system, allowing crews to manage luggage and equipment without any assistance. This adds to the high security of the aircraft and lowers the risk of any materials being tampered with.

Then there’s the power supply. With the complex communications systems, suite of computers and servers, medical equipment and defensive systems onboard, Air Force One requires a lot of power, far more than a commercial 747-8 or even the Qatari plane. On the VC-25As, this is accommodated with integrated generators in every engine, a powerful APU in the tailcone and multiple high-capacity batteries. 

Keeping systems running for extended periods, even in the event of a cyberattack, engine flameout or generator failure, is absolutely crucial. As such, there is redundancy built into everything, and then redundancy built into the redundancy systems. Retrofitting this to the Qatari jet will be a mammoth task.

7. And then everything needs to be shielded from EMPs

On the current VC-25s, EMP shielding ensures that the aircraft remains operational in the event of a nuclear detonation, high-altitude EMP (HEMP) attack, or directed energy weapon strike, all of which can cripple unprotected electronics. The full extent of the shielding is classified, but it can be expected to include:

• Shielded cables and wiring 
• Faraday cage architecture to protect internal electronics
• Hardened avionics 
• Filtered power inputs to protect against surges

To bring the Qatari 747-8 to this standard would require full rewiring, airframe modifications and the replacement of avionics and power systems. All the modifications would need to be rigorously tested and certified, making this one of the most technically demanding and expensive parts of the conversion.

8. Will Trump’s Air Force One have aerial refueling capabilities?

You might have noticed that the two VC-25As that currently fly the president have protruding bumps on their noses. These are actually aerial refueling receptacles, a rather unique feature of the aircraft. The 747-based Boeing E4 Advanced Airborne Command Post (AACP) also has this feature, but the only place it’s seen outside of the US is in Iran, where it appears on the KC-747s (or KC-33s) of the Iranian Air Force.

Although the pilots are trained and well-practiced in aerial refueling, the current aircraft have rarely made use of that capability. As part of the cost-cutting measures for the VC-25B project, TWZ reported in 2019 that the aerial refueling capabilities had been stripped from the plans for the new Air Force Ones.

As such, it’s unlikely the USAF will specify aerial refueling to be part of any makeover the Qatari jet gets, despite concerns that the ‘continuity of government’ could be risked by the president having to land to refuel.

9. The media may be getting a downgrade

The Qatari 747 has a lovely area for staff and entourage towards the rear of the lower deck. A spacious cabin is laid out with business class leather recliners in pairs, with soft lighting and cream carpet throughout. 

While the US media is probably salivating at the thought of traveling in this level of comfort, it’s unlikely the cabin will stay as it is. The White House likes to fly with a press pool of around 12, and has traditionally seated them in an economy-style cabin much smaller than this.

With plenty to fit into the main body of the aircraft, the press cabin is likely to shrink somewhat, and those recliners replaced by standard 3-3 seating.

10. The crucial ingredient: Operational readiness

Flying as a presidential aircraft requires a whole other level of maintenance compared to commercial or private jets. For the 747 to fly in the role of Air Force One, it needs to be ready to launch at a moment’s notice and fully functional in any scenario, from diplomatic visits to nuclear war.

The USAF calls this ‘operational readiness.’ To meet this requirement, presidential aircraft must be meticulously maintained, a job that is carried out by a dedicated team from the 89th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Andrews. 

Keeping a presidential aircraft operationally ready means daily checks, round-the-clock monitoring, and keeping the aircraft fully fueled and stocked. Redundancy is critical, ensuring multiple power sources, backup avionics, and other measures are operational at all times. 

Sourcing parts for the jet isn’t going to be as easy as you might think, either. When spares are being procured for the current VC-25As, each individual part goes through a rigorous vetting process to protect against sabotage and espionage.

Is there any point in modifying the Qatari 747-8?

With everything taken into account, it’s clear that turning the Qatar aircraft into a working Air Force One is going to be a long, expensive process. While it seems a good base to start from, in reality, it would need to be stripped and refitted, making the lavish interior rather useless.

If the US does go down the road of modifying the 747, it’s already behind the development of the VC-25Bs. Boeing has been working on those aircraft since 2018, and they’re not expected to deliver for another four years, illustrating the immensity of the task at hand. It’s possible the VC-25Bs could even be ready before the Qatari jet, and does the USAF really need three presidential 747s? 

Analysts at TWZ have suggested the Air Force could strip the Qatari aircraft for parts and use these in the VC-25Bs or the E-4C ‘doomsday plane’ project. It sounds more plausible than conversion, but wouldn’t be the most diplomatic use of Qatar’s very generous gift.

The Boeing 747-8KB was delivered to Qatar Amiri Flight in April 2012 with registration A7-HJA. It was subsequently used by the House of Thani with registration A7-HBJ, a nod to the initials of Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, former Qatari Prime Minister and the primary user of the jet. Over a decade later, in June 2023, it was delivered to Global Jet Isle of Man, acquiring a new registration once more – P4-HBJ, with the P4 signifying it is registered in Aruba, a popular flag of convenience for private jets.

When (and if) it is officially transferred to the DoD, it will have a new registration again. Whether it will retain its HBJ suffix remains to be seen, but it could well take on something more patriotic, such as DJT, for instance. The current Air Force One 747s have tail numbers 28000 and 29000, so it may not follow traditional registration formats at all.

Whatever the tail number, the free-of-charge transfer of this VIP jet to the US is considered one of the most expensive diplomatic gifts of all time. But what will President Trump actually be getting? Let’s take a look.

Inside the Qatari Boeing 747-8 private jet

The 747 interior was originally designed and outfitted by design house Cabinet Alberto Pinto. The firm has completed many custom VIP jet interiors in the past, but the 747-8 is the largest and most ambitious private jet project it has ever worked on. It took four years to complete and is often described as a ‘flying mansion.’

Taking cues from the cabins of superyachts and luxury apartments, the interior is dominated by a mix of textures and materials, with clever backlighting to accentuate features or to make furniture appear to float.

The cabin is 4,500 square feet (418 square meters), and usually an aircraft of this size would carry up to 450 passengers. This jet accommodates far fewer, although in much nicer surroundings.

The entryway to the jet features curved walls and a lit staircase to the upper deck. Up the stairs, in the 747’s iconic ‘hump,’ is a living room complete with bookshelves, a corner sofa and a giant flat screen TV. 

Behind the living area is a children’s play space and the crew quarters. The 747-8 has the largest upper deck of any 747, so it comfortably accommodates the crew and these other rooms.

On the lower deck, the 747 has been designed with home touches in mind. Private office spaces are complemented with recliner leather chairs and entertainment systems. Various small meeting spaces are scattered around the deck, with the 747’s cavernous cabin able to accommodate many rooms.

The centerpiece of the jet is its main living space, which features three full size sofas and vaulted ceilings. Furnishings are designer and bespoke, including a wacapou wood table with a goatskin top.

Opposite the seating area is a round table, perfect for dining or even a game of cards. Various other seating options are within the main lounge, including pairs of recliners with tables in between, ideal for private chats and intimate drinks.

Further aft, a private office space features more bookshelves and a table for four. While it’s been decked out as an office, the table can also double as a dining space for a more private dinner.

Throughout the jet, seating is high-end, with luxurious leather and electronically controlled recline functions. 

Guest bedrooms are furnished in similar opulence, and all have en suite facilities. 

Right at the back of the aircraft is a cabin of business class seating, ideal for hosting an entourage or other staff. For President Trump, this may well serve as the press seating – a significant upgrade from the economy class seating usually reserved for media on the current Air Force One 747s.

President Trump’s quarters on the Boeing 747-8 private jet

For President Trump, the Boeing 747-8 private jet boasts a luxurious en suite bedroom. This master suite is located in the nose of the aircraft, directly under the cockpit. It’s the most private area of the aircraft, and the quietest as it’s the furthest from the engines.

The bedroom features a large bed with a tan leather base, plus a two-seat sofa for relaxing in private. Sidewalls are lined with counters and storage, while a door leads on to the en suite bathroom. 

In the bathroom, there is a walk-in shower, a full size vanity with a mirror and sink. Gold accents complement the dark wood trims, and the cream color palette makes the plane look modern and high end.

Speaking to Altitudes Magazine, Yves Pickardt, project lead, commented that, “The owner gave us carte blanche. He wasn’t looking for anything outrageously luxurious, with gold and diamonds. On the contrary, he called for some simplicity, which in the end is indeed the true luxury.”

Four years of labor went into this enormous Boeing 747-8 private jet. “Such a project is a dream come true that happens only once or twice in a designer’s lifetime,” continued Pickardt. “In a way, this is a landmark in aviation history.”

There has been no indication that President Trump intends to alter the interior of the jet in any way. Certainly, the gold walls, plush carpeting and luxurious style is very in-keeping with the President’s known aesthetic, so we can expect any cosmetic changes to be minor. 

The major changes will be around installing the necessary communication and security systems required on any aircraft operating as Air Force One. Defense contractor L3 Harris has been tasked with overhauling the plane to meet the DoD’s requirements.

That’s an old aviation joke, but it still rings true today. The pitfalls facing commercial airlines are many, often highlighted by bankruptcies and losses in the industry. Nevertheless, some of the world’s most profitable airlines are proving it doesn’t always have to be this way.

Globally, airlines run on wafer-thin profit margins. According to IATA, the average operating profit margin globally was around 6.4% in 2024. This year is projected to be an improvement, reaching an expected 6.7% average on revenues that are forecast to exceed a trillion dollars for the first time.

But some airlines are bucking this trend, proving it is possible to make money in the aviation business. 2024’s top 10 most profitable airlines alone brought in over $335 billion in revenue, earning more than $25 billion in profits. But which were the most profitable airlines over the last calendar year?

To establish the most profitable airlines in the world, we looked at annual reports from airline newsrooms worldwide. Although airlines like Qatar and Emirates work on an April to April financial year, we took figures for calendar year 2024 as that was the most complete data set.

By our calculations, the top 10 most profitable airlines in the world are:

But this list is not based on simply profits alone. Stay with us and we’ll explain more.

Most profitable airlines: The highest revenues in 2024

The ‘big three’ US airlines – Delta, United and American – dominate the highest revenue earners in 2024 thanks to record passenger traffic. TSA reported screening an unprecedented 904 million passengers last year, a 5% increase over 2023. Between these three airlines, total revenues exceeded $172 billion.

Following behind by quite some margin are the three big European aviation groups. Lufthansa Group, which includes SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines and more, scored the highest revenue across the pond, wth just over $40 billion. IAG – the owner of British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Vueling and LEVEL – was a few billion behind at $34.6 bn, while the Air France-KLM group brought in just short of $34 billion.

With $33 billion, Emirates earned the seventh highest revenue in 2024 – not an easy task when you only fly big jets over long distances. Southwest got a look in at eighth with $27.5 billion revenue, and two Chinese giants fought over ninth and tenth place with around $24 billion a piece.

But earning high revenues doesn’t necessarily make for a profitable airline.

Most profitable airlines: The highest profits in 2024

When it comes to net profits, Emirates wins the day. Its soaring 2024 profit of $4.7 billion has already been eclipsed in 2025, as it has reported record full financial year profits of $5.2 billion. The airline had such a good year, it has agreed to a 22-week profit share bonus for all its eligible employees.

Two of the US big three follow Emirates with solid profits, with Delta and United earning $3.46 bn and $3.15 bn respectively. But where is American Airlines, with its huge $54 billion revenue? In fact, its profits were relatively low, at just $850 million. The airline’s management has blamed this on costly labor deals.

Europe’s IAG comes next, with a solid $3 billion profit for the group. It’s followed by Turkish Airlines, which didn’t make it into the top 10 for revenue, with under $23 billion brought in. Nevertheless, the airline’s model of flying to more international destinations than any other is clearly working, as it secured a solid profit of $2.4 billion.

Low-cost legend Ryanair secures sixth place with just over $2 billion in earnings. Then we have another appearance that didn’t rank in the top revenue airlines: global carrier Singapore Airlines. Its profit of just over $2 billion claims it the seventh spot.

Rounding out the list, Air France-KLM and Qatar Airways both took home profits of $1.7 billion, while Lufthansa brought up the rear with a solid net profit of $1.51 billion.

However, even this ranking doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s far easier to turn a profit of $3.5 billion when your revenue is over $60 billion than it is to bring in a decent return on a smaller total revenue.

Most profitable airlines: The margin tells the whole story

Taking the airlines with the highest revenues and profits as a starting point, we can determine their operating margin by dividing the profit by the revenue and taking that as a percentage. This gives a far more accurate idea of the most profitable airlines, as it showcases their efficiency and ability to retain more of their revenue as income.

Although the ‘big three’ US airlines brought in far more revenue than any other carriers, their operating margins are woefully low. We’ve already mentioned American Airlines and its low profit generation – its operating margin was a measly 1.57%, far lower than the global average. Both Delta and United made it into the top 10 most profitable airlines based on operating margin, both running on margins of around 5.5%. 

The real standouts on this list, however, are Emirates and Singapore Airlines, both securing an operating margin of over 14%. Emirates just squeaks into first place by 0.2%, but both airlines are clearly running a very efficient and effective operation.

Worth mentioning also is budget carrier Ryanair. To maintain an operating margin of 13.65%, when it runs its flights on a shoestring, is incredible. Southwest Airlines, the other budget carrier we’ve mentioned here, reported low profits of just $460 million, giving it a tight operating margin of 1.67%, so it didn’t make the list.

Likewise, the two Chinese airlines – Air China and China Southern – did not earn enough to secure a healthy operating margin. China Southern’s earnings were so low, its margin was just 1.1%, while Air China’s was even worse at 0.82%.

While Air France-KLM had some success with a margin of 5.1%, Lufthansa’s was lower at 3.73%, almost half the global average. In a year peppered with workers’ strikes and aircraft delivery delays, the airline has struggled to maintain profitability, although things were looking up during the first quarter of 2025.

Turkish Airlines’ margin of 10.6% is nothing to be sniffed at, while IAG and Qatar Airways both achieved better than the average, with 8.7% and 7.7% respectively.

According to Companies Market Cap, there are some airlines that are working on even larger profit margins. Bangkok Airways, Air Arabia and Copa all finished 2024 with operating margins of over 20%. Of these, the largest earner was Copa, with revenues of $3.43 billion and earnings of $0.72 billion.

Although these margins are certainly impressive, these airlines simply do not earn enough to make it into the top 10 list. However, they’re clearly doing something very right to buck the trend of wafer-thin margins within the aviation industry.

These highly autonomous platforms are designed to operate alongside fighter jets, augmenting mission capabilities while minimizing risks to human life. At a fraction of the cost of a manned fighter jet, these aircraft are seen as an easy way to scale up military might with a smaller investment.

Several nations are developing loyal wingman drones, with varying degrees of success. Here are some of the most promising loyal wingman drones on the horizon that could shape the future of aerial warfare.

Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat

Developed in collaboration with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat is Australia’s first domestically produced combat aircraft in more than 50 years. It was officially named ‘ghost bat’ after a native Australian mammal known for teaming together in a pack to hunt. 

Designed to operate both autonomously and in conjunction with manned aircraft, this loyal wingman is capable of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) activities, as well as electronic warfare and direct combat. It has a payload capacity of up to 500kg and features an open architecture designed to facilitate the integration of third-party systems and payloads.

The aircraft took its maiden flight in 2021, and has operated both solo and in manned-unmanned teaming scenarios. In March 2025, Boeing announced that the MQ-28 had completed 100 test flights and that it intends to conduct test launches of air-to-air missiles by the end of 2025 or early 2026. 

Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie

This experimental unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been in development since 2016, with the intention of creating an autonomous vehicle to fly alongside advanced fighter jets like the F-22 and F-35. The Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie flew for the first time in 2019, and in 2023, it successfully flew under the Penetrating Affordable Autonomous Collaborative Killer Portfolio (PAACK-P) program, evaluating the Valkyrie’s capabilities in manned-unmanned teaming scenarios.

It is designed for versatility in mission profiles, with manned-unmanned teaming at the heart of the platform. Equipped with artificial intelligence algorithms, the XQ-58A can perform missions with minimal human intervention and can operate in coordinated ‘swarm’ groups to overwhelm enemy defenses.

At a production rate of 50 aircraft annually, the drone is expected to cost around $4 million a unit. However, the costs will reduce if more units are built, bringing the per aircraft price down to around $2 million for 100 units or more per year. Kratos has said that production could eventually be as high as 250 to 500 Valkyries per year.

Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B

One of the largest drones on our list, the Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B, also known as the Hunter-B, has been in development since at least 2011. Developed in partnership between Mikoyan and Sukhoi, it builds on previous work on the Mikoyan Skat UCAV. The first prototype was revealed in 2017.

It took its maiden flight in 2019, and by February 2021, it was reported that at least four prototypes had been built. In 2023, Russia said that the state tests for the Okhotnik were almost complete, and that it would begin serial production in the second half of 2024, although there is no evidence that this has now begun.

Like many of the drones here, the S-70 Okhotnik-B is designed to work alongside Russia’s formidable fifth-generation fighter jet, the Su-57. However, questions remain over its capabilities as, in October 2024, an S-70 was deliberately downed by an Su-57 near Kostiantynivka in Ukraine. Russian forces had lost control of the drone, and decided to destroy it to prevent Ukraine from accessing the wreckage.

Bayraktar Kızılelma

The Bayraktar Kızılelma (Turkish for ‘red apple’) is Turkey’s first homegrown jet-powered UAV, designed by Baykar Technologies. While the initial version, known as the Kızılelma-A, is subsonic, future iterations (-B and -C) are intended to be supersonic. Alongside the TAI Anka-3, this is one of two Turkish jet-powered drones in development.

The Kızılelma is satellite-controlled with fully autonomous takeoff and landing capabilities. It has a low radar cross section, high maneuverability and control beyond line-of-sight. It is expected to feature two internal weapons bays, and six external hardpoints on the wings, with options for air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles as well as various options for bombs.

Having started conceptual studies in 2013, the design and specifications of the Kızılelma were first shared publicly in 2021. The aircraft took its first flight in December 2022, and in 2023 was seen flying in formation with an F-16C at TEKNOFEST in Istanbul. In October 2024, Baykar announced that mass production of the Kızılelma had begun, with a target of 10 units to be produced by 2026.

Dassault nEUROn

Led by French aerospace company Dassault, the nEUROn program launched over 20 years ago in 2003. Bringing together countries including France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, the goal of the project is to develop a stealthy, autonomous UAV that can support forces in high-threat combat situations.

Powered by a single Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour Mk. 951 turbofan engine, the nEUROn is designed for air-to-ground missions. Its two internal bays are capable of carrying 250kg laser guided bombs, while its stealth capabilities allow it to fly into high threat environments without being detected.

The drone took its maiden flight in December 2012 and completed over 170 test flights between 2012 and 2022. Progress on the nEUROn stalled for a while, but interest was renewed in December 2024, when it was announced the vehicle would return to service and continue its development. 

Feihong FH-97

The Feihong FH-97 and subsequent FH-97A are China’s leading efforts in the loyal wingman space. Developed by the Aerospace Times Feihong Technology Corporation, a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), these drones are intended to team up with manned fighter jets to support in combat situations.

Unveiled in 2021, the FH-97 is a stealthy unmanned aerial vehicle designed to suppress air defenses with electronic countermeasures. It has been succeeded by the FH-97A, revealed at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2022, although very little is known about either of the platforms. 

Visually, the FH-97 takes some strong cues from the XQ-58A Valkyrie and is thought to be capable of carrying up to eight air-to-air missiles or loitering munitions. It is equipped with rocket boosters, allowing takeoff without a runway and catapult launch from ships. 

Although China has shown off its prototypes, analysts suggest it may be several years before these systems are integrated into China’s military arsenal. 

HAL CATS Warrior 

India’s reply to future drone efforts worldwide comes in the form of the HAL CATS Warrior, an unmanned combat aerial vehicle developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in collaboration with NewSpace Research & Technologies.

It’s a stealth-optimized airframe with a modular construction, allowing for rapid adaptation to suit different missions. It has both an internal weapons bay and external hardpoints, letting it capably carry a diverse payload. It operates under the manned-unmanned teaming concept, and can autonomously take off, land and adapt to real-time evolving combat scenarios.

Having unveiled a scale model at Aero India in 2021, HAL achieved a milestone in January 2025 when it conducted a successful ground run of the engine on a full-scale demonstrator. This will be followed by taxi trials and a first flight, hopefully before the end of 2025.

Airbus Wingman

The ‘Wingman’ by Airbus is intended to be a cutting-edge unmanned aerial vehicle that will operate alongside manned fighter jets like the Eurofighter Typhoon. Unveiled at the ILA Berlin Air Show in June 2024, the drone has a sleek, stealth design with an emphasis on low observability. 

Equipped with advanced sensors and connectivity solutions, the drone is intended to be capable of performing multiple jobs for defense forces. These include electronic warfare, reconnaissance and precision strikes against ground or aerial targets.

Airbus is investing significantly in the Wingman project, viewing it as a major stepping stone towards the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). FCAS will include a 6th-generation fighter jet, and is expected to be rolled out as a complete system in the 2030s.

As technologies continue to grow, the fight for aerial supremacy continues to produce ever more capable and advanced platforms. These loyal wingman drones are more than just a mindless kamikaze weapon; they’re serious investments that rival fighter jets in their capabilities, but at a fraction of the investment (and without the human risk).

While a fully connected airspace is still some years away, it’s emerging as a key goal for nations around the world. AI will underpin many of the loyal wingman drones featured here, and its successful application will form the backbone of this interconnected manned-unmanned team.

True stealth combines both passive and active measures. Passive stealth focuses on minimizing an aircraft’s natural signatures (radar, infrared, and, to some extent, visual) while active stealth involves electronic countermeasures designed to disrupt or deceive enemy sensors.

However, radar cross-section (RCS) remains a key metric for measuring an aircraft’s detectability, with smaller figures indicating a significantly lower chance of being tracked by enemy radar systems.

Focusing on RCS, let’s jump in and take a look at the stealthiest fighter jets on the planet.

The 4 stealthiest fighter jets in the world

Anyone who knows their fighter jets will not be surprised that the F-22 Raptor is the stealthiest fighter jet… nothing can match it when it comes to stealth capabilities. Its per-unit cost of $143 million makes it the most expensive fighter jet in the world, although reports suggest it did cost double that ($300 million plus) to produce each aircraft.

It’s important to note that RCS values are estimated and can change depending on the situation. Things like radar frequency, aspect angle, and operational conditions can significantly affect a fighter jet’s ability to stay invisible. Advances in radar technology continue to challenge stealth designs, pushing manufacturers to develop ever-better technology.

Let’s take a closer look at how the world’s four stealthiest fighter jets manage to stay invisible.

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

Estimated RCS: 0.0001 m2

Key to the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor’s stealthiness is its planform alignment. Every edge of the aircraft, from its wings to its intakes, is meticulously aligned to reflect radar waves away, not back to the receiver. Instead of regular panel gaps, the F-22 uses jagged edges to scatter radar waves, and its trailing edges are angled to prevent reflection.

Complementing this innovative airframe design is a coating of radar-absorbing materials (RAM). Its surface is coated in iron ball paint that converts incoming radar waves into tiny amounts of heat, rather than reflecting it back. 

Radar-absorbing composites protect the intakes and leading edges, and foam RAM shields the turbine blades from reflection. Although modern coatings are more durable than the early RAM used on aircraft like the B-2 and F-117 and are now capable of withstanding supersonic speeds and harsher weather conditions, they still require careful maintenance. Advances in RAM technology, particularly those incorporated later into the F-35 program, have continued to improve durability and simplify repair processes over time.

The F-22’s thrust vectoring nozzles not only give it insane agility; they also help protect against infrared detection. Whereas traditional nozzles focus hot gases into a tight jet, perfect for IR detection, the F-22 spreads the gases over a wider area, lowering the temperature and shortening the trail.

The F-22 is a masterpiece of air dominance, but its eye-watering price tag meant it was never built in large numbers. By 2011, the program was officially shut down, and the US shifted gears to back the more export-friendly F-35 Lightning II. Even so, with new challengers like China’s J-20 and Russia’s Su-57 entering the fray, upgrades are already being pursued.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

Estimated RCS: 0.0015–0.005 m² 

While the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is less stealthy head-on than the F-22, its capabilities set it ahead of every other stealth jet by several orders of magnitude. Like the F-22, stealth begins with shape, and the F-35 is optimized to bounce radar waves anywhere except back.

Every edge of the aircraft is angled to deflect radar, while the fuselage has long, sharp chines that smooth the radar reflection. An internal weapons bay means there are no missiles or bombs hanging off the wings, and the gold tinted canopy is actually a thin layer of indium-tin-oxide that shields the cockpit from radar reflections.

Unlike the F-22, which has RAM applied on top of the skin, the F-35 incorporates RAM into the composite skin of the aircraft itself, enhancing durability. Clever nozzle shaping and mixing with ambient air reduces the temperature of the exhaust plume, and some of the engine heat is bled off into the wings to spread it out and prevent IR detection.

With an estimated lifetime budget of $1.5 trillion, the F-35 is the most expensive fighter jet ever built. Nevertheless, its exceptional capabilities mean it’s a popular choice for air forces the world over, and with more than 1,150 aircraft delivered, it’s one of the most widely used fighter jets today.

Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon

Estimated RCS: 0.05 m2

The Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon has a larger radar signature than the two previous jets, but is still much more difficult to detect than legacy fighters like the F-15 or Su-27. Its stealth is at its best head-on, with side and rear aspects more easily detectable.

Like the F-22 and F-35, the J-20 uses planform alignment to disrupt radar waves, while the sharp, chined nose helps deflect radar energy. Like the F-35, it uses diverterless supersonic intakes that shield the engine face, and its weapons bay is internal.

The Achilles heel of the J-20 is its infrared heat signature. Early models used the Russian AL-31F engines with big, round exhaust nozzles, creating a beacon for IR detection. The upgraded WS-10C engine, featuring sawtooth exhausts, improves on this, and a next-generation WS-15 engine intends to bring even better IR signature management.

The J-20 uses RAM coatings across its surface, and while the details are not publicly available, they’re likely to involve a combination of composites and advanced materials.

At close range, the F-22 out-stealths the J-20, but that’s not the full story. The J-20 is a long-range hunter, with a huge range and large internal fuel stores. It’s designed to break into enemy airspace and push back US and allied airpower over the Pacific. 

China is working hard to close the gap on engine stealth and IR signature management to make this a dangerously capable aircraft.

Sukhoi Su-57 Felon

Estimated RCS: 0.1 – 1 m2

Russia’s flagship stealth fighter, the Sukhoi Su-57, approaches stealth a little differently from the American and Chinese designs. From the front end, it’s pretty stealthy, similar to a soccer ball in radar signature, but its side and rear are much more visible compared to other stealth fighters.

The Su-57 employs the same sort of planform shaping as others we’ve discussed, as well as internal weapons bays and canted tail surfaces to reduce reflection as much as possible. However, the jet is let down in some areas, with large, widely spaced engines that are exposed to radar signal, and a less seamless, somewhat rougher surface than the F-22 and F-35.

Russia has been testing modified, flattened engine nozzles, similar to the F-22’s thrust-vectoring design, which could improve rear-aspect stealth. While these flatter nozzles would likely enhance low observability, they may come at the cost of reduced thrust efficiency compared to the Su-57’s current round-axisymmetric exhausts.

While the US philosophy is to hide first and fight later, the Su-57 is all about being just stealthy enough to get in for that first long-range missile exchange. When that’s the R-37M air-to-air missile, nicknamed the AWACS killer, that could be from over 200 miles away.

Beyond that, it relies on brutal agility, delivered by 3D thrust vectoring, massive control surfaces, and high-functioning radar and sniper-like missiles.

While the F-22 sneaks in and has a brutal knife fight, the Su-57 throws grenades and hides. It is hard to track, deadly even at range and can fly for hours. Its multiple radar systems give it a 360-degree sensor sphere; it has been deliberately equipped to make it dangerous to stealth aircraft, and could be the best hunter in the business.

Will these always be the stealthiest fighter jets?

The short answer is no. Multiple countries are working on new stealth fighters and are at various stages of development. 

South Korea’s 4.5-generation fighter, the KF-21 Boramae, has been designed with stealth features, but lacks the internal weapons bay so crucial to full stealth capability. A proposed KF-21EX would have more advanced stealth, but with the KF-21 program still in development and under financial pressure, that’s likely a long way off.

As prototypes evolve into new projects, other 5th-generation stealth fighters could come out of China or Japan. But the real upgrade will come when the 6th-generation fighter jets begin to arrive, under initiatives such as NGAD and GCAP. These next-gen aircraft will combine stealth with drone teaming, AI, and more advanced electronic warfare capabilities.

The table below summarizes the in-development or rumored stealth fighter projects.

As well as the projects we know about, there has also been some saber-rattling in Russia about a proposed MiG-41. A 6th-generation stealth interceptor, very little concrete evidence of development has emerged. Similarly, Iran’s ‘Qaher-313’ purports stealth capabilities, but is nothing more than a paper airplane for now.

According to data from aviation data experts OAG, the airline flying to the most destinations is United Airlines. Serving 373 destinations in summer 2025, it is a full 20 destinations ahead of the 353 of its next-nearest competitor, American Airlines. Delta sits in third with 308. 

However, special attention must be paid to our fourth-place airline, Turkish Airlines, as although it doesn’t match the US airlines for destination numbers, it does fly to the most countries. According to the airline, its country reach extends to 123 nations.

Notable too is the presence of European low-cost leviathan Ryanair in the top 10 airlines flying to the most destinations. Its extensive network focuses on short haul flying in Europe, with new routes being added (and removed) all the time.

Let’s dive into the top 10 airlines flying to the most destinations this summer, and what their route maps look like.

The top 10 airlines flying to the most destinations in 2025

United Airlines – 373 destinations

From its various US hubs, United Airlines operates a robust domestic US network of over 200 destinations. Alongside this, it flies to around 150 international locations, touching 75 different countries. 

As the airline with the largest fleet of aircraft in the world, with over 1,000 in service, it’s no surprise United is the world’s most well-connected carrier. And it’s growing all the time. Summer 2025 sees the airline flying its largest ever transatlantic schedule, adding new services to Croatia, France, Greece, Greenland, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

As well as Europe, destinations in Asia, Africa and even Oceania are seeing more service from United. ​Interestingly, the airline has also added new “fifth freedom” routes from Tokyo to Ulaanbaatar and Kaohsiung, as well as from Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok. These routes allow United to serve underserved markets and optimize aircraft utilization.

During United Airlines’ Q1 2025 earnings call, CEO Scott Kirby emphasized the airline’s strategic focus on international expansion, particularly in the Pacific region, to capitalize on robust long-haul travel demand.

American Airlines – 353 destinations

From its key hubs in Dallas/Fort Worth, Charlotte, Miami, and Philadelphia, American Airlines serves 353 destinations this summer. The majority are domestic with just short of 230 connections, while the rest are international. The airline reaches 61 countries with its network.

For the summer 2025 schedule, American Airlines has introduced several new and reinstated routes, particularly enhancing its European offerings:​

• Copenhagen, Denmark (CPH): Flights from Philadelphia have been reinstated.
• Naples, Italy (NAP): Service from Chicago O’Hare commenced on May 6, 2025.
• Nice, France (NCE): Flights from Philadelphia resumed.
• Rome, Italy (FCO): Expanded service for the summer season.
• Athens, Greece (ATH): A new seasonal route from Charlotte Douglas International Airport is set to launch on June 5, 2025.

During the Q1 2025 earnings call, CEO Robert Isom highlighted the importance of making the United States a welcoming destination for global travelers, especially in anticipation of major events like the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Delta Air Lines – 308 destinations

Delta Air Lines is operating its largest-ever summer schedule to Europe this year, with approximately 700 flights per week and 10% more seats than in 2024. 

New to the airline this year is a nonstop service from JFK to Catania in Sicily, Atlanta to Naples, and Minneapolis-St. Paul to Rome (FCO). In Asia, Delta is set to resume nonstop service between Los Angeles (LAX) and Shanghai (PVG) in June 2025.

Approximately two thirds of Delta’s destinations are domestic, but it still reaches 60 different countries with its long-haul international network.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian has highlighted the airline’s focus on aligning capacity with demand, particularly in response to economic uncertainties and shifting travel patterns. In light of tariff-related uncertainties, Delta has deferred certain aircraft deliveries and is prioritizing cost management and cash flow preservation.

Turkish Airlines – 281 destinations

Operating in a very different environment to the US ‘big three,’ Turkish Airlines has a much stronger focus on international travel. Its domestic share is less than 20%, with most of its route network built on overseas destinations.

With 123 countries on its roster, Turkish Airlines is the carrier that flies to more global nations than any other. Still, it continues to add new connections, and has some exciting additions for summer 2025.

Notable was its return to Damascus in Syria, which it hasn’t operated for 13 years. Launched in January 2025, this route is an important connection both socially and politically. Via its subsidiary AJet, it has also launched more routes into Europe and Africa too.

Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Ekşi has outlined ambitious expansion plans, aiming to increase the fleet to 500 aircraft by September 2025 and to 813 by 2033, coinciding with the airline’s centennial anniversary. With more aircraft will undoubtedly come more routes, setting the airline up to have an even bigger global reach in the future.

Ryanair – 232 destinations

Like Turkish, Ryanair is focused on international destinations, which is unsurprising given its home country of Ireland isn’t so big. It has five domestic routes and 227 international connections this summer, reaching 37 different countries.

Ryanair is well-known for launching new routes to take advantage of airport fee incentives, giving it a good opportunity to test out the demand before settling in for the long haul. This year, it will launch various new connections, including:

• From London-Stansted (STN): New services to Bodrum, Clermont-Ferrand, Dalaman, Münster, Lübeck, Linz, and Reggio Calabria.
• From Manchester: New flights to Rabat and Toulouse.
• From Malta: New routes to Glasgow and Rzeszów.
• From Brussels Charleroi: New services to Katowice, Rome, and Salerno.
• From Sofia: New routes to Frankfurt-Hahn and Pisa.

Ryanair has no plans to stop expansion, although it is keen to transition to a fleet with more new technology aircraft like the 737 MAX. In its recent earnings call, CEO Michael O’Leary expressed concerns over delays in Boeing deliveries, noting it could affect its growth plans this summer and beyond.

China Eastern Airlines – 219 destinations

China Eastern is the East Asian airline that flies to the most destinations, with most originating at its sizable hub at Shanghai Pudong. It touches dozens of countries with its network, although the huge domestic market in China is a big focus. Like Delta, around two-thirds of its destinations are domestic.

Several new European routes are launching in summer 2025, including:

• Shanghai to Geneva: Starting June 16, 2025, operating four times weekly.
• Shanghai to Milan Malpensa: Commencing June 20, 2025, with daily flights using Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
• Shanghai to Copenhagen: Beginning July 17, 2025, operating three times weekly with A330-200s.

As of April 2025, China Eastern operates nine COMAC C919 aircraft, China’s narrowbody answer to the A320 and 737. In January 2025, it began the first cross-border flight with the type, connecting Shanghai to Hong Kong. 

China Southern Airlines – 217 destinations

Like China Eastern, China Southern has a strong domestic focus with around two-thirds of its destinations in mainland China. However, it also has a robust international network, reaching 46 countries across 76 routes.

China Southern is keenly targeting Australia with its services. It operates 14 flights from Guangzhou, Guangdong province, to Sydney and three flights from Shenzhen in Guangdong to Sydney per week

The airline put its Boeing 787-8 fleet on sale earlier in 2025, intending to sell off 10 via an auction process. However, in light of tariff uncertainty, the airline has paused the sales. Conversely, as it moves towards the ‘made in China’ philosophy, it has agreed to purchase 100 C919 aircraft for its future fleet. 

British Airways – 209 destinations

For British Airways, domestic routes are not a focus, so its 209 destinations are completely reliant on international traffic. Its network reaches 80 countries, making it one of the most well-connected international airlines. 

Nevertheless, it’s still adding more routes as demand shifts and the fleet grows. For summer 2025, notable changes include:

• Kuala Lumpur: Resuming daily flights from London-Heathrow (LHR) after a five-year hiatus, operated by Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
• Tbilisi: Launching four weekly flights from London Heathrow, marking a return to the Georgian capital after 12 years.
• Salerno and Rimini: New Italian destinations added to the network, with flights commencing in May 2025.
• Olbia: Service from both London City (LCY) and Heathrow, with BA Cityflyer operating from London City starting May 25, 2025.

BA’s transatlantic routes remain a cornerstone of its network. CEO Sean Doyle noted that capacity on these routes has “matured,” with available seats expected to rise by only about 1%. Doyle highlighted a strong recovery in business travel on transatlantic flights during the second half of 2024, contributing significantly to the airline’s profitability.

Air China – 204 destinations

Air China has a robust domestic network, but couples that with a strong international focus too. Reaching around 43 countries, it has scaled up its European operation in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as Western airlines struggle with airspace closures.

Air China has announced a number of new routes and route expansions for its Summer 2025 schedule:​

• Beijing to Cairo: Resuming service on July 9, 2025, after a 31-year hiatus, with three weekly flights operated by Airbus A330-200 aircraft.
• Beijing to Toronto: Starting on May 20, 2025, the airline will fly twice weekly to the Canadian city.
• Beijing to Tashkent and Almaty: Launching new routes in June and July 2025 to bolster connectivity with Central Asia, supporting China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
• Beijing to Athens: Increasing frequency from three to four weekly flights starting July 2, 2025, operated by Airbus A330-300 aircraft.
• Beijing to Washington, D.C.: Deploying Boeing 747-8i aircraft on this route began in March 2025, enhancing capacity and passenger experience.

Further bolstering the prospects of the C919, Air China signed up for 100 units in April last year, and has received three into its fleet so far.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG – 193 destinations

With its strong international focus, Lufthansa reaches 71 countries with over 180 destinations in 2025. More than 90% of its routes are outside of Germany, and while it has an extensive European network, it also reaches as far as Japan, Johannesburg and Peru.

Lufthansa has announced several new routes for its summer 2025 schedule, enhancing connectivity across Europe and North America:​

• Frankfurt to Bydgoszcz (Poland): Starting April 27, 2025, operating five times a week.
• Munich to Ålesund (Norway): Launching new services to this scenic Norwegian city. 
• Munich to Windhoek (Namibia): Expanding reach into southern Africa. ​
• Munich to Calgary (Canada): Introducing flights to this Canadian city. ​
• Munich to Orlando (US): Adding a new destination in the United States. ​
• Munich to Bodø (Norway): Enhancing services to northern Norway. ​
• Zurich to Halifax (Canada) and Zurich to Seattle (US): Operated by Edelweiss, expanding transatlantic options.

Additionally, Lufthansa is deploying its Airbus A380 aircraft from Munich to several destinations, including Boston, New York (JFK), Washington, Los Angeles, Delhi, and, starting April 30, 2025, Denver.

As global air travel demand continues to shift, the scale and scope of an airline’s network remain key indicators of strategic intent. These top performers aren’t just flying more, they’re signaling where the industry is headed next.

The market cap of a company is the total value of its outstanding shares, effectively reflecting the market’s valuation of the company. It’s a good measure of the company’s equity and its size, although we’ll also look at the other metrics in our analysis.

All publicly traded aircraft manufacturers are considered, including those manufacturing commercial aircraft, private aircraft and defense products. Let’s dig in and discover the biggest aircraft manufacturers in the world in 2025.

The top 10 aircraft manufacturers by market cap

According to Companies Market Cap, there are 17 publicly traded aircraft manufacturers in the world today, representing a total market capitalization of $485.84 billion.

The biggest of all of these is Airbus, with a market cap of $146 billion, around $15 billion more than its competitor, Boeing. Although Boeing is second in terms of market cap, its earnings have taken a hit as a result of its ongoing issues. In 2024, Boeing posted a loss of $12.21 billion, compared to the most profitable manufacturer, Airbus, which posted profits of $6.75 billion.

Although no other manufacturer comes close to the market cap of Airbus and Boeing, there are some other interesting players in the top 10 list. Lockheed Martin remains a solid third-largest aircraft manufacturer, while companies like Embraer, Textron, and Bombardier vie for the lower positions.

You can explore the top 10 largest aircraft manufacturers in the chart below – hover or click on the columns for more details on each company.

Stay with us as we look at each of the 10 companies in more detail.

1. Airbus

Market cap: $146.29 billion

European aerospace corporation Airbus is the biggest aircraft manufacturer in the world in 2025, with a huge market capitalization of over $146 billion. Well known for its commercial aviation products, the company is also heavily involved in military aircraft, business jets, space vehicles and helicopters.

Despite having its fingers in many pies, commercial aviation is still the bread and butter of Airbus, accounting for around three-quarters of its revenue. In 2024, Airbus delivered 766 commercial aircraft and netted 826 new orders. Its best-selling model was the A320 family of aircraft, with over 600 jets delivered out of the 766 total. 

According to Companies Market Cap, Airbus is the world’s 110th most valuable company by market cap. Its valuation is significantly higher this year than in 2024, growing almost 15% from $127.7 billion to its current status.

2. Boeing

Market cap: $130.39 billion

Boeing has had a tough few years, and its market cap reflects that. From a peak of $248 billion in 2019, the company took a massive pre-pandemic hit with the two fatal 737 MAX crashes. Then the pandemic bit, taking Boeing to a market cap low of just over $70 billion in May 2020.

It’s been up and down for the planemaker ever since, with a strong recovery in 2023 to finish the year at almost $158 billion. But 2024 didn’t start well, with the Alaska Airlines door plug blowout and subsequent FAA investigation forcing a 14% drop in market valuation by the end of the financial year. 

2024 saw a drop in revenues too. The company posted a full year income of $66 million, 14% lower than in 2023 and reflective of Boeing’s lower-than-hoped-for aircraft deliveries. Boeing Commercial Airplanes delivered 348 aircraft in 2024, compared with 528 in 2023.

Like Airbus, Boeing has its fingers in many pies, but its Defense, Space and Security division is not doing much better than commercial aviation. For the 2024 full year, Boeing posted a loss of $5.4 billion due to rising costs of fixed price military contracts and issues with specific projects like the KC-46A and Starliner spacecraft.

In fact, the only profitable part of Boeing right now is its Global Services division, which provides aircraft maintenance, conversion, parts distribution and technology development. In 2024, Global Services posted earnings of $3.6 billion, up 4% from the year before.

3. Lockheed Martin

Market cap: $104.78 billion

Lockheed Martin operates in four business segments: Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control (MFC), Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS), and Space. Its business is firmly rooted in defense, producing iconic aircraft including the F-35 and F-16.

In 2024, the Aeronautics division delivered 110 F-35 fighter jets, up from 98 the previous year, and 16 F-16s, an increase from five in 2023. On June 28, 2024, the US Army awarded Lockheed a $4.5 billion contract to supply 870 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles and related hardware.

Although Lockheed still has a powerful market cap, it has dropped over 12% in the last year. This came as its share value plummeted following a worse-than-expected financial performance pinned to a $2 billion charge related to classified projects.

4. Hindustan Aeronautics

Market cap: $33.03 billion

The largest aerospace company in India, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has been making aircraft since 1940. Most well-known for its Tejas fighter jet, it also makes trainer aircraft, helicopters, drones and engines. It does make a passenger aircraft – the 19-passenger Saras turboprop, although only for military usage at present.

As well as making its own aircraft, HAL has worked under licensed production for several well-known vessels. These include the De Havilland Vampire, Folland Gnat, MiG-21 and Su-30. On the passenger side, it has built the HS 748 Avro and Dornier 228, sometimes called the HAL 228.

In October 2024, HAL was given Maharatna status, which allows the company to have more operational and financial autonomy. As part of the Make In India policy, HAL is planning to open logistics bases in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia. 

5. Dassault Aviation

Market cap: $27.1 billion

Formed in 1929, 96 years ago, Dassault Aviation is a French manufacturer of defense products and business jets. It even once made a commercial airliner – the Mercure – designed to compete with the Boeing 737, although only 12 units were ever built.

On the business jet side, Dassault is well known for its Falcon series of aircraft. Its first Falcon was the 20/200, produced from 1963 until 1988. Its current production includes the trijet Falcon 900 and its upgraded sisters the Falcon 7X and 8X, as well as the twinjet Falcon 6X and forthcoming 10X.

For defense, its highly successful Mirage line has been iterated upon and developed since the 1960s, culminating in the Mirage 2000 which has been delivered to nine nations with over 600 units built. Complementing this is the Rafale, a competent multi-role fighter, along with various other products such as the Alpha Jet trainer, ejection seat systems and weapons.

Dassault had an excellent 2024, growing revenues by 5% and leveraging its software business to spur higher profits. As a result, its market cap of $27.1 billion is the highest in the history of the company, up over 50% since 2023.

6. Textron Aviation

Market cap: $13.25 billion

One of the youngest companies on our list, Textron Aviation was formed in 2014 after its parent company acquired Beech Holdings. This added the Beechcraft and Hawker product lines to its portfolio, joining Cessna as the three distinct brands the company produces.

With its roots firmly in general aviation, Textron is now the custodian of the wildly popular Cessna piston aircraft. Its current production includes the Skyhawk, Skylane and Stationair. In addition to these, it produces various turboprops, including the Caravan and SkyCourier, as well as the Citation range of business jets.

From Beechcraft, the company builds and maintains a range of products, including the King Air, Denali and Bonanza, while the Hawker brand is limited to service and maintenance only. Alongside all these, the company builds trainers and light attack aircraft for defense.

The company didn’t have an easy 2024, with a significant work stoppage impacting profits. A four-week strike by machinists led to delayed aircraft deliveries, reduced production and an estimated $30 million loss for the company. As a result, it finished 2024 with a market cap 23% lower than in 2023.

7. Embraer

Market cap: $8.74 billion

Based in São José dos Campos, just outside of São Paulo, Brazil, Embraer is known as the third-largest commercial aircraft manufacturer. Its ERJ and E-Jet families have become solid foundations of the regional aviation industry, and its newest and largest iteration, the E195-E2, is proving popular with airlines around the world.

But Embraer is about more than just commercial aircraft. Also in its wheelhouse are a variety of defense platforms, including the Super Tucano light attack jet and its capable C-390 Millennium transporter. It also excels in the business jet market with its Praetor and Phenom, and still produces the EMB 202 Ipanema crop duster aircraft.

Embraer has had an excellent few years recently, growing its market cap substantially from around $4 billion in 2018 to its current valuation of over $8 billion. In 2024, it reported revenues of $6.4 billion, up 21% year on year, largely driven by increased sales of its commercial and bizjet products.

8. Bombardier

Market cap: $5.5 billion

Canadian manufacturer Bombardier is a shadow of its former self since selling off its commercial aviation business to focus on executive jets. From a high of over $20 billion market cap in 2000, its present valuation of $5.5 billion reflects a more streamlined operation.

From a portfolio that covered regional jets and turboprops, military trainers and aerial firefighting platforms, Bombardier now produces just four different aircraft. The Challenger 300 and 600 are smaller (but still sizable) business jets, while the Global series includes some of the largest executive jets in the industry.

In 2024, Bombardier delivered 146 aircraft and reached revenues of $8.7 billion. As of the end of December 2024, its backlog totals $14.4 billion.

9. Korea Aerospace Industries

Market cap: $5.28 billion

Korea Aerospace Industries, better known as KAI, is South Korea’s leading aerospace company. It has developed military aircraft such as the T-50 Golden Eagle trainer and the KF-21 Boramae fighter, as well as the KT-1 Woongbi, a turboprop trainer aircraft used both domestically and in countries such as Indonesia.

While defense is at the heart of KAI’s business, the company is steadily expanding into other areas, including satellites and space launch components. It also produces helicopters for military use, and has worked with Airbus to develop a civil helicopter known as the KAI LCH.

KAI has posted steady growth over recent years. In 2024, the company recorded revenue of around KRW 3.4 trillion (approx. $2.5 billion). It has set its sights on moving into the commercial aviation market through parts manufacture in partnership with Airbus and Boeing.

10. Joby Aviation

Market cap: $4.81 billion

Joby Aviation is a pioneering electric aviation company based in California, best known for its work on electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Founded in 2009 by entrepreneur JoeBen Bevirt, Joby has become one of the most closely watched players in the emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) sector.

As of 2025, Joby remains pre-revenue in terms of aircraft sales, but it has made significant progress toward FAA certification of its flagship eVTOL aircraft. The all-electric vehicle seats four passengers plus a pilot, boasts a range of around 100 miles, and can cruise at speeds of up to 200 mph.

Joby aims to receive FAA certification by late 2025 or early 2026, and to launch commercial operations shortly thereafter. Challenges remain, especially around regulatory approvals, public acceptance of eVTOLs, and infrastructure buildout. Nevertheless, Joby remains one of the most credible contenders in the race to bring flying taxis to the real world.

Once considered a niche tool, drones are now an essential asset in any military arsenal. The demand for fast, lethal, and autonomous platforms has never been higher than it is today, and some of the best military drones are being ordered in their dozens. 

Whether it’s the battle-hardened MQ-9 Reaper, the cost-effective and deadly Bayraktar TB2, or the emerging platforms from China and Russia, the best military drones are reshaping the future of aerial warfare. Let’s dive into the cutting-edge technology behind the most dominant UCAVs in service today.

The top 5 best military drones in 2025

Stay with us as we take a closer look at each of these combat drones and what their capabilities are.

1. General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper

Why it’s one of the best military drones: The most advanced and combat-proven UCAV

The MQ-9 Reaper is the gold standard in combat drones. It’s well known for its versatility, endurance and heavy weapons loadout, and has proven itself in combat many times. Designed as a successor to the MQ-1 Predator, it’s a crucial asset for the US and allied militaries around the world.

Developed by General Atomics in the early 2000s, the MQ-9 took its first flight in 2001 and entered service with the US Air Force in 2007. Since then, it has been continually upgraded with better sensors, AI-assisted autonomy and enhanced capabilities.

The key attributes that make this one of the best military drones in the world in 2025 include:

• Long endurance: The MQ-9 can fly up to 27 hours, giving it a range of more than 1,000 NM
• Massive payload: It can carry up to 1,700 kg (3,750 lbs) of weapons, including precision-guided bombs and missiles
• Multi-role capabilities: The MQ-9 is just as comfortable in an ISR (Intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) role as it is in providing close air support, precision strikes and conducting electronic warfare
• Advanced sensors and targeting: The MQ-9 uses synthetic aperture radar (SAR), electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) cameras, and laser targeting
• Autonomous and networked: The drone can operate semi-autonomously and can be remotely piloted via satellite
• Proven in combat: The MQ-9 has been used in every major conflict zone since 2007

At present, the MQ-9 is operated by 10 nations and continues to attract interest from all over the world. The US is the largest operator with more than 300 in its fleet, but it has also been sold to foreign militaries including France, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, India and more. 

2. Bayraktar TB2

Why it’s one of the best military drones: Affordable, easy to deploy, and deadly

The Bayraktar TB2 is one of the most widely used military drones in modern warfare. Developed by Turkey’s Baykar Defense, it has revolutionized drone warfare by providing affordable, effective, and highly deployable airpower to nations lacking expensive Western UAVs.

The TB2 took its first flight in 2009 and entered service with the Turkish military in 2014. It has become recognized as one of the best military drones in the world thanks to its combat success in Syria, Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Ukraine.

Some of the reasons the TB2 is one of the best military drones in the world in 2025 include:

• Low cost, high impact: The TB2 is an affordable combat drone that has proven itself as a crucial piece of kit for nations that would find the cost of the MQ-9 too expensive
• Easy operation and deployment: This drone can take off from simple airstrips and requires minimal maintenance to keep it flying
• Combat proven: Even against advanced militaries, the TB2 has stood its ground, defeating Russian air defenses, tanks and armored vehicles
• Constant upgrades: Like the MQ-9, the TB2 is constantly being upgraded to make it more effective and survivable

The TB2 is used extensively by its home nation of Turkey, but it has also played an important role in Ukraine’s Russia conflict. Azerbaijan, Qatar, Ethiopia and Libya have also operated TB2s, while Poland was the first NATO country to purchase the platform. Since its entry into service, the TB2 has logged over a million flight hours and more than 600 units have been produced.

3. TAI Anka

Why it’s one of the best military drones: More endurance and capability than the TB2

Another Turkish drone, the TAI Anka is not used as extensively as the TB2, but it is a step up in terms of capabilities. Blending long endurance with a heavier payload, the Anka was originally conceived as a long-range aerial surveillance and reconnaissance drone, but has evolved into a weaponized platform.

First flying in 2010, the Anka entered service with the Turkish Air Force in 2016 as the Anka-A. The Anka-B first flew in 2015, capable of autoland and with a payload much greater than the Anka-A to pave the way for weaponization of the drone. Finally, the Anka-S is the serial production configuration of Anka, equipped with a SATCOM antenna and various options for munitions.

The standout characteristics of the TAI Anka that make it one of the best military drones today include:

• Long endurance: With 30+ hours of flight time, the Anka can carry out extended missions and fly further than the TB2
• Heavy payload: While it doesn’t come close to the payload of the MQ-9, the Anka offers a payload upgrade compared to the TB2
• Advanced autonomy: The Anka can perform complex missions with minimal human input, and the Anka-S variant can be controlled by satellite
• Multi-role performance: The Anka has been proven in multiple roles, including ISR, precision strikes, electronic warfare, and maritime surveillance

Several nations already operate the Anka drone, including Chad, Kazakhstan, Tunisia and, of course, Turkey. The type is on order with Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Algeria.

While the Anka is still working to gain traction in global defense forces, Turkey is already planning its successor. The Anka-3 will be a supersonic, twin jet engine stealth drone, and is projected to enter service in 2026.

4. CAIG Wing Loong II

Why it’s one of the best military drones: A powerful MQ-9 alternative for international buyers

Developed by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG), the Wing Loong II is a medium altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle designed for a multitude of missions. From intelligence to strike missions, this Chinese MQ-9 alternative is a cost-effective drone that has gained widespread attention throughout the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

First unveiled in 2015, the Wing Loong II took its first flight in 207 and entered service that same year. It’s heavily inspired by the MQ-9 Reaper in terms of its design and capabilities, but China has managed to produce the Wing Loong II at much lower costs.

Some of its key attributes that make it one of the best military drones in 2025 include:

• Cost-effective: The Wing Loong II has comparable capabilities to the MQ-9, but at a fraction of the cost
• Extensive payload: It carries around twice the munitions of the TB2 and Anka, including up to 12 air-to-ground missiles
• Long endurance: This drone can fly for up to 32 hours, although only 20 at its maximum 200 kn speed
• Export potential: The Wing Loong II is one of China’s most exported combat drones. Its easy integration with Chinese weapon systems gives it an advantage for Chinese allies 

The Wing Loong II is used by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), but has also gained traction among international customers, particularly those unable to buy Western UAVs due to political restrictions. It is used by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Pakistan and many other nations.

5. Kronshtadt Orion

Why it’s one of the best military drones: The first truly operational Russian combat drone

The Kronshtadt Orion is the very first MALE drone to be indigenously produced by Russia. Developed by the Kronstadt Group since 2011, it took its first flight in 2016 and entered service with the Russian MoD in 2020. Also known as Inokhodets, meaning ‘ambler,’ this eight-meter-long (26 ft) drone can carry four guided bombs or four missiles with a payload of 250 kg.

Although it hasn’t seen the success of some of the other platforms on our list, the Orion has some key attributes that make it one of the best military drones in operation in 2025.

• Long endurance: The Orion can fly for up to 24 hours, making it capable of very long-range missions
• Multi-role capability: This drone can perform reconnaissance and intelligence missions, as well as precision airstrikes and electronic warfare operations
• The first Russian MALE: As the first true MALE UCAV from Russia, the Orion is groundbreaking and bridges the gap between small tactical drones and large strategic UAVs.
• Russian munitions compatible: Orion uses Russian-built guided missiles and bombs, allowing operators to avoid reliance on Western-produced weapons systems

While the Orion’s payload is less than the Wing Loong II, it is comparable to the TB2 and Anka. Its loadout can be a combination of KAB-20/50 guided bombs, FAB-50 dumb bombs, X-50 guided missiles, Kornet-D anti-tank missiles (Russia’s equivalent of the Hellfire missile) and electronic warfare pods.

At present, Orion is operated only by Russia, but Kronshtadt is actively seeking international customers for the platform. The Orion-E export version has already been promoted to customers in Africa, Asia and the Middle East as an alternative to Chinese or Turkish drones.

Thanks to records from aviation data experts OAG, we can now reveal that the 10 busiest airports in the USA together offered almost 432 million seats between them. A seat is defined as a single seat for sale on a flight of any length. It doesn’t mean that seat was filled, but serves as a good yardstick for how busy an airport has been. Nevertheless, with the Bureau of Transport Statistics recording an average load factor of 83.4% in 2024, the majority of those seats would have been occupied.

The busiest airport in the USA in 2024 was Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), with almost 63 million seats on offer across the year. In fact, Atlanta was the busiest airport in the world in 2024, 2.5 million seats ahead of its next nearest competitor, Dubai International.

Three other USA airports were amongst the top 10 busiest airports in the world in 2024, namely Dallas, Denver and Chicago. All four airports had more seats for sale in 2024 than they did in 2023, although only Dallas and Denver have exceeded their pre-pandemic (2019) capacity.

Stay with us as we take a look at the busiest airports in the USA in 2024, and what you need to know about them.

The busiest airports in the USA – the full list

According to the OAG data, Atlanta was the busiest airport in the USA in 2024, followed by Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver International and Chicago O’Hare. Los Angeles International came in fifth, New York’s JFK in sixth and Sin City’s Las Vegas Harry Reid in seventh. 

Rounding out the top 10 are Charlotte Douglas, which has grown an impressive 11% in the last year alone, plus Orlando and Miami. Hover or tap on the chart below to see more information on each airport.

1. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Seats in 2024: 62,743,665

Apart from the pandemic year of 2020, Atlanta Airport has been the busiest in the USA (and indeed the world) every year since 1998. As it approaches its centenary year, ATL continues to push the boundaries of what a very busy but very well managed airport looks like.

The airport has regularly been voted a passenger favourite, winning ‘North America’s Best Airport’ in the Business Traveler awards two years in a row, and being named best airport over 40 million passengers by Airports Council International. Last year, it handled 108.1 million passengers, the second highest in its history, just behind the 110 million of 2019.

Atlanta serves more than 150 domestic and 70 international destinations, connecting the US to over 40 countries. Its terminal complex stretches over 6.8 million square feet and houses a total of 192 gates.

As well as being the busiest airport by both scheduled seats and passenger traffic, Atlanta links three of the top 10 busiest domestic routes in the US. That includes the busiest route overall – Atlanta to Orlando (MCO), with almost 3.5 million seats offered – and the eighth and ninth busiest, Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and New York (LGA).

2. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

Seats in 2024: 51,516,707

Dallas/Fort Worth was the second busiest airport in the USA in 2024 by available seats, with almost 52 million. It’s still a good 11 million behind Atlanta though, demonstrating just how big and busy that airport really is.

DFW has seen some significant growth in the past few years. Since 2019, capacity at the airport has increased 18%, and has risen 7% over the last year alone. The airport broke ground on a new passenger terminal in late 2024, signalling its intentions to continue on a growth trajectory.

While many other airlines have added service to DFW, such as Fiji Airways with its new service from Nadi, a good deal of its growth has stemmed from American Airlines. It continues to expand, launching flights to Tokyo in June 2024, and placing a huge order for new aircraft in March to support future growth.

For Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, this year looks set to bring more flights and new airlines. In 2025, Cathay Pacific will begin a connection from Hong Kong in April, while Taiwanese carrier EVA Air will launch nonstop flights to Dallas from its home in Taipei towards the end of the year.

3. Denver International Airport

Seats in 2024: 49,218,244

Not all of the busiest airports in the USA have managed to grow since the pandemic. Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles are all still below their 2019 capacity, but other airports have come roaring back. Denver International is one of the fastest growing airports in the US today, having increased capacity by a staggering 24% since 2019.

In the last year alone, Denver has added 5% more capacity to offer a total of almost 50 million seats for sale. It served 82.4 million passengers in 2024, the most in its 30 year history.

The airport has seen some new routes in 2024, including Turkish Airlines launching a nonstop flight to Istanbul. This route, at over 5,300 nautical miles, has dethroned United’s Tokyo Narita flight as the longest service out of Denver. Like Atlanta, Denver Airport is home to some of the busiest routes in the US, including fourth busiest to Phoenix and 10th busiest to Las Vegas.

Denver has room to grow further. It’s the biggest airport in the US by some margin in terms of landmass, and the third-largest airport in the world. Coming in 2025, United is adding several new connections across North America, and launching an exciting new route to Rome. Equally excitingly, Lufthansa will upgrade its Munich service to an A380 from the end of April. 

4. Chicago O’Hare International Airport

Seats in 2024: 46,992,360

Chicago O’Hare hasn’t experienced the same growth as Dallas, and remains 7% beneath the capacity it had to offer in 2019. Nevertheless, the airport has added 8% more seats in 2024 to become the fourth busiest airport in the US.

O’Hare is at one end of the seventh busiest domestic flight route in the US, connecting Chicago to New York’s La Guardia airport. In 2024, 3.1 million passengers flew this route. The airport’s busiest travel period was over Thanksgiving, where 1.8 million passengers used the airport, 11.4% more than in 2023.

The airport is eyeing expansion and has already completed works to increase capacity at Terminal 5 and a concourse expansion at Terminal 3. It is now beginning work on the ‘O’Hare Global Terminal (OGT)’, where Terminal 2 currently stands, adding over three million square feet of internal space and 50 new gates.

5. Los Angeles International Airport

Seats in 2024: 45,509,963

Los Angeles has been a gateway to the world for decades, but despite being one of the busiest airports in the USA, it remains one of the slowest to recover from the pandemic hit. Compared with 2019, the airport had 12% fewer seats available in 2024, and despite handling over 76 million passengers, it’s still a way off its 2019 peak of 88 million.

Nevertheless, it’s still an incredibly busy airport, and a highly contested hub between the US ‘big three’ airlines. Delta has a marginally larger share of passengers at the airport at 19.8%, while United and American both account for around 15% of passenger traffic. Southwest is the fourth largest airline, with almost 10% of the annual passenger share.

The top route from LAX is, believe it or not, London Heathrow (LHR). As well as American and United, the route is served by the two UK majors, BA and Virgin Atlantic. More than 1.6 million passengers a year fly to London from LA. Other routes attracting in excess of a million annual flyers include Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo and Guadalajara.

Airport authority Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is investing $30 billion in LAX to overhaul the facilities ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics. Renovations have been completed at several terminals and are underway at others, while two new terminals, Concourse 0 and Terminal 9, are in the planning stages.

6. New York John F Kennedy International Airport

Seats in 2024: 38,150,327

The iconic JFK airport retains its spot as one of the busiest airports in the USA this year, surpassing its 2019 capacity by a modest 1%. It also topped its pre-pandemic passenger numbers for the first time in 2024, screening 63.3 million, compared to 62.6 million in 2019.

The busiest domestic route from JFK is the transcontinental hop over to Los Angeles. Served by American, Delta and JetBlue, some 1.4 million passengers took the trip in 2024. But by far the busiest route out of the airport is in the other direction, to London Heathrow. Almost 2.5 million passengers travel across the Atlantic from JFK each year.

The Port Authority responsible for the airport is in the midst of a $19 billion transformation of JFK. The project includes adding two huge new terminals, modernizing existing terminals and adding more than four million square feet of extra space.

7. Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport

Seats in 2024: 35,586,378

Las Vegas Harry Reid is one of the better-recovered airports on our list. Although capacity grew by just 1% between 2023 and 2024, those 35.6 million seats represent growth of 19% since 2019. Handling 58.4 million passengers in 2024 was a new record for the airport, and solidified its position as the seventh busiest airport in the USA.

LAS is a major market for Southwest Airlines, with the carrier holding a 40% market share at the airport. Spirit has over 15%, while Delta, American and United have to be content with less than 10%. Traffic here is mainly domestic, with its top route to LAX used by 1.4 million people a year. Denver, Dallas and Seattle are also important connections from Sin City.

Clark County has backed a plan that will see the airport expanded and modernized in the coming years. Under the proposal, the number of airport gates will be expanded from 39 to 65, ground transportation will be improved and passenger experience improved.

8. Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Seats in 2024: 35,228,663

Of all the busiest airports in the USA, Charlotte has seen the most substantial growth in the past year. From 2023 to 2024, the airport added 11% more seats to its operation, taking it 19% above its pre-pandemic capacity. 

Much of that growth has been delivered by American Airlines, which accounts for almost 70% of the traffic out of CLT. Spirit, Delta and United have around a 2% market share, while Southwest has just 1.5%. But the airline has a good variety of carriers too, with a presence from Frontier as well as regional carrier Contour Airlines.

International connections are growing too. Lufthansa flies from Charlotte to Munich, and Volaris to Guadalajara, while Air Canada provides a connection to Toronto. The most popular international destinations include Cancun, London and Punta Cana, while Orlando, New York and Dallas are the most in-demand domestic routes.

Airport improvement works kicked off in 2015 under ‘Destination CLT,’ which has already seen terminal expansions, new roadways and interior renovations. Work is ongoing to renovate the lobby, streamline security and remodel the ticketing area. Outside the airport, the FAA has built a new 367ft control tower, the second tallest in the USA, and discussions around a fourth runway are ongoing.

9. Orlando International Airport

Seats in 2024: 34,269,851

Orlando Airport actually shrank in 2024, offering 1% fewer seats than it did during 2024. Nevertheless, it has had an impressive recovery and growth, operating at 18% higher capacity in 2024 than it did pre-pandemic.

Southwest Airlines is the top carrier at this airport, accounting for 24% of the passenger traffic. Delta and Spirit each have 14%, while Frontier and American have around 12%. Domestic destinations are popular from MCO, particularly to Atlanta, which sees 1.4 million passengers a year.

Soon to land in Orlando will be Air France, with a four-times-a-week service to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). In March 2025, Discover Airlines launched a connection to Munich, and Iberia will be starting flights from Madrid later in the year. Frontier, Spirit, Breeze and Southwest Airlines will add several new domestic destinations for the summer schedule, too.

10. Miami International Airport

Seats in 2024: 32,391,050

Miami has leaped into the top 10 busiest airports in the USA thanks to its incredible post-pandemic growth. Its current capacity of over 32 million seats is 27% higher than it was in 2019, and 7% higher than last year. MIA handled almost 56 million passengers throughout the year, 10 million more than in 2019.

The top carrier here is American Airlines, with 57% of the passenger traffic. Delta and Spirit have fairly large operations, while Southwest and United carry around 1.5 million passengers a year out of MIA. Top domestic destinations include Atlanta, New York and Dallas, while internationally London is the most popular, followed by Bogota and Panama.

Miami International is projected to process 77 million passengers by 2040. To meet this anticipated demand, the airport has embarked on a $9 billion improvement plan, which should conclude in 2035. This includes renovating existing facilities and expanding into new ones, including developing a Concourse K to open in 2029.

If you’re due to travel soon and you’re not sure what you are and aren’t allowed to do with a power bank in flight, here’s what you need to know. 

The airlines banning power banks

Several airlines have changed their guidance on carrying lithium batteries on planes, which are found in power banks, cellphones, and e-cigarettes. These batteries have the potential to malfunction and produce smoke, heat and even fire.

Below is a table of all the airlines so far confirmed to be changing the use of power banks on aircraft:

First to implement a new ban on power banks was Air Busan, following a terrifying fire onboard. While many airlines are no longer allowing passengers to use power banks on flights, Air Busan has gone a step further, requiring that passengers keep such devices on their person, preferably in a seat pocket.

In fact, all South Korean airlines have now adopted the same policy. Although we only mentioned major carriers here, the ban also affects Air Premia, Air Seoul, T’Way Air, Jeju Air and all other South Korean carriers. The idea is that, by having the device near you and visible, any malfunction can be rapidly identified and dealt with.

According to Dimsum Daily, all Hong Kong airlines will soon implement the same rules. From April 7, all HK airlines will no longer allow the use of power banks or storage in overhead compartments during flights. As well as Cathay and Hong Kong Airlines, this rule will affect Greater Bay Airlines and HK Express, plus charter airlines operating in Hong Kong.

Many other Asian airlines have moved to ban the use of power banks in flight, although storage in an overhead compartment is still permitted. Taiwanese carrier Starlux has maintained this policy since its launch in 2018, but is now being joined by many major carriers in the region.

As yet, no US or Western airline has announced any changes to the use of power banks in flight. ICAO and IATA have not altered their guidance for lithium battery carriage, but that could change in the future. As always, check with your airline before flying if you’re unsure of the rules.

Are power banks banned on flights?

Passengers are not banned from bringing power banks onto aircraft, but many airlines are now restricting how they are stored and whether they can be used during the flight.

Since 2015, airlines have banned power banks from checked-in luggage, but have allowed passengers to bring them onboard in hand luggage. However, many airlines have restricted the size of the power bank you can bring on your flight.

Most airlines now allow power banks up to 100 Wh to be brought onboard. Depending on the voltage of your power bank, this usually means you can bring a device labelled up to 27,000 mAh in your carry-on luggage. Some airlines allow devices of up to 160 Wh (43,000 mAH) with prior approval. Devices with higher capacity than this are not typically allowed on flights at all.

Airlines are now asking passengers not to use their power bank to charge any devices during the flight, directing them to use the USB charging at their seat instead. Similarly, passengers are not allowed to recharge the power bank from an aircraft’s USB outlet. 

Some airlines are requiring passengers to remove their power banks from bags and keep them in a seat pocket. They also advise insulating the terminals to avoid a short circuit.

Why are airlines banning power banks now?

The increased attention to personal charging devices has come in the wake of several alarming events involving lithium batteries. 

Devices containing lithium batteries, including power banks and mobile phones, are at risk of a thermal runaway. This is where the heat generated inside the battery exceeds the amount that can be safely dissipated, causing a chain reaction that can result in smoke, fire or even an explosion.

The buildup of heat can begin due to overcharging, physical damage, a short circuit or even manufacturing defects. As the heat begins to build, it weakens the separator between the battery’s anode and cathode, increasing the risk of an internal short circuit. As the temperature continues to rise, the battery swells, releasing toxic and flammable gasses.

According to the FAA, lithium battery fires on US flights have risen 388% since 2015. New incidents are reported almost twice a week, and that’s just in the USA. The prime culprit is the power bank, the root of 43% of all reports. E-cigarettes were second worst with 20%, while laptops, phones and other devices represented around 12% of incidents.

In January, a fire on an Air Busan Airbus A321, which was later determined to be caused by a faulty power bank, destroyed the aircraft. The passengers and crew were evacuated safely, but the severity of the incident prompted Air Busan, and later all South Korean airlines, to change the rules.

More recently, in early March, a Batik Air flight filled with smoke after a power bank overheated as the flight was landing. Cabin crew were filmed checking overhead compartments for the source of the smoke, finally placing the device in a safe box to allow the flight to land safely.

And just a few days ago, on March 20, a Hong Kong Airlines A320 had to divert moments after takeoff when a lithium battery caught fire in an overhead bin. This incident prompted Hong Kong’s aviation authority to implement a ban on storing power banks overhead as from April 7.

These are just a handful of examples of emergencies airlines are dealing with every day around the world. With people carrying more battery-powered devices than ever, there could be as many as 1,000 lithium batteries on board any single airliner, each one bringing a risk of fire and explosion.

Cabin crew are trained to deal with lithium battery fires in flight, and carry safe boxes or containment bags to control the situation. Though global regulators have stopped short of trying to ban batteries entirely, passengers should not travel with damaged, uncharged or faulty devices, or those that exceed the maximum wattage.

Why can’t power banks be checked in?

Regulators and airlines began banning power banks from checked luggage in 2015, following updated guidance from ICAO, the FAA and IATA.

Given the risk of thermal runaways in lithium batteries, not having them in the cargo hold makes sense. Fires in cargo holds are much harder to detect and deal with than those in the passenger cabin. 

In 2010, a UPS Boeing 747 crashed shortly after takeoff due to a fire in the cargo hold. It was later found that a lithium battery had started the fire. In 2011, Asiana Airlines’ Boeing 747 cargo aircraft crashed into the sea after reporting a fire in the cargo hold. The aircraft was carrying lithium batteries.

Having learnt from these incidents, no airline will allow you to check your power bank for a flight, or indeed any device containing a lithium battery. This includes laptops, tablets, mobile phones and camera equipment.

Tips for keeping your power bank safe on a flight

If you need to take your power bank on a flight, you can stay safe by:

• Using a high quality device: Buying from reputable brands with safety certifications will ensure that the manufacturing is of good quality
• Pack it well: Crushed or corrupted power banks are more likely to experience a thermal runaway, so pack securely to avoid damage
• Don’t overcharge it: Unplug your power bank once charged, and don’t charge it on the plane
• Bring it charged: Fully charged batteries are much more stable than depleted devices, so try to charge it fully before getting on the plane
• Don’t use it while it’s charging: Using the power bank while it’s also being charged, also known as ‘pass through charging’, increases the heat load and risk
• Keep it out of the overhead bin: Although not all airlines require you to retain your power bank on your person, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on it during your flight, so put it in a seat pocket where you can rapidly spot any problems

Although we’re specifically talking about power banks here, these tips and rules apply for any device using a lithium battery, including your cell phone. If you lose your phone or power bank in your seat, don’t attempt to get it back. Let the crew know and follow all their instructions to keep you and the rest of the passengers safe.

With the help of global travel data provider OAG, we check out the top 10 longest narrowbody flights scheduled for summer 2025. All in, 57 routes will see single-aisle aircraft flying more than 3,000 nautical miles. 

Fasten your seatbelt, because some of these flights are knee-achingly long.

The A321LR operates six of the top 10 longest narrowbody flights

Leading the pack for the longest narrowbody flights scheduled this summer season is French all-business class airline La Compagnie. Its longest route covers 3,473 nautical miles (NM), using the capable A321LR, and flies from Newark Liberty (EWR) just outside of New York to Milan Malpensa (MXP).

In fact, La Compagnie will operate both the longest and second-longest narrowbody flights, as its Newark to Nice (NCE) route clocks in at just two nautical miles less, at 3,471 NM. This route, too, uses the A321LR in La Compagnie’s all-business class arrangement. 

Coming in third is Air Transat with its route from Lima (LIM) to Montreal (YUL), which it operates using… you guessed it, the A321LR. Air Transat is set to get the A321XLR, but not until late 2025 into 2026.

In fact, six of the top 10 longest narrowbody flights this summer will see A321LR equipment deployed, showcasing the incredible commercial power of this high-capacity single-aisle globetrotter. But we also see an appearance of Boeing’s rival aircraft, the 737 MAX, the shiny new even longer-range A321XLR, and the original ‘flying pencil,’ the Boeing 757.

Ranked: The top 10 longest narrowbody flights for summer 2025

Glossary and important info

• Block time: The time the airline allocates for the flight to be completed. Please note, this sometimes differs from the actual operational time.
• Summer 2025 (S25): Defined by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as running from March 30, 2025, to October 25, 2025.
• Scheduled flights: Flights that are listed in available schedule data from OAG. Please note, not all S25 flights will be scheduled yet, schedules do change, and not all flights will be bookable right now.
• Number of flights: This is the number of one-way flights scheduled on that route over the summer season. 
• East to west flights: We picked the flights with the longest block times out of the pair (generally east to west, but not always) to highlight the maximum time you could spend in the air.

Let’s dive into the longest narrowbody flights in the world in 2025, who operates them, and what you need to know about the route.

1: La Compagnie: Newark – Milan

3,473 NM / 3,997 miles / 6,431 km

Officially the king of the world’s longest narrowbody flights, La Compagnie operates this huge trek from just outside Milan to Newark, near New York. Brushing close to 4,000 miles, it’s operated by the Airbus A321LR, of which the airline has two.

Incorporated as ‘DreamJet,’ La Compagnie is a French airline with a rather interesting business model. Its aircraft are outfitted in an all-business class arrangement, where passengers are treated to fully lie-flat seats and 15.7-inch (40 cm) seatback touchscreens.

Although the airline is headquartered at Paris Orly (ORY), its route between Milan and Newark has become a core service. Launched in 2022, the route is operated year-round alongside Paris to Newark, while Nice joins for the summer season only. 

The airline announced plans in 2023 to add more A321LRs to its fleet and begin serving new destinations. However, the next aircraft isn’t due to arrive until September 2026, according to FlightGlobal, so it will be some time before we see any more mega routes from this airline.

2: La Compagnie: Newark – Nice

3,471 NM / 3,994 miles / 6,428 km

La Compagnie’s seasonal Nice to Newark service operates only 92 times this summer, targeting wealthy travelers heading to Cannes, Monaco and Saint-Tropez. At just two nautical miles shorter than the Italian connection, it grabs the glory of being the second-longest narrowbody flight in 2025.

These two flights, while not close to the ultimate range of the A321LR (4,000 NM), would be bumping up against reserve fuel requirements if they were fully loaded. Commercial jets need at least 30 minutes of ‘spare’ fuel in the tank, in case they’re required to hold before landing.

But with La Compagnie, having only 76 seats on board brings a weight-saving advantage, lowering fuel burn and giving it more than enough range for these trips. That’s reflected in the lower-than-usual block time allocated to the services, suggesting the airline has the luxury of flying a little bit faster, thanks to its lighter load.

3: Air Transat: Lima – Montreal

3,404 NM / 3,917 miles / 6,304 km

While La Compagnie might operate the two longest narrowbody flights in the world this year, Air Transat puts in a great show for very long services. Using its A321LR, it flies the third longest route from its home in Montreal nonstop to Lima in Peru. It’s one of 12 routes operated by Air Transat’s single-aisle that are over 3,000 nautical miles!

The route to Lima launched in December 2023 and is operated year-round. As a leisure-focused airline, the route performs well with tourist traffic to South America and connects Peruvians in Canada with their families back home.

It should be noted that Air Transat announced a return to Germany after a decade, touting a service to Berlin for summer 2026. At over 3,500 nautical miles, it will easily be the longest narrowbody flight in the world next year, should no other airline announce something longer.

4: United Airlines: Stockholm to Newark

3,404 NM / 3,917 miles / 6,304 km

Although the Boeing 757 is becoming something of a rarity in our modern skies, it still features heavily on some of the longest narrowbody flights in the world. When we look at all the flights over 3,000 NM in summer 2025, 12 of the services use the Boeing 757. Only two operators fly it on such long-haul routes – United Airlines and Icelandair.

This United Airlines route between Newark and Stockholm is a venerable connection with two decades of heritage. Apart from a predictable pandemic hiatus, United has operated it consistently since 2005, always with the Boeing 757-200. It competes on the route with Delta, which flies from JFK with A Boeing 767. 

Ultimately, the 757 will be relieved of duty, gradually phased out starting this year to be replaced by the incoming Airbus A321XLR. Whether this super long route will see the shiny new aircraft soon remains to be seen, but by the end of the decade, all United’s 757s will be phased out.

5: SAS Scandinavian Airlines: Copenhagen – Toronto

3,383 NM / 3,893 miles / 6,265 km

After some turbulent years, SAS has emerged as a reorganized airline with a new airline alliance. After it joined SkyTeam in September 2024, it launched a flurry of SkyTeam-focused routes. In the US, Atlanta came first and Seattle has been scheduled for May, although it will use its widebody A350 and A330 for that.

Notably, SAS dropped its longest narrowbody flights between Stockholm and Toronto – over 3,400 NM – which freed up some A321LR capacity. That capacity has been added to the Copenhagen – Toronto route, which will operate daily all summer with 414 scheduled flights. 

The route from Copenhagen to Toronto is the same distance as number six on our list, Aer Lingus’ forthcoming Nashville service. But SAS blocks the time for this journey at eight hours 40 minutes, according to OAG data, so it joins United in being one of the three longest narrowbody flights by time this summer.

6: Aer Lingus: Nashville – Dublin

3,383 NM / 3,893 miles / 6,265 km

Nashville is getting a lot of European love in summer 2025. From just one daily flight by British Airways to Heathrow (LHR) at present, April will see two new long-haul narrowbody routes added. 

Originally planned to launch in May, Icelandair has accelerated the launch of its route from Reykjavik (KEF) to Nashville (BNA), and will now begin service on April 10, 2025. But at 2,808 NM, that route’s not nearly long enough to make the top 10.

Probably one of the most exciting route launches coming this summer, Aer Lingus will follow Icelandair with a Nashville service from Dublin (DUB), starting April 12, 2025. At 3,383 NM, it’s the same distance as the SAS service, but it’s quicker at eight hours and five minutes. 

It’s the first time Dublin has had a connection to Music City. Appropriately for the brand new route, Aer Lingus is using a brand new aircraft – its Airbus A321XLR. The trip is more than within the 4,700 NM range of the XLR, which will operate four times a week through the summer.

Starting May 3, 2025, Aer Lingus will launch its second A321XLR route from Dublin to Indianapolis (IND). At 3,220 NM, it’s the 18th longest narrowbody flight this summer, but not as long as its A321LR service to Minneapolis (MSP). 

7: Air Transat: Lima – Toronto

3,344 NM / 3,848 miles / 6,193 km

The second of three Transat routes in the top 10 longest narrowbody flights also connects to Lima in Peru, but this time from Air Transat’s focus city at Toronto Pearson (YYZ). Covering 3,344 nautical miles, it’s the seventh longest narrowbody flight in the summer schedule right now.

Onboard, passengers have a choice of economy or ‘Club Class,’ which is unusual for a low-cost airline. While Club doesn’t have the lie flat seats of a widebody aircraft, it offers a solid premium economy-level product for a bit more comfort on the flight. In economy, legroom is about average, although the aircraft does have individual touchscreens. 

For these longer flights, Transat throws in a meal service with alcohol, free non-alcoholic beverages and a snack before landing. It also has reclining seats and allows a piece of carry-on baggage without charging, all of which is quite unusual for a budget airline, and yet still at very competitive fares.

8: Iberia: Washington – Madrid

3,306 NM / 3,804 miles / 6,122 km

The operator of the world’s first Airbus A321XLR, Iberia, will operate the world’s eighth longest narrowbody flight this summer when it takes its shiny new jet to Washington. Iberia had originally scheduled the Washington to Madrid route to begin in January. However, it pushed this date back and will now commence the service on April 12, 2025. 

Iberia’s A321XLR has 182 seats with both business and economy class. In light of the long routes these aircraft will fly, it features the Airspace cabin by Airbus with customizable LED lighting, larger overhead bins and more width. This translates into 18-inch wide economy seats – just an inch wider than most widebodies, but an inch you’ll certainly notice on this eight hour trek.

The business class features fully flat seats on par with Iberia’s widebody fleet, configured for direct aisle access. But the airline didn’t forget that 90% of its passengers fly at the back, and have equipped the aircraft with Recaro’s top of the line R3 seat, which offers ergonomic comfort, an adjustable headrest and a little recline.

9: Air Transat: Nice – Montreal

3,306 NM / 3,804 miles / 6,122 km

Air Transat pops up again as the operator of the ninth longest narrowbody flight in summer 2025, and the third flight in the top ten list that has a block time of eight hours and 40 minutes. This time, it’s not South America, though. It’s one of Transat’s many European services, operated seasonally during the summer peak.

For some of its European routes, Air Transat breaks out the big guns and uses its widebody Airbus A330s. But where it makes sense, the A321LR still shines, as is such on this 3,300 nautical mile route between Montreal and Nice. 

Although Air Transat operates three of the top 10 longest narrowbody flights, it operates a whole load of other very long flights with its A321LRs. Just outside of the top 10 are Toronto to Paris (CDG), Montreal to Marseilles (MRS), and Toronto to Amsterdam (AMS).

10: GOL Linhas Aereas: Brasilia – Orlando

3,289 NM / 3,784 miles / 6,091 km

Finally, another Boeing enters the list! Brazilian airline GOL has held the accolade of running the longest Boeing 737 MAX route since it began service to Orlando from Brasilia in 2018. It leaves the Brazilian capital at 09:40 and arrives in Florida at just after 16:00, flying for eight hours and 25 minutes.

The Boeing 737 MAX has an impressive range across all variants, but the MAX 8 is the one that can fly the furthest. Its 3,500 nautical mile range is being put to good use by airlines other than GOL. 

Just missing out on the top 10 longest narrowbody flights list is Arajet, with its 3,252 nautical mile 737 MAX service from Ezeiza in Buenos Aires to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

GOL runs some other long flights with the MAX, notably Brasilia to Miami (3,134 NM) and to Cancun (3,187 NM). Icelandair’s 3,000 NM-plus Boeing 737 MAX flights include Keflavik (KEF) to Vancouver (YVR) and Orlando (MCO).

What led up to the Buddy Holly plane crash?

In the early part of 1959, Buddy Holly and his band were playing the ‘Winter Dance Party’ tour across the American Midwest, supported by emerging artists Richie Valens and J.P. Richardson, aka ‘The Big Bopper’. The route was poorly planned, with the band zigzagging between cities, sometimes traveling for ten or 12 hours a day.

Back then, there were no interstate highways, and driving was entirely on two-lane rural roads. The midwinter temperatures were extreme, sometimes down to −36 °F (−38 °C), with waist-deep snow. The buses used for the tour were wholly inadequate, frequently breaking down, often with non-functional heating. 

By February, the cold weather had begun to take its toll. Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper were coming down with the flu, and Holly’s drummer, Carl Bunch, was hospitalized with severely frostbitten feet after one of the buses broke down. 

On February 2, the bands played a concert at Clear Lake, just west of Mason City in Iowa. Their next destination was to be Moorhead in Minnesota, a good 365 miles (590 km) away. Frustrated with the scheduling of the tour and the poor quality of the buses, Holly made the decision to charter an aircraft to Fargo, North Dakota, the nearest airport to Moorhead.

Who got on Buddy Holly’s plane?

The group chartered a plane from Dwyer Flying Service in Mason City – a 1947 single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza. Registered N3794N, the aircraft seated three passengers plus the pilot, so there was competition for the seats. 

As J.P. Richardson was suffering from the flu, bass player Waylon Jennings gave up his seat on the flight so that J.P. could get some rest. Dion DiMucci, lead singer of Dion and the Belmonts, was due to fly but is said to have flipped a coin with Ritchie Valens for the seat: Valens won.

Ultimately, the three passengers were Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson and Ritchie Valens. The plane was piloted by Roger Peterson, a 21-year-old commercial pilot and flight instructor. He had been flying since 1954 and had accumulated 711 flying hours, of which 128 were in Bonanza aircraft.

The Bonanza took off just before 1 am on February 3, 1959. Hubert Jerry Dwyer, owner of the flying service, observed the aircraft taking off in a normal manner, turning and climbing to around 800 feet (240 m). It was seen turning again, then the tail light was observed slowly descending before it disappeared from view.

Peterson was expected to make radio contact at around 1 am, but that call was never received. Multiple attempts were made to establish contact with the aircraft, but it couldn’t be reached. 

When daylight broke, Dwyer retraced Peterson’s route in another aircraft, finally spotting the wreckage around six miles (10 km) northwest of the airport. 

The Bonanza had impacted terrain at high speed with the aircraft banked 90 degrees to the right. The wingtip struck the ground first, carving a 12-foot (4 m) groove in the ground before breaking off. The fuselage rolled inverted, striking the ground nose first and sending the aircraft into a nose-over-tail roll. It flipped across the frozen field for more than 500 feet (160 m), coming to rest against a fence.

Holly, Richardson and Valens were thrown from the plane as it tumbled, while pilot Peterson was entangled in the wreckage. The county coroner reported that all four victims died instantly as a result of head trauma.

Investigating the Buddy Holly plane crash

The investigation was undertaken by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB, the precursor to the NTSB), which revealed several crucial failings that led to the accident. 

While Peterson had some experience in the Bonanza, he did not have a huge number of flying hours and, crucially, had only 52 hours of instrument flight training. He had passed the written examination for instrument flights, but had not fully qualified in instrument rating. 

As a company, Dwyer Flying Service was certified only to fly under visual flight rules. As such, conditions need to allow the pilot to see everything going on around the aircraft. On the night of the flight, visual flying would have been practically impossible, given the extensive low cloud and absence of a visible horizon. The area was sparsely populated, so there weren’t even ground lights to give the pilot a clue as to his orientation.

Peterson had completed his instrument training on planes equipped with an artificial horizon gyroscope. These place the sky at the top and the ground at the bottom of the instrument. However, the Bonanza used on the night of the fateful flight was equipped with an older Sperry F3 altitude gyroscope. These place the sky at the bottom and the ground at the top of the instrument, completely opposite to the artificial horizon he was used to seeing.

Contributing to the disastrous mix was a lack of communication to Peterson about flying conditions along his route. He’d gone to receive a weather update at around 5:30 pm that afternoon, when he was told cloud ceilings were 4,200 ft or better, with visibility of 10 miles or more.

But a flash advisory issued by the US Weather Bureau at 11:35 pm that night indicated that conditions had worsened. The advisory noted cloud ceilings had fallen below 1,000 and visibility had dropped to two miles or less with freezing drizzle, light snow and fog throughout the region. This information was never passed to Peterson.

In its report, the CAB noted that at the time of takeoff, the temperature was dropping, snow had begun to fall and visibility was getting worse. The winds were high and conditions were such that Peterson “could reasonably have expected to encounter adverse weather during the estimated two hour flight”. The report concluded that, considering all the facts regarding the weather and the visual flight certification of the company, “the decision to go seems most imprudent”.

What caused the Buddy Holly plane crash?

As to what happened in the moments before the crash, it is believed that, shortly after takeoff, Peterson entered an area of complete darkness with no definite horizon. Blinded by snow, he was reliant on instruments to understand the aircraft’s altitude and orientation.

But the aircraft was flying through gusty high winds and turbulence, which would have made the turn and bank indicator fluctuate. A more experienced pilot may have been able to compensate for this, but Peterson’s lack of experience likely meant he struggled to understand the information. The airspeed and altimeter alone wouldn’t have provided enough information to maintain control and pitch of the aircraft, which would have left him reliant on the gyroscope.

As we know, the gyro in question worked the opposite way to those that he was used to. It’s likely that, out there in the cold, dark night, Peterson thought he was climbing, whereas actually he was descending towards terrain. The fact that the aircraft struck the ground in a steep turn with the nose lowered supports this hypothesis.

In conclusion, the CAB stated:

The CAB duly issued a reminder to all pilots never to take a flight where they would need to rely on equipment that they were not proficient in using.

At the time of his death, Buddy Holly was just 22. Ritchie Valens was just 17, while the Big Bopper was the eldest on the aircraft at age 28. Four lives were cut short that day – three groundbreaking performers who would influence the music industry for years to come and a young pilot just starting out in his career.

Several memorials have been erected in memory of the tragedy. There’s a monument at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, the site of their last performance, and at the crash site are stainless steel tributes to all four victims, with the entrance marked by replicas of Holly’s signature glasses.

For 2023, Statista reported a revenue of more than $20 billion for the NFL, almost double the $11 billion of the NBA, and vastly more than the $1.2 billion made by FIFA. With all that money sloshing around, NFL teams must all be jetting around on private planes, right?

Not so much. In fact, just two NFL teams have their own planes, while the rest fly commercial. But as we’ll see, NFL teams don’t exactly fly the same way we do (and for good reason).

Join us as we discover how NFL teams fly, and the logistics that go into this mammoth transportation task.

How do NFL teams fly? The size of the task

The NFL is made up of 32 teams, all of which are spread out across the US. Some are as close as 30 miles (45 km) apart, while others are as distant as almost 3,000 miles (4,500 km). That means a lot of traveling. 

Each team has an active roster of 53 players to get to and from games, as well as coaches, medical staff, nutritionists, and even team doctors. According to an article in the New York Times, as many as 175 to 200 people will be in the traveling party for any game.

On top of this, teams need to transport immense amounts of equipment to each game. According to Axios, teams take at least 53 bags – one for every player – plus an additional 10-16 bags for practice squad players. They’ll typically take 27 team balls and various consumables for the trip. In all, the equipment weighs in at 15,000 lbs (6,800 kg), rising to 20,000 lbs (9,000 kg) in cold weather.

In some cases, trucks will leave a couple of days before the planes, travelling by road ahead of the flight. But when the games are far apart, that’s just not practical, so the flight has to accommodate all of the kit too.

Do NFL teams have their own planes?

Two teams have invested in their own aircraft for team travel.

The New England Patriots were the first NFL team to purchase their own aircraft, buying a pair of Boeing 767-300s in 2017. Formerly operated by American Airlines, they’re configured in a VIP layout and operated by Omni Air for the flights. Nicknamed ‘AirKraft’ in honor of chairman Robert Kraft, the jets give the Patriots the ultimate flexibility when traveling to games.

The Arizona Cardinals followed suit in 2021 when they acquired a Boeing 777 all liveried up in their team colors. It’s a former Delta Air Lines plane, previously registered N867DA, but now carries the Cardinals tail number of N777AZ. Based at Phoenix Sky Harbor, it’s configured with 28 first class and 48 business class seats for players, plus another 212 economy seats for the entourage. 

Do NFL players fly first class?

For the rest of the teams without private jets, it’s a case of flying commercial. They don’t fly quite like the rest of us do, though.

NFL teams will charter aircraft from commercial airlines solely for the purposes of their trip. That’s necessary when you consider the volume of people and equipment with which they travel. In fact, a regular narrowbody plane like a Boeing 737 just isn’t big enough, so in most cases, they’ll charter a widebody like a Boeing 767 or 777.

Given that these widebody planes are typically used for long, international services, many will come with two, three or even four classes of seating. First class is a rarity in US aviation, although American still has the product. But for most teams, there will be plenty of business class seats, topped up with premium economy, for the players to stretch out in.

Those larger seats aren’t just a treat for NFL players. These guys are big, averaging 250 lbs of body weight. Cramming them into an economy seat isn’t just going to be uncomfortable – it could even affect their performance in the game, so flying business or first class is essential.

What we don’t know is how they decide who gets the really nice business class seats, if there are less than 53, and who is relegated to the ‘quite nice’ premium economy. You have to wonder if there’s a hierarchy in the team regarding who gets to sit where.

What airlines does the NFL use?

NFL teams have traditionally flown with the ‘big three’ US airlines – American, Delta and United. In the 2024-25 season, United Airlines flew more NFL charters than any other, making use of 767s, 787 Dreamliners and 777s for the services. 

Delta has done its fair share of NFL transport, also using the 767 as well as bringing some Airbus action to the charters. This most recent season has seen the A330 and even the A350 used for flights, too.

For the Dallas Cowboys, flying out of Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), the choice of airline is obvious. American Airlines has been flying the Cowboys for more than three decades, and for the past few years, the team has been treated to a Boeing 777 with 37 business class seats and 24 premium economy seats. 

“The crew working charters for American has a lot of pride,” says Capt. Bill Peterson, a Boeing 777 captain who has been flying the Cowboys for 10 years. “Charters are unique, and crew members are involved in every detail, even down to making sure there is enough water on the plane for players and crew.”

All of the US legacy airlines participate in NFL transport. JetTip does a great job of tracking who’s flying where and how. As an example, on Saturday January 4, 2025, seven teams traveled with United Airlines, amongst them the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers and the New Orleans Saints. Four flew with Delta, including the LA Chargers, Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings. None traveled with American Airlines. 

In 2017, American cut ties with several NFL teams, citing unprofitable operations. It now only flies the Carolina Panthers, the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles (although it did fly the LA Rams in ‘24/’25). United Airlines has not renewed its contracts with a couple of teams. In fact, airlines have been dropping NFL contracts left and right – but why?

Why airlines don’t want to fly the NFL

The problem with transporting NFL teams is the schedule. In that Week 18 schedule, for example, Delta was transporting the Cincinnati Bengals to play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night. Delta doesn’t have a hub in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG), although it did for many years. 

So, to get the Bengals to Pittsburgh, Delta had to fly its Boeing 767 for an hour from its home in Atlanta to Cincinnati on Friday night. It took off with the Bengals and their team at 4pm, arriving in Pittsburgh 45 minutes later. 

Then, that 767, usually cruising with over 200 passengers to places like Los Angeles, Papeete, New York and Honolulu, had to wait on the ground for 32 hours for the game to be over. Finally, it took off from Pittsburgh at 1:30am on Sunday morning, arriving back in Cincinnati at 2:15am. 

Delta then had to reposition the plane for its next commercial service, flying for over an hour to JFK for a flight to Mexico City the next day. All in, Delta’s Boeing 767-300ER was tied up for more than two days for what amounted to an hour and a half of paid flying. 

You can see, then, why airlines are hesitant about committing to an NFL contract, particularly with teams that are not based at their hubs. Conversely, sports like basketball, baseball and hockey play far more games each season, making their contracts more attractive. Plus, they can cope with smaller planes, so airlines don’t have to tie up a widebody.

How do NFL teams fly if the airlines won’t take them?

Apart from the two outliers that have invested in their own jets, NFL teams unable to secure a contract with a commercial airline are forced to look to dedicated charter companies. 

Atlas Air, a specialist charter and cargo airline, has become a top choice for teams and has been flying NFL squads since 2017. While it does have Boeing 767s on hand, it mainly flies NFL teams using a pair of specially-configured Boeing 747s – the ‘Queen of the Skies.’ 

Atlas has five 747-400s in passenger configuration, two of which have a very premium heavy layout. N263SG and N322SG are outfitted with 10 first class, 143 business class and just 36 economy seats. That’s more than enough premium seating for all the players on roster, plus most of the support staff too. 

“We’ve worked very hard to establish ourselves as a leading provider of VIP charter service,” says Bill Grobasky, director of Atlas Air Passenger Charter Sales. “We have a relentless focus on quality service and meeting each team’s unique requirements.”

JetTip shows that teams including the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars all used Atlas 747s during the 24/25 season. You can get a peek at the immense logistical challenge these services involve in the video below:

Some teams have turned to unusual strategies to secure their airline contracts. The Green Bay Packers, for example, work with Delta to provide two separate small planes instead of one large one, which is easier for the airline to manage. Typically, this means a Boeing 757 and a Boeing 737, which take off within 15 minutes of each other. 

The NFL has contemplated investing in its own fleet of aircraft, or at least negotiating a deal with airlines to buy travel in a bulk way to save teams money. So far, nothing has come of those efforts.

For now, NFL teams face high costs of transportation, which will only get worse as demand for commercial aviation continues to surge.

These veteran airliners were built before the internet became commonplace, when nobody had heard of smartphones, and when handheld GPS was only just being invented. Still, thanks to the meticulous care of Delta TechOps, they continue to fly daily, getting passengers safely and comfortably where they need to go.

The very oldest plane in Delta’s fleet is a Boeing 757 with tail number N649DL, at 35 years old. Configured with 72 seats in all-business class, Delta uses it for charters, including for the NBA. Of the passenger 757s, the oldest is 34.8-year-old N658DL, which was delivered new to the airline back in May 1990.

The oldest widebody in Delta’s fleet is a Boeing 767 with tail number N171DN, which is considered to be one of the highest flight-hour 767s in existence. As of January 2025, it has clocked up more than 147,000 flight hours and 22,000 cycles. 

Let’s take a look at Delta’s oldest aircraft and what the future holds for these veterans.

How old is Delta’s fleet?

As of February 2025, the Delta Air Lines fleet has a total of 988 aircraft, ranging from the small and modern Airbus A220 to the aging widebody Boeing 767. Over its 99-year history, Delta has operated a staggering 57 different types of aircraft, acquiring many new fleet types through mergers and acquisitions.

Alongside acquisitions, Delta has developed an interesting business model that favors older aircraft. In the past, it has actively sought to buy or lease slightly used jets and held on to older aircraft for longer than some competitors might. That’s not to say Delta isn’t transitioning to new technology models, though – it has substantial orders for Boeing’s 737 MAX as well as Airbus A330neo, A350, and A321neo aircraft, and already operates the world’s largest fleet of A220s, with more on the way.

According to planespotters.net, Delta has an average fleet age of 15.2 years. That’s actually younger than United’s 15.9-year-old fleet, but older than American’s 14-year average. However, of all the US big three, Delta has more aircraft over the age of 30 than any other with 62, versus United with just over 30 and American with none. However, its investment in young aircraft like the A350, A220, and A321neo helps to bring the average age down.

TechOps: Keeping Delta’s oldest planes flying

With over 60 30-plus-year-old aircraft to look after, Delta’s TechOps facility has been essential to the airline’s success. By keeping the maintenance in-house, Delta can maintain its jets to an exacting standard in an affordable manner. 

As well as managing and maintaining its own fleet of aircraft, TechOps provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services to hundreds of other airlines, and is the second-largest MRO provider in North America. TechOps is home to more than 6,400 Delta Aviation Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) and is certified to work on all the major engines including CFM, GE, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce.

Delta’s strategy of holding on to older aircraft isn’t just about saving money. The airline is laser-focused on assigning the best equipment to each route environment, and sometimes the planes they have are simply the best for the market. In other cases, firm plans are in place for retirements as new technology aircraft arrive. 

The oldest widebodies in Delta’s fleet

Since the pandemic phase-out of the 777, Delta operates only three types of widebody. On the Boeing side, it’s just the 767, with both the -300 and -400 in Delta’s fleet. On the Airbus side, it has the A330, both ceo and neo, as well as the Airbus A350-900 (A350-1000s are on order with deliveries beginning in 2026). While the A330neo and A350 are brand new aircraft, the 767 and A330ceo have been around for some time. 

The oldest by some margin are its Boeing 767s. Delta’s 40 767-300s average out at 28.6 years old, while the increasingly rare 767-400s average 24.2 years.

The oldest widebody in Delta’s fleet is an individual with tail number N171DN, which was delivered new to Delta in June 1990. It is currently 34.9 years old and is considered to be one of the highest flight-hours 767s in existence. As of January 2025, it has clocked up more than 147,000 flight hours and 22,000 cycles. Nine other 767-300s in Delta’s fleet are over 30 years old.

The Boeing 767-400ERs are younger, all being between 22 and 25 years old. The eldest, at 25.5 years old, is N825MH, built in October 1999. It flew as a testbed for Boeing for a year before being delivered to Delta in December 2000. 

Delta has affirmed plans to retire the fleet of 767-300s by 2030, with the aircraft being pulled from international routes by 2028. The 767-400, however, is not leaving quite so soon. In an earnings call at the end of 2024, Delta’s Chief Financial Officer Dan Janki shared a plan to keep the -400s on long haul international service until at least 2030.

The oldest Airbus A330 is an A330-300 with tail number N801NW. As you might guess from the registration, this 22.1-year-old Airbus came to Delta during the merger with Northwest Airlines in 2008. In fact, this was the first time Delta had operated an Airbus, and it set the tone for its future fleet plans.

The oldest narrowbodies in Delta’s fleet

The absolute oldest planes in Delta’s fleet are a group of rather special Boeing 757s. Running from tail numbers N649DL up to N655DL (with no 653), these six 757-200s are all 35 years old, with the eldest (649) being built on May 10th, 1989. Several of these aircraft were at one time operated for Delta’s low-cost subsidiary ‘Song,’ where they were configured in an all-economy 199 passenger layout. 

Today, they’re much more lightly loaded, with just 72 business class seats throughout. Delta uses these for charter operations, including for the NBA. There are plans in place to upgrade the teams to a more modern A321neo experience, but until those aircraft are ready, the 757s will stay. 

On the passenger side, the 757s top out at almost as old. The eldest is 34.8-year-old N658DL, delivered new to the airline in May 1990. All told, 27 of Delta’s 98 757-200s are over the age of 30. The 757-300s are slightly younger, with an average fleet age of 22.1 years. The oldest is N81NW – another Northwest acquisition – which was built in 2002 and is 23 years old. 

While some of the older 757s may be retired soon, Delta has invested in updating the interiors of many of its aging narrowbodies. With no direct replacement (the A321neo comes close, but still lacks the capacity of the 757), Delta is committed to keeping the type for some time. 

Mahendra Nair, Senior Vice President of Fleet and TechOps Supply Chain at Delta Air Lines, told Airways Magazine in a 2022 interview: “Some of the older ones will start being retired in the next two to three years, but we expect the 757s to fly in our fleet all the way through the 2030s.”

It’s not just aging Boeings at Delta – the airline has some pretty ancient Airbus aircraft, too. Its oldest Airbus A320 is N317US, which originally left Toulouse in April 1991. It was part of Northwest Airlines’ fleet until the merger with Delta in 2008, and is now 33.9 years old. According to FlightRadar, it’s still flying daily between domestic destinations like Detroit, Austin and New Orleans.

Within the 55-aircraft fleet of A320s, 27 are over 30 years old. Delta is slowly phasing out the oldest aircraft as new technology jets arrive – in this case, the A321neo. The airline still flies the A319 too, with 57 in its fleet, and while they’re all over 20 years of age, their size and range means they remain incredibly useful to Delta. 

Finally, the increasingly rare Boeing 717 remains stoically in Delta’s fleet, having been acquired when Southwest Airlines took over AirTran. In true Delta style, the airline saw an opportunity to acquire cheap, used aircraft that were perfect for its regional routes, and took the 717s that Southwest didn’t want.

The 717 is slowly being phased out in favor of the A220. Eighty aircraft remain, although 18 are listed as being parked at present. The average fleet age is 23.4 years, with the oldest operational 717, carrying tail number N940AT, still happily flying daily on multiple domestic rotations at 26 years old.

The biggest aircraft lessors in 2025

According to KPMG’s Aviation Leaders Report 2025, the biggest lessor in the world in 2025 is AerCap by quite some margin. With a total fleet size of 1,676, it has over 900 more aircraft than its next nearest competitor, SMBC. 

Japanese by ownership but based in Ireland, SMBC has a sizable fleet of 761 aircraft with a strong focus on the narrowbody side. Coming in third is another Irish company, Avolon, with 583 aircraft. Stay with us as we take a deeper look at each and the rest of the top 10 lessors list.

1: AerCap – 1,676 aircraft

AerCap traces its history back to one of the earliest leasing companies, Guinness Peat Aviation, which was founded in 1975 by Tony Ryan. After a few name and ownership changes, it became AerCap in 2006 and went on to become a major force in the leasing world. Its acquisition of ILFC in 2014 saw it significantly expand its fleet and market share, which was further augmented in 2021 when it acquired GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS).

It owns aircraft across the spectrum, including the biggest fleet of both single aisle and twin aisle jets in the leasing world. With 278 widebodies, it has more than double the number of its next nearest competitor. It also boasts the largest fleet of leased regional jets in the world, including 45 of the newest generation Embraer E2 jets.

2: SMBC Aviation Capital – 761 aircraft

Founded in 1994 as International Aviation Management Group by Domhnal Slattery, the Royal Bank of Scotland acquired the leasing business in 2001, rebranding it to Lombard Aviation Capital and then in 2004 to RBS Aviation Capital. It was sold to a Japanese consortium of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company Limited (SMFL) and Sumitomo Corporation in 2012 and renamed SMBC Aviation Capital. 

Its portfolio focuses on narrowbodies, with more than 500 of the 761 aircraft in its fleet either A320 or 737 family jets. It has commitments for a further 175 A320neo family aircraft to be delivered, and 83 more Boeing 737 MAX. In 2024, it delivered the first ever Airbus A321LR to Icelandair, and has already signed lease agreements in 2025 with Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and SKY for more A320neo family aircraft.

3: Avolon – 583 aircraft

Also founded by Domhnal Slattery, Avolon was established in 2010 and has gone on to become the third biggest aircraft lessor in the world. Like the other big lessors, Avolon focuses on narrowbodies, and has over 420 single aisle aircraft in its fleet. Alongside these, it also has 28 A330neos, 27 Dreamliners and 23 A350s, with more of each on order. 

Avolon is growing in 2025, as it agreed in late 2024 to acquire smaller rival Castlelake Aviation. The deal, which closed in January 2025, will add another 106 aircraft to its fleet plus production slots for 10 new technology aircraft. Alongside this, the lessor has commitments for 571 new aircraft to be delivered, including 325 more A320neo family jets and 131 more 737 MAX.

4: Air Lease Corporation – 575 aircraft

The first of the biggest aircraft lessors to not be headquartered in Dublin, Air Lease Corporation (ALC) was established in 2010 by aviation legend Steven Udvar-Házy. Having previously founded ILFC, he left to set up ALC along with ILFC COO John Plueger. The company supplies aircraft to a huge number of global airlines and generated record revenues in 2024 of over $2.7 billion, with a $574 million profit.

Air Lease has a slightly more widebody weighted split between aircraft types, although the bulk of its fleet is still narrowbody. The A321neo accounts for 22.1% of its owned fleet, while the 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 make up a further 24%. On the widebody side, it has a fleet of 38 Dreamliners, accounting for almost 8% of the total fleet, while the A330neo makes up almost 6% with 28 aircraft.

5: ICBC Aviation Leasing – 504 aircraft

Wholly owned by ICBC Bank, ICBC Aviation Leasing began life in 2010, and was spun off as a subsidiary in 2018. It has quickly grown to become one of the leading players in China’s leasing industry. By the end of 2018, it had placed 385 aircraft with customers, making it the sixth-largest lessor in the world and the biggest in China.

Although the sheer number of aircraft put ICBC in fifth place in terms of fleet size, it has a relatively large number of regional aircraft with 37 in its fleet. As such, if we were considering the capital value of its portfolio ($16.4 billion) it would fall to seventh place in the ranking. Nevertheless, the company has a sizable fleet with 418 narrowbodies and 49 widebodies alongside its regional aircraft.

6: BOC Aviation – 463 aircraft

BOC Aviation, originally established in 1993 as Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise (SALE), was acquired by the Bank of China in 2006 and rebranded BOC. It serves a diverse assortment of 90+ airlines across 48 countries, including carriers like Cathay, Qantas, Air France, Turkish, Emirates, LATAM and many more.

Its fleet strategy is focused on modern narrowbodies. Although it has dozens of A320ceo and 737 NG aircraft in its fleet, it is rapidly building a huge portfolio of new technology aircraft. BOC has 140 A320neo family aircraft in its fleet, plus 129 more on order. On the Boeing side, it has 69 737 MAX in service, with 96 more on order.

7: BBAM – 452 aircraft

Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management (BBAM) originated in Australia and was established in 1989. In 2010, following the collapse of its parent company, BBAM’s senior management acquired the aircraft leasing business, securing its future as an independent aircraft leasing company. 

Today, it is transitioning to a new technology focus, although it strategically maintains a large fleet of older aircraft too. With 117, the most numerous is the Boeing 737-800, although it is adding 737 MAX aircraft too. On the Airbus side, the fleet is slowly getting heavier on the neo side, while it also has 25 large widebody A350 aircraft.

8: DAE Capital – 410 aircraft

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) Capital, based in the UAE, has grown enormously in the last decade, largely thanks to its 2017 acquisition of Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services (AWAS). The merger of the two companies propelled DAE to the position of one of the largest lessors in the world, with a fleet of 400 aircraft.

KPMG values DAE at $10.5 billion, making it only ninth largest lessor in market value, but its big fleet of 410 aircraft puts it eighth in size. Alongside 302 narrowbody aircraft, it has a large fleet of 67 ATR-72 turboprops and 41 widebodies. Its average fleet age is just 6.3 years, and it does business with a huge 128 different airlines.

DAE has announced plans to acquire Nordic Aviation Capital, which would take its fleet to around 750 aircraft, albeit mainly turboprops.

9: Carlyle Aviation Partners – 372 aircraft

Carlyle Aviation Partners, originally founded as Apollo Aviation Group in 2002 by Bill Hoffman and Robert Korn, began by focusing on mid-life aircraft and engine leasing. From here, the company has grown through acquisitions and aircraft purchases to become the ninth largest in the world in fleet size. This focus on the resale market does, however, result in a lower valuation of $8.6 billion, making Carlyle 13th largest in market value.

Across the fleet, it has 336 narrowbody and 36 widebody aircraft – many of these widebodies are freighters. All in, it leases aircraft and engines to 111 airlines across 53 countries. As well as leasing, the company does a solid trade in strategic financing initiatives, providing liquidity to airlines in times of need.

10: Aviation Capital Group – 370 aircraft

With a long history in aircraft leasing, Aviation Capital Group (ACG) has built strong relationships with its customers and continues to place most of its 370 aircraft portfolio with airlines all over the world. Focusing intensely on narrowbody leasing, the company has only 15 widebodies in its fleet, and a large backlog for 140 new technology aircraft like the A320neo and 737 MAX.

Last year, ACG finalized an order for 35 Boeing 737 MAX jets, including the -8 and -10, and has orders in place for A320neos as well as 20 Airbus A220s. Recently, it has been involved in several sale and leaseback transactions with Air India Express, helping the airline modernize its fleet affordably. 

Bonus: Bocom Leasing

Although Bocom didn’t make the cut for the top 10 aircraft lessors by fleet size, its substantial fleet of new technology aircraft makes it one of the most valuable. With a valuation by KPMG of $10.5 billion, it would be the 10th largest lessor in the world if we considered market value.

It is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Bank of Communications, one of China’s leading commercial banks, and has been on a growth trajectory for many years. It was among the first to be approved to establish a subsidiary in free trade zones. So far, the company has set up businesses in Shanghai, Tianjin, Nansha and Ireland.

It is followed by the A340-600, a rare quadjet today but once a staple of the long-haul scene, with its 247 ft 3 in (75.3 m) fuselage just a few feet shorter than the 747-8. And in bronze position is the enigmatic Boeing 777-300 at 242 ft 4 in (73.8 m), with several other famous faces in the top 10.

Although the Boeing 747-8 retains the crown for longest airliner today, a new aircraft is nipping at its heels. The Boeing 777X, when it enters service, will be the longest jet aircraft ever to be used in commercial service, with a fuselage length of 251 ft 9 in (76.5 m) for the 777-9.

Let’s take a look at each of the top 10 airliners that are the longest in our skies today.

1. Boeing 747-8

Length: 250 ft 2 in / 76.2 m

To give it its proper designation, the passenger variant of the 747-8 is the 747-8I, with the I standing for Intercontinental. It differentiates it from its sistership the 747-8F, a large cargo hauler which sold twice as many units as the passenger version. Apart from their configuration, both types are just as long, making the 747-8I the longest passenger plane in the world.

Building on the success of the 747-400, Boeing designed the Intercontinental to take what was great about the Queen of the Skies and make it fit for the 21st century. Adopting technologies from the Dreamliner – hence the -8 designation – the 747-8 was lighter, more aerodynamic, and powered by smaller, more efficient engines. Like the Dreamliner, these have the same serrated ‘teeth’ on their nacelles, reducing noise and improving the airflow to the engine.

Despite the immense passenger capacity and enormous range of the 747-8, it failed to sell well. Airlines were buying aircraft for range more than capacity, and the introduction of long-range twinjets, including Boeing’s own 777, cannibalized the advantage of the Queen, and few airlines placed orders.

By the mid-2010s, annual orders for the passenger jet dried up to single figures. By 2018, they had stopped altogether. The demand for the 747-F kept the production line going for a few years longer, but in 2022, the last aircraft built, a 747-F for Atlas Air, rolled off the production line. The reign of the Queen had come to an end.

Today, Lufthansa retains a fleet of 19 747-8s, while Air China and Korean each have seven. Several are in use as governmental and VIP jets, including the new ‘Air Force One’ VC-25B. For now, the 747-8 is the longest passenger jet in the world, until the 777-9 beats it by a foot and a half (50 cm or so).

2. Airbus A340-600

Length: 247 ft 3 in / 75.3 m

When it entered into service in 2002, the A340-600 was by far the longest commercial plane in the world, retaining that title for a decade until the 747-8I came around. Like the 747-8, this quadjet ultimately fell out of favor as long-range twinjets grew in popularity. 

Powered by four Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines, the A340’s world-beating range of 7,500 nautical miles made it popular with long-haul airlines. Although it had an exit limit of 440, the typical configuration allowed for 320 to 370 passengers – still a good load for long-haul flights.

Some airlines, including Lufthansa, optimized cabin space by installing the passenger lavatories on the lower deck of the aircraft. For passengers, it was a novel experience to descend a staircase to access the bathroom. 

Over its nine-year production run, 97 A340-600s were sold. Today, the aircraft is a rarity in commercial service. Lufthansa maintains a fleet but intends to retire the aircraft in October 2025. Other operators include Iran’s Mahan Air, Venezuelan Conviasa, and Portuguese wet-lease specialist Hi Fly.

3. Boeing 777-300

Length: 242 ft 4 in / 73.8 m

The 777-300 launched in 1998 with Cathay Pacific and has become one of the most used widebody airliners in the world. Although the original 777-300 didn’t sell so well, with just 60 produced, its re-engineering into the 777-300ER produced a jet every airline loved. 

Emirates flies a huge fleet of -300ERs, with 124 operating alongside its impressive fleet of Airbus A380s. Qatar Airways has 57, Air France has 43, and Cathay Pacific has 41 as well as 17 of the original -300s. In all 833 777-300ERs have been delivered to customers.

In smaller numbers, the 777-300ER is in fleets across the world, from ANA and British Airways to United Airlines and Air India. It really is the jet that does it all, with highly efficient GE90 engines giving it an impressive 7,370 nautical mile range and its spacious cabin accommodating up to 550 passengers. Having said that, it’s more typical to find 777s with around 365 to 396 seats in various classes.

The 777-300 would be the longest airliner in the world for just four years until the A340-600 came along and was five feet longer. The production line for the 777-300ER is technically still open, but The Air Current moots that Boeing delivered its last of the type in January 2025.

4. Airbus A350-1000

Length: 242 ft 2 in / 73.7 m

The A350-1000, also known as the XWB for Extra Wide Body, has become the flagship of the Airbus product line, taking over where the A380 left off. Typically seating 350 to 410 passengers, the A350-1000 has a huge range of 8,700 nautical miles, letting it fly the world’s longest and most popular routes.

Although it is a very long plane, it’s just two inches shorter than the 777-300, so has never been the world’s longest passenger plane. Nevertheless, it’s proving popular with operators, with 94 aircraft delivered and a backlog of 206 aircraft. It’s marginally less popular than its smaller sister, the A350-900, which has over 500 deliveries and another 440 on backlog.

Like the A380, the A350-1000 has given airlines a little space to do something different. Several airlines launched cutting-edge premium products on the A350, such as Qatar Airways’ QSuite. British long-haul carrier Virgin Atlantic used the area between the doors and Upper Class to install a social space it calls ‘The Loft’.

Qantas has selected the A350-1000 to operate its ‘Project Sunrise’ ultra-long-haul flights, which will connect the east coast of Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, etc) with destinations including London and New York. The first routes are set to launch in mid-2026, and the airplanes will feature ‘wellness zones’ as well as an extra fuel tank to make these 20-hour-plus trips. 

5. Airbus A380

Length: 238 ft 7 in / 72.6 m

The world’s largest passenger aircraft needs no introduction. The Airbus A380 is a marvel of aerospace engineering, with its full-length double-deck offering unrivaled space and comfort. Its maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 1.2 million pounds – almost as heavy as 165 elephants.

Although, on paper, the A380 can accommodate over 800 passengers, no airline has used the aircraft in an all-economy configuration. It’s far more common to see around 550 passengers onboard, although it depends greatly on the specific airline.

With so much space to play with, airlines have got creative with the facilities onboard. Carriers like Etihad and Emirates have onboard bars for premium passengers, and Emirates even has a shower on the A380 for its first class guests.

Ultimately, the A380 struggled for the same reason as other large quadjets on this list. Efficient twinjets became the trend, and airlines struggled to fill the giant jumbo. Airbus delivered the last aircraft to Emirates in December 2021, ending production with just 251 aircraft sold.

Nevertheless, on the longest, most in-demand, and most congested routes in the world, the A380 does an incredible job of hauling maximum passengers from A to B in comfort. That’s why airlines like Qantas, British Airways, and Lufthansa (as well as Emirates, of course) remain committed to keeping the superjumbo in their fleets well into the 2030s.

6. Boeing 747-400

Length: 231 ft 10 in / 70.4 m

Although the Boeing 747-400 was only introduced in 1989, its predecessors the -300, -200, and -100 all had the same basic fuselage, although the -400 had a wider wingspan. As such, we could say that the 747, as a product line, held the title of the longest commercial airliner in the world from its introduction with Pan Am in 1970. 

The -400 was never the longest aircraft, although all its siblings were, as the 777-300 was introduced a year earlier and was more than 11 feet longer. Nevertheless, the 747-400 was a well-loved aircraft, selling more than any other variant in the family at 694 aircraft, 442 of which were the 747-400 passenger jet.

As well as being popular with airlines, the 747 had a number of cool special mission roles, from fulfilling the duty of Air Force One with the pair of VC-25A to the bizarre-looking Dreamlifter, designed specifically to transport parts for the 787 Dreamliner assembly.

The -400 is a rare aircraft for passengers today, with a modest fleet of eight at Lufthansa, nine probably with Rossiya, and a couple with Air China. Some of these are listed as parked, and the latest data from Planespotters indicates just seven remain in passenger service. You can find out how to fly the 747 in 2025 here.

7. Boeing 787-10

Length: 224 ft / 68.3 m

At 224 feet long, the Boeing 787-10 is a full 25 feet shorter than the longest passenger aircraft in the world, but it’s still long enough to make it into the top 10. As the largest member of the Dreamliner family, it fills a niche on shorter, high-demand routes and while not as popular as the 787-9, has become a solid offering in the Boeing widebody lineup.

To date, the 787-10 has received a total of 263 orders, 117 of which have been delivered. The largest operator at present is Singapore Airlines with a fleet of 26. United has 21, and although it still has more than 140 Dreamliners on order, these are expected to mostly be the -9 and not the -10.

Other significant operators include Air France-KLM, British Airways, Etihad, and EVA Air. At Etihad, one of those aircraft is painted in a green version of the livery and is known as the ‘Greenliner’. In collaboration with Boeing and GE, Etihad uses the aircraft to test sustainable aviation practices while it operates its regular flights.

8. Airbus A340-500

Length: 222 ft 10 in / 67.7 m

When it was introduced, the A340-500 was the longest-range passenger aircraft in the world. Its staggering 9,000 nautical mile range made new city-pair connections possible. Even today, it’s only pushed out on range by the A350-900. 

But the A340, as a model, never really reached its potential as four engines fell out of favor with airlines. The -500 was the worst-selling of the family, with only 34 aircraft delivered. Emirates was the largest user with 10 but flew its last service with the type in March 2016.

The last two A340-500s in normal passenger configuration belong to Azerbaijan Airlines and are around 17 years old. But they’ve been parked since 2023 and may not return to service at all. 

Although there aren’t any opportunities to fly an A340-500 today, there are still some around. Qatar’s Amiri Flight, its VIP arm, has a 21-year-old model, and several governments use them for VIP transport – Turkey, Thailand, Algeria and Kuwait. In fact Kuwait has a pair, and some of the youngest A340-500s around aged just 14 years.

If you happen to be a high roller, there’s still a chance to fly the A340-500. Sands Aviation, the aerospace arm of Las Vegas Sands Corp, has a single A340-500 in its fleet. It uses the jet to shuttle executives and high rollers all around the world. 

With its enormous range and comfortable size, it’s understandable that the A340-500 has turned out to be one of the most popular VIP jets on the planet.

9. Airbus A350-900

Length: 219 ft 2 in / 66.76 m

Taking ninth place at just eight inches shorter than the A340-500, the popular A350-900 boasts a length of 219 ft 2 in. It was the first of Airbus’ new clean-sheet widebody family, and has become a popular choice for airlines all over the world. 

As of the end of 2024, the A350-900 accounts for 989 of the 1,344 orders across the A350 family. Five hundred and forty-eight have already been delivered, compared with just 94 of the -1000. The largest fleet works for Singapore Airlines, with 65 aircraft in total. Qatar Airways has 34, and Air France has 32. In fact, 17 global airlines have more than a dozen in their fleet. 

The A350-900 offers the perfect balance of range, capacity and efficiency. With over 70% advanced materials such as composites, titanium and aluminum alloys, it’s incredibly light, adding to its low fuel burn. For passengers, the ‘extra wide body’ allows for wider seats, more spacious aisles and high ceilings.

Within Singapore Airlines’ fleet, seven are a unique variant of the -900 known as the ULR (ultra long range). Optimized for performance through a higher MTOW and software adjustments, these aircraft can fly up to 9,700 nmi. These aircraft are uniquely configured with 67 business class and 94 premium economy class seats – no economy – to support passenger comfort on these very long flights.

10: Boeing 777-200

Length: 209 ft 1 in / 63.7 m

The 777-200 was a groundbreaking aircraft as the first of the highly successful 777 family to enter commercial service. The ‘original’ 777 was delivered to United Airlines on May 15, 1995, marking the introduction of the first fly-by-wire commercial aircraft to be built by Boeing.

Unusually, the 777-200 was offered with three engine options. United’s arrived with the Pratt & Whitney PW4084, while British Airways took delivery of its first 777 in November 1995 with GE90 engines. In March 1996, Boeing delivered the first 777 with Rolls-Royce Trent 877 engines to Thai Airways.

Boeing improved the original 777 pretty quickly, introducing the 777-200ER in October 1996. This variant added fuel capacity and stronger landing gear to support a higher MTOW, giving it an extra 1,800 nautical miles of range. British Airways took the first of these extended range versions in February 1997, and it went on to become the most popular of all the original 777 family.

The 777-200 did get another makeover in 2005 when Boeing launched the 777-200LR or ‘Worldliner’. Developed alongside the 777-300ER, this was a major overhaul of the original aircraft, adding new fuel tanks, raked wingtips and the largest and most powerful jet engines in the world – the GE90-115B.

There are still some of both variants around. United, ANA, and Japan Airlines all have a large number of the original 777-200, while American, British Airways and Singapore Airlines all fly the 777-200ER. The 777-200LR didn’t sell so well, with only 61 units delivered, but all 61 are still in operation with carriers including Delta, Emirates and Qatar.

Missing your favorite?

Perhaps you were surprised not to find a certain airliner on the list. Researching this, we were surprised the Boeing 767 didn’t feature. But the longest 767, the -400ER, is a good eight feet shorter than the 777-200 at 201 ft 4 in (61.3 m).

Everyone’s favorite ‘flying pencil,’ the 757-300, is certainly a very long plane as narrowbodies go. But at 178 ft 7 in (54.3 m), it doesn’t come close to the long birds on this list. However, it is still 10 feet (3 m) longer than the popular Airbus A321.

Aviation data experts OAG have released their ranking of the busiest airports in the world for 2024. Unsurprisingly, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson is on top again, as it was last year and in 2019. But there are some surprises in the list too, with a brand new airport in the top 10 as Shanghai Pudong continues its recovery.

Note: The data is based on the number of available seats departing the airport (one way) in 2024, but does not indicate whether all those seats were full. According to IATA, the average load factor globally in 2024 was 83.5%, so we can assume at least four-fifths of the seats were full.

All but two of the airports have increased their capacity compared to pre-pandemic levels, and one has grown by 24% since 2019. Stay with us as we take a look at the world’s busiest airports in more detail.

1. Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Seats in 2024: 62,743,665

Home to Delta Air Lines, Atlanta serves more than 150 domestic and 70 international destinations, connecting the US to over 40 countries. Its terminal complex stretches over 6.8 million square feet and houses a total of 192 gates.

Atlanta has been the world’s busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic since 1998, with the exception of the pandemic year 2020. It increased its seat capacity by a modest 2%, although it remains just shy of its 2019 peak by 1%.

As well as being the busiest airport by both scheduled seats and passenger traffic, Atlanta links three of the top 10 busiest domestic routes in the US. That includes the busiest route overall – Atlanta to Orlando (MCO), with almost 3.5 million seats offered – and the eighth and ninth busiest, Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and New York (LGA).

2. Dubai International

Seats in 2024: 60,236,220

In the last year alone, Dubai has grown its seat capacity by 7%, most of them international. This was reflected in the airport being ranked the busiest international airport of the year by OAG (Atlanta didn’t even make the top 10 on that list). 

We could see a change at the top in 2025, as during the first quarter, Dubai outpaced Atlanta with 15.1 million departing seats. Whether it holds onto that lead through the rest of the year remains to be seen.

3. Tokyo Haneda

Seats in 2024: 55,204,580

As the primary domestic base for Japan’s two largest airlines, Haneda processes huge numbers of passengers each year, the majority for domestic flights. Its busiest route is to Sapporo, which saw more than nine million passengers last year, closely followed by Fukuoka with 8.6 million passengers.

The airport has seen moderate growth of 5% year on year and is up 1% over the number of seats it had pre-pandemic. As well as being an important hub for Japanese airlines, Haneda is served internationally by dozens of foreign airlines, including British Airways, American Airlines, Emirate, and Qantas.

Haneda’s 2024 was marred by a tragic runway collision in January, destroying a Japan Airlines Airbus A350, the first hull loss for the type, and claiming the lives of several coastguard workers. The airport has reportedly upgraded safety measures following the accident.

4. London Heathrow 

Seats in 2024: 51,553,190

London Heathrow had its busiest ever year in 2024, with December breaking all records for passenger traffic. Over the year, the airport handled almost 84 million passengers, 6% more than in 2023. In terms of seats, Heathrow has added 4% in the last year, and 3% since 2019, when it was the seventh busiest airport.

Home to the 10th busiest route in the world – to New York JFK – Heathrow has seen extensive growth from its home carriers. In 2024, British Airways added flights to new destinations in Italy, Southeast Asia, Jeddah, and more. For 2025, Virgin Atlantic is launching flights to Riyadh and resuming Toronto and Accra.

With a new government in place, the UK has finally green-lit a third runway for Heathrow, although it’s not planned to be open before 2035. Nevertheless, the airport has big plans for the coming years, announcing a $3 billion investment between 2025 and 2026 to improve and update its terminals.

5. Dallas/Fort Worth

Seats in 2024: 51,516,707

Home to the American Airlines headquarters and its primary hub, Dallas/Fort Worth has grown substantially in the past few years. Since 2019, capacity at the airport has increased 18%, and 7% in the last year alone.

While many other airlines have added service to DFW, such as Fiji Airways with its new service from Nadi, a good deal of its growth has stemmed from American Airlines. It continues to expand, launching flights to Tokyo in June 2024, and placing a huge order for new aircraft in March to support future growth.

For Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, this year looks to bring more flights and new airlines. In 2025, Cathay Pacific will begin a connection from Hong Kong in April, while Taiwanese carrier EVA Air will launch nonstop flights to Dallas from its home in Taipei towards the end of the year. Also recently announced is a new route from Bogota with Avianca – details below.

6. Denver International

Seats in 2024: 49,218,244

If you thought the growth at Dallas was impressive, Denver is in a whole other league. According to OAG data, it has grown an amazing 24% in terms of capacity since 2019. In the past year, it has grown 5%, solidifying its place as the sixth busiest airport in the world.

The airport has seen some new additions in 2024, notably Turkish Airlines launching a nonstop to Istanbul. This route, at over 5,300 nautical miles, has dethroned United’s Tokyo Narita flight as the longest service out of Denver. Like Atlanta, Denver Airport is home to some of the busiest routes in the US, including fourth busiest to Phoenix and 10th busiest to Las Vegas.

Denver has room to grow further. It’s the biggest airport in the US by some margin in terms of landmass, and the third largest airport in the world. Coming in 2025, United is adding several new connections across North America, and launching an exciting new route to Rome. Equally excitingly, Lufthansa will upgrade its Munich service to an A380 from the end of April. 

7. Guangzhou Baiyun

Seats in 2024: 48,852,986

With Asia shut down for much longer during the pandemic than other parts of the world, some airports have struggled to regain their pre-crisis traffic. This year, though, several major airports, particularly in China, have come roaring back to life, many exceeding their pre-pandemic capacity. Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) is one such airport. 

It’s grown substantially both through and after the pandemic, maintaining an impressive operation even when the international flights disappeared. In fact, during the worst of the crisis, CAN outpaced struggling Atlanta to become the busiest airport in the world in 2020.

In the last year alone, the airport has increased the number of seats on sale by 12%, enabling it to scoot up the table from 10th busiest in 2023 to seventh busiest this year. Seventy-six million passengers passed through the airport in 2024, a record for Guangzhou Baiyun and an increase of 20% year on year. 

China Southern has driven much of the growth at Guangzhou, and 2024 saw it establishing many new routes. Among those was a thrice-weekly connection to London Gatwick, new direct flights to Doha, and a resumption of service to Adelaide. Coming in 2025, Air Astana will begin flights between CAN and Almaty, while Air Serbia plans to continue its route connecting Guangzhou with Belgrade.

8. Istanbul Airport

Seats in 2024: 48,517,967

Only open since 2018, and only properly for commercial flights since 2019, Istanbul Airport has seen solid growth over the past few years. Since 2019, it has added 15% more seats for sale, with 5% added just last year. But it slipped down the busiest airport rankings, pushed down from seventh by Guangzhou by a couple of hundred seats, and clinging on to eighth position, just 14,000 seats ahead of Shanghai.

Turkish Airlines is already the airline that flies to more destinations than any other, reaching 269 cities in 131 countries. Yet, still it adds new routes, most notably launching flights to Australia in 2024. It also added Santiago de Chile, restored flights to Afghanistan after three years, and resumed service to Damascus (DAM) and Benghazi (BEN).

An interesting addition in 2024 was Air Samarkand, the Uzbekistan startup, which launched flights to Istanbul in March. Coming in 2025 is a new SKY Express service linking Athens and Icelandair from Reykjavik in September. Turkish continues its expansion too, with Auckland (AKL) and Minneapolis (MSP) on its radar for 2025.

9. Shanghai Pudong International

Seats in 2024: 48,503,741

Shanghai Pudong has come roaring back up the busiest airport chart with more than 48.5 million scheduled seats in 2024. That’s a staggering growth of 29% year on year, making it the most rapidly growing airport in the top 10. It now sits just above pre-pandemic capacity (+3%) and is showing no signs of slowing down.

With Russian airspace closures, several European airlines have pulled out of flights to China, but Pudong has grown anyway, thanks to the efforts of its home airlines. Both Hainan Airlines and Juneyao resumed flying to Brussels (BRU) in 2024, while Juneyao also added Manchester (MAN) and Sydney (SYD).

The big Chinese carriers added many destinations, including Venice, Munich, Marseilles and more, while Air Serbia bucked the trend and began flying to PVG in January 2025.

Pudong is the 10th largest airport in the world by landmass, spanning 16 square miles. It’s planning to make use of some of that space with a new third terminal and associated developments. When it’s completed in 2028, the airport should be capable of handling 130 million passengers a year and more than 800,000 flights.

10. Chicago O’Hare International

Seats in 2024: 46,992,360

Over at Chicago O’Hare, the story is not so much one of success but more a case of holding grimly on to 10th position on the list. ORD added 8% more seat capacity in 2024, which is an impressive level of growth, but despite this, it remains 7% under its capacity for 2019, when it was the world’s sixth busiest airport. Nevertheless, its year-on-year growth has seen it claw its way back up the table from 15th position in 2023 to 10th this year.

United provides the lion’s share of capacity from Chicago, operating 52% of the flights. It had a record winter for flying, extending some European routes out of Chicago later into the season and adding several new Latin American destinations. Although it had more than half the flights, United says it only has 48% of the gates, and is hoping for more gates in 2025 to support further expansion. 

The airport had some knockbacks in 2024, most notably Air New Zealand suspending its Auckland service due to engine issues. But it had some new arrivals too, with Avianca inaugurating a Bogota route in October, and ITA launching Rome flights in April. American plans to begin Madrid flights from ORD at the end of March 2025.

While ORD is growing its international connections, it remains an important domestic airport too. The route from Chicago O’Hare to New York La Guardia (LGA) is the seventh busiest domestic route in the US with more than 1.15 million passengers a year, while both Los Angeles and Denver see more than a million passengers annually. It was named the most well-connected airport in the US by OAG in 2024.

As more airlines join the realms of ultra-long-haul travel, the list of the world’s longest flights keeps on changing. AeroTime has consulted with data experts at OAG to find out which flights are the longest in 2025, and who’s flying them.

Note: Data includes all flights scheduled as of the end of January 2025. It does not include flights that may be added to the schedules later in the year.

While there’s no huge surprise that Singapore Airlines retains the title of world’s longest flight with its JFK to Singapore service (and second longest with its EWR route), there have been some interesting changes to the list. Two of the routes were added just last year, while others have seen some aircraft changes.

Stay with us as we count down the top 10 longest flights in the world in 2025.

10. Los Angeles to Singapore

Distance: 7,611 nautical miles

• Operating airline: Singapore Airlines
• Flight time: 17 hours 40 minutes
• Aircraft type: Airbus A350

The oldest flight on this list is Singapore Airlines’ connection to Los Angeles. Launched in 2004, the route used its long-range A340-500, and set a record for the longest flight in the world at the time. The LAX-SIN leg, SQ19, took 18 hours 30 minutes, almost an hour longer than the A350 manages today.

The high fuel cost and inefficiency of the A340 saw the route discontinued in 2013. It would be five years before it made a return, this time with the special configuration A350-900ULR, which is much more fuel efficient.

9. Mexico City to Shenzhen

Distance: 7,629 nautical miles

• Operating airline: China Southern
• Flight time: 16 hours
• Aircraft type: Airbus A350

Launched in July 2024, this young route sees China Southern taking a huge trip across the North Pacific to connect Shenzhen with Mexico City. It is the first direct route to Latin America and the longest direct international flight from China. China Southern uses its Airbus A350 for the flight.

Service is sporadic, with outbound flights operating on Tuesdays and Saturdays, while returns come back on Wednesdays and Sundays. The airline says it will make tourism to Latin America much easier, as passengers previously had to make one or even two layovers with a total travel time of up to 40 hours.

8. Auckland to Dubai

Distance: 7,664 nautical miles

• Operating airline: Emirates
• Flight time: 17 hours 10 minutes
• Aircraft type: Airbus A380

One of the older flight routes on this list, Emirates has been connecting Auckland to Dubai nonstop since 2016. It began with a Boeing 777-200LR, before moving to an Airbus A380 service six months later as the demand on the route was so high.

Following the pandemic pause, Emirates reinstated its nonstop A380 service to Auckland in December 2022. In March 2023, New Zealand became the first country to exclusively see the new four-class A380 on all its services, featuring the gorgeous new premium economy cabin.

7. Auckland to New York (JFK)

Distance: 7,672 nautical miles

• Operating airline: Air New Zealand/Qantas
• Flight time: 15 hours 45 minutes
• Aircraft type: Boeing 787

Air New Zealand launched a nonstop flight to New York in September 2022. The airline had some issues with the route, reportedly offloading passengers and luggage in order to make the trip after experiencing stronger than anticipated headwinds.

Following the pandemic pause, Qantas opted to launch a direct service to New York JFK from Auckland in 2023, instead of flying via Los Angeles as it had previously. Originating in Sydney, Qantas has fifth freedom rights to pick up passengers in Auckland before flying to New York.

6. Paris to Perth

Distance: 7,703 nautical miles

• Operating airline: Qantas
• Flight time: 17 hours 20 minutes
• Aircraft type: Boeing 787

One of the newer routes on this list, Qantas launched flights between Paris and Perth in July 2024, aiming to catch some of the traffic for the Paris Olympics. It marked the first time the Flying Kangaroo had been seen in Paris for over two decades.

Services operate three times a week, and while Qantas hasn’t reported on the success yet, the airline noted a trend for passengers desiring direct long-haul flights over connecting services. Despite being the sixth longest route in the world, it’s only the third longest for Qantas.

5. Dallas to Melbourne

Distance: 7,812 nautical miles

• Operating airline: Qantas
• Flight time: 17 hours 45 minutes
• Aircraft type: Boeing 787

Qantas launched the Dallas (DFW) – Melbourne (MEL) direct flight in 2022, using its Boeing 787 Dreamliner to make the trip. As a partner of American Airlines, it made sense to launch this route with easy connections onwards to elsewhere in the US from American’s home in Dallas.

Although the route has been running with the Dreamliner ever since, there’s a change coming in 2025. From August 11, the iconic Airbus A380 will be used by Qantas on the route, operating four times weekly.

4. London (LHR) to Perth

Distance: 7,829 nautical miles

• Operating airline: Qantas
• Flight time: 16 hours 30 minutes
• Aircraft type: Boeing 787

The fourth Qantas route to make the top 10 list is its direct service to London Heathrow (LHR) from Perth in Western Australia. It was the first direct connection between Australia and Europe when it launched in 2018.

Qantas has had some issues with QF9 in recent months. Tensions in the Middle East and unfavorable weather meant the service temporarily had a stopover in Singapore in August 2024. By September, Qantas had resumed its direct connection and continues to operate this flight as its longest service.

3. Auckland to Doha

Distance: 7,843 nautical miles

• Operating airline: Qatar Airways
• Flight time: 17 hours 20 minutes
• Aircraft type: Airbus A350

Following the pandemic, Qatar Airways flew to Auckland via Adelaide using the Boeing 777. But in mid-2023, it restarted its direct flight, using the flagship (but previously subject of a major dispute) Airbus A350 on the route.

It was the longest flight in the world when it launched in 2017, as Singapore Airlines had already closed its Singapore to New York route with the A340-500, as its poor fuel economy made the route uneconomic. It remained the world’s longest flight until SIA launched its service again, this time with the A350, in 2018.

2. New York (EWR) to Singapore

Distance: 8,277 nautical miles

• Operating airline: Singapore Airlines
• Flight time: 18 hours 40 minutes
• Aircraft type: Airbus A350

Singapore Airlines’ pair of flights between New York and Singapore take both first and second place on the list. Newark (EWR) just falls into second, as a route that is a mere two nautical miles shorter. It was the world’s longest flight route from its launch in 2018 until 2020, when Singapore Airlines began flying to JFK.

For both these routes, Singapore Airlines uses the A350-900 in a special configuration to make the huge distance. Known as the ULR, it has raked wingtips and a higher MTOW to allow for more fuel, and is fitted out with premium seats only for enhanced passenger comfort. The entire fleet is slated for a refit, so the best could soon be getting even better.

1. New York (JFK) to Singapore

Distance: 8,279 nautical miles

• Operating airline: Singapore Airlines
• Flight time: 18 hours 40 minutes
• Aircraft type: Airbus A350

Taking the crown, as it has for five years now, is Singapore Airlines’ SQ23/SQ24 flights between New York JFK and Singapore Changi (SIN). Like the EWR route, the A350-900ULR makes this huge flight possible.

Interestingly, Singapore Airlines doesn’t always take the illustrated route between the cities. Going to New York, it often flies over the Pacific where the jetstream can assist. Going back to Singapore, it usually takes the polar route as above, when the jetstream is favorable. 

The future longest flights in the world

At present, no airline operates any flight over 9,000 nautical miles long. But one Australian airline is setting out to change that.

Qantas has long been chasing its plans to launch the world’s first nonstop commercial flight from Sydney to London and New York. The route to London Heathrow will be approximately 9,200 nautical miles long, and is hoped to start in 2026.

To realize this ambitious undertaking, Qantas ordered 12 Airbus A350-1000, which will be modified with an additional center fuel tank to give them an extra 1,000 miles in the tank. Known as ‘Project Sunrise,’ these ultra-long-haul flights earned that moniker as passengers will get to experience two sunrises during the flight.

Once these take off, they’ll be the longest flights in the world, bettering Singapore Airlines’ JFK route by a good 1,000 nautical miles. But until they do, Singapore Airlines is set to hold onto both first and second place in the longest flight stakes.

Safety should always remain paramount, and airlines are required by their regulatory authorities to maintain the aircraft in their fleets to the highest standards of safety and airworthiness. However, this has to be offset against an airline wanting (and often, needing) to fly their airplanes at as high a utilization rate as possible, cramming in as many hours of flying each day and keeping the aircraft in the air with revenue-paying passengers onboard. After all, any aircraft sitting on the ground is costing its operator money and is simply not performing the very function for which it was acquired.

In this article, AeroTime takes a deep dive into the lives of four commercial aircraft over seven days. It will take a close look at how each aircraft is utilized, how many flights it performs each day, how much distance it covers, and how many passengers it potentially carries throughout that week. The aim is to build up a picture of the typical operations pattern of four different aircraft types of aircraft operating in various parts of the world.

By the end of the article, you should have a better understanding of how airlines use their assets to achieve optimal operational efficiencies, meet planned schedules, and ultimately, earn revenue while delivering passengers to their chosen destination on time, every time. All aircraft and flight data used in the compilation of this article has been sourced from aviation data providers Flightradar24 and ch-aviation.

Meet the planes

For this article, AeroTime followed its four commercial aircraft over seven days with the chosen period being midnight on Monday, January 20, 2025, ending at midnight on  Sunday, January 26, 2025. Each aircraft varies in size and is located in a different part of the world to the others. Equally, each is used to serve a different purpose for its respective operators than its counterparts. By choosing such an eclectic selection of airplanes, we get to build a picture of just how different aircraft types suit different missions, and how airlines adapt their route networks to specific aircraft types.

For this article, the first aircraft selected is a regional turboprop Saab SF340B airliner operating for Rex Airlines in Australia. Registered as VH-ZLQ and first delivered in September 1995 making it 29.6 years old, the aircraft seats 34 passengers in a single class configuration.

Used for high-frequency, short sector-length flights between rural communities and major population centers while operating lifeline flights to some of the remotest settlements in the country, the 57-strong Rex Airlines Saab SF340 turboprop fleet is seen as the vital link in a chain that connects such communities to larger towns and cities. Accessing those locations means rural residents can access healthcare, pursue business and leisure opportunities, as well as have access to onward travel connections via the larger airports into which Rex flies.

The second airplane to be followed is a Ryanair Boeing 737 MAX-8200 registered EI-EFY. The type is a 197-seat high-density variant of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 which, by featuring an additional set of emergency exits, can accommodate an additional eight passengers over the carrier’s Boeing 737-800s. The selected aircraft was delivered to Ryanair from Boeing on January 24, 2023, making it exactly two years old during the article’s tracked period.

Third up is United Airlines’ newest Airbus A321neo registered N54525 which was delivered to the airline in November 2024. Accommodating 200 passengers in a three-class configuration (20 in business class, 57 in premium economy, and 123 in economy), the aircraft is primarily used by the carrier on trunk routes between major cities across the US, with the airline taking full advantage of the type’s impressive economic performance on longer-range, medium-density transcontinental routes.

The last aircraft to be followed is in Singapore where we have selected Singapore Airlines’ newest Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner registered 9V-SDA as our aircraft to follow for the week. This aircraft only had its first flight in August 2024 and was delivered to the carrier in September 2024 making it 0.4 years old. The plane seats 337 passengers in a two-class configuration (36 in business class and 301 in economy). The airline uses its Boeing 787-10 fleet on international and regional routes from its main hub at Singapore-Changi Airport (SIN) operating largely roundtrip services to major airports in the Asia-Pacific region.

So having introduced the four airplanes that AeroTime followed for the week in question, let’s get traveling as we follow each through a week of their operational lives.    

Great Australian milk run routes

Rex Airlines’ VH-ZLQ tends to operate short sectors around the carrier’s regional network. During the week analyzed, the aircraft was based at the airline’s hub at Brisbane International Airport (BNE) in Queensland, where it was assigned to operate arguably some of the most interesting route patterns to be found in the southern hemisphere. Known as ‘milk run’ services, the routes run westwards from Brisbane, with one of them lasting two days and stopping at several smaller isolated communities along the way, eventually returning to Brisbane at the end of the return leg.  

The use of VH-ZLQ on these routes allows us to gain a real insight into how rural airline operations in the vast interior of Australia work, and how Rex Airlines flights provide the lifeblood to these remote settlements.

On Monday, January 20, 2025, VH-ZLQ set off from Brisbane at 08:13 for the first of its three milk-run operations of the week. The first flight, heading to Toowoomba (WTB) as ZL5662, took 27 minutes to cover the 82-mile (132km) route. However, this short sector was just the first of a multi-sector day for the airplane. Next, it would depart Toowoomba at 09:09 and head 350 miles (560km) inland to the small town of Charleville (CTL) before heading a further 125 miles (200km) westwards to Quilpie (ULP), landing at 11:45.

Just 21 minutes later, the aircraft was off again heading to Windorah (WNR), situated 129 miles (206km) to the north on a flight lasting 53 minutes. At 13:29, VH-ZLQ took off on its fifth sector of the day, heading on a 50-minute flight to Birdsville (BVI) some 210 miles (336km) further west. A short hop from Birdsville to Bedourie (BEU) followed – a distance of just 107 miles (171km) taking 29 minutes.

Having already completed six flights and covered 1,003 miles (1,600km) so far in a single day, the last two sectors of the day would be disrupted for unknown reasons. Rather than completing its milk run service in full by operating a short flight from Bedourie to Boulia (BQL) and onto the run’s official terminating point at Mount Isa, Queensland, the aircraft routed directly to Mount Isa (ISA) instead – a direct distance of 253 miles (404km).

After a well-earned overnight rest for both aircraft and crew in Mount Isa, the following day would see VH-ZLQ route back along the milk run route, following the reversal of the previous day’s flights but this time stopping at Boulia but missing out calls at Windorah and Bedourie. The aircraft eventually arrived back at its Brisbane base at 16:46 on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, having already flown 12 sectors in the first two days of the week.

The next day would see VH-ZLQ set off another of the Rex Airlines mill run services from Brisbane, following a route that would see it fly west from Brisbane to Toowoomba to St George (SGO), on to Cunnamulla (CMA), and finally to Thargomindah (XTG) where the route ends, measuring a total flying distance from Brisbane of 573 miles (917km). The aircraft then returned along the entire route landing back in Brisbane at 16:41 on January 23, 2025.

The next two days would see VH-ZLQ return to the Mount Isa milk run once again, accumulating another 14 sectors and arriving back in Brisbane on January 24, 2025, at 16:43. After five days of flying, completing 34 sectors and covering around 4,000 miles (6,400km), the aircraft the enjoyed two days’ rest in Brisbane and undergoing some routine maintenance before starting the following week’s work with a roundtrip flight to Roma (RMA) in Queensland.

A busy week crossing Europe

Ryanair’s Boeing 737 MAX-8200 Ei-IFY started the selected week for this article in Madrid, Spain. Taking off at 07:22 local time on January 20, 2024, the aircraft set off bound for the airline’s main base at Dublin Airport (DUB) in the Republic of Ireland. This 902-mile (1,443km) flight would be the first of 35 sectors that the plane would operate during the week, offering a total capacity of 6,895 seats over the seven days.

Having landed at Dublin at 08:36 local time, the aircraft was soon back on its way into Europe operating the return flight back to Madrid (MAD). The rest of the day would see EI-IFY operate rotations from the Spanish airport to Rome (FCO) followed by Palma De Mallorca (PMI) in the Balearic Islands, with great circle sector lengths of 829 miles (1,326km) and 341 miles (564km) respectively.

The following day would take EI-IFY on return flights from Madrid to Porto (OPO), Milan (MXP), and Naples (NAP), with sector lengths of 273 miles (344km), 715 miles (1,144km), and 937 miles (1,499km) respectively. Wednesday, January 22, 2025, would see the airplane visit Naples once again, before returning to Madrid. It would then be deployed on an 807-mile (1,291km) Ryanair service to London-Stansted Airport (STN) where it would be based for the remainder of the week.

Arriving at Stansted at 18:35 local time on January 22, 2025, the aircraft would night-stop at the airport before setting off the following morning at 06:33 for a flight to Bari (BRI) in Italy, a sector length of 1,078 miles (1,724km) and marking the second flight of the week that exceeded a great circle length of 1,000 miles (1,600km). The rest of that day would take the airplane on a 1,614-mile (2,582km) roundtrip to Madrid and back.

Friday, January 24, 2025, would see EI-IFY fly return trips from Stansted to Riga in Latvia (RIX), Venice (VCE), and Brno (BRQ) in Czechia, with return lengths of 1,013 miles (1,620km), 707 miles (1,131km), and 748 miles (1,196km) respectively.

With 23 sectors already completed by the weekend, the aircraft carried on performing multi-sector days. Saturday, January 25, 2025, started with a return flight to Rome-Ciampino (CIA), followed by others to Luxembourg (LUX), and Catania (CTA), adding another six sectors and racking up further miles to its total. With the last day of the week at hand, Sunday, January 26, 2025, would take EI-IFY from Stansted to Helsinki (HEL), Ostrava (OSR), and Turin (TRN) before ending its week back at Stansted.

With its working week over, a quick analysis shows that the aircraft covered around 25,000 miles (40,000km) and if using Ryanair’s latest published load factor figure of 88%, will have likely carried around 6,100 passengers throughout the seven days. With 20 airports visited and 35 flights completed, the analysis certainly shows how low-cost carriers such as Ryanair work their assets hard to ensure the maximum return for their investment in the airplane, facilitating short turnarounds and operating between six and eight revenue sectors per day, every day.

United’s transcontinental workhorse 

United Airlines first introduced the Airbus A321neo into its fleet in October 2023 and at the time of writing, now operates 29 of the type. The carrier tends to use its examples on longer transcontinental routes, as the aircraft offer passengers an enhanced onboard experience which is of more benefit on longer stage lengths.

The aircraft followed for this article, N54525 is no exception to that general rule. The airplane started the week on Monday, January 20, 2025, at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in California where it took off at 09:41 local time for a three hour and 43 minutes flight to Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD), the airline’s primary US hub, and the location for its global headquarters. This flight had a distance of 1,846 miles (2,954km) routing eastwards straight across the central states before arriving in the ‘Windy City’ at 15:14 local time.

With the turnaround complete, the aircraft next headed back west to Las Vegas-Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Nevada, clocking up another 1,514 miles (2,422km). About four hours later, the aircraft would head back to Chicago once more on a so-called red-eye overnight transcontinental flight, arriving in Chicago at 05:55 on the morning of Tuesday, January 21, 2025. The plane would next leave as UA1803 bound for Denver International Airport (DEN) in Colorado, an 888-mile (1,421km) sector.

Having arrived in Denver, N54525 proceeded westwards on a flight to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, a sector of 862 miles (1,380km). From Los Angeles, the aircraft would route back to Chicago before turning around overnight and heading straight back to California the following morning as UA660 on January 23, 2025, to San Diego (SAN) with a trip length of 1,723 miles (1,379km). The remainder of that day would see N54525 fly from San Diego to Denver and onwards to Houston-George Bush International Airport (IAH) where the plane would night stop.

On Friday, January 25, 2025, the aircraft would depart Houston back to Chicago once more as UA411 before heading for sunnier climes as UA1857 to Miami International Airport (MIA) in Florida, a 1,197-mile (1,915km) flight lasting two hours and 48 minutes. Once in Miami, the aircraft would head back to Chicago before beginning another transcontinental flight back to Los Angeles on the west coast.

Over the next 24 hours, the aircraft would operate two roundtrip services between Los Angeles and Denver, before heading up to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) for the first time during the week. On Sunday, January 26, 2025, the aircraft would head back to Denver before operating its final transcontinental service of the week to Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL), ending its seven days of flying on the ground at the Florida airport.

Over the week, N54525 operated 22 sectors with a total distance flown of around 27,000 miles (43,200km) and an average sector length of 1,227 miles (1,963km). The aircraft visited ten different airports and potentially could fly 4,400 passengers on its 22 transcontinental services. The average time in the air per flight for N54525 was two hours and 12 minutes. 

Singaporean long-hauler

Singapore Airlines Boeing 787-10 9V-SDA started the week of January 20, 2025, at Beijing-Capital International Airport (PEK) before operating flight SQ801 back to Singapore – a flight covering a distance of 2,780 miles (4,448km) and lasting five hours and 42 minutes. Having been turned around at Changi Airport, the aircraft soon headed off towards Perth (PER) in Western Australia as SQ215 where it landed in the early hours of January 21, 2025.

Having spent around five hours on the ground in Perth, the aircraft headed back once again to Singapore as SQ216 taking around four hours and 46 minutes to fly the 2,421 miles (3,873km). A quick rotation to Denpasar (DPS) in Bali would follow for 9V-SDA, with each sector lasting around two hours and 15 minutes. The aircraft would end the day flying back to Beijing as SQ806 taking five hours and 46 minutes to complete the journey to the Chinese capital.

Having flown back to Singapore on the morning of January 22, 2025, the aircraft would soon be back in China, next operating a flight from Singapore to Guangzhou (CAN), a flight taking three hours and 41 minutes. Upon its return to Singapore late that day, the plane would then be despatched to Dhaka (DAC) in Bangladesh on a flight that covered 1,794 miles (2,870km) in three hours and 26 minutes. The plane would return to Singapore early in the morning of January 23, 2025.

Over the following days, the airplane would revisit some of the airports that it had visited earlier in the week. This included operating rotations to Guangzhou (twice), Dhaka (once), and Denpasar (twice). Over the seven days, the aircraft operated 25 sectors and visited six airports including Singapore. The total distance flown equated to around 33,000 miles (52,800km) with the average sector duration being around three hours and 12 minutes. The total capacity flown was 8,425 seats.  

Summary

As we have seen, the life of a commercial aircraft is anything but typical. Taking any random four aircraft, one will always end up with a pattern of flights and operations that will be unique to that particular aircraft for the period analyzed. While the routes operated, passengers carried, distances flown and time in the air will vary between aircraft, the ultimate aim for any of these aircraft will always lie on common ground – that is to operate safely, on time, and to deliver their passengers to their chosen destination with as little inconvenience as possible.

While this article has examined just how diverse a week in the life of a commercial passenger airplane can be, no two weeks will be the same, even if you follow the same aircraft week after week, month after month.

So, the next time you fly, once you arrive at your departure gate to find your aircraft sitting on the apron outside the window waiting for you to board, just imagine for a moment all the places that plane has been in the preceding few hours, days, and weeks. And while your journey on it may only be relatively short, long after you disembark at the end of that journey, your aircraft will fly on, carrying many more passengers and visiting other airports around its network, as it continues its active flying career, plowing the routes to which it has been assigned.

But as well as the American Eagle branding often mentioned on the booking information, passengers might also notice ‘operated by…’ followed by an airline name. That flight could be ‘operated by PSA Airlines as American Eagle,’ or it could be Republic Airways, or any one of another four carriers most people won’t have heard of.

But these aren’t little five-plane operations – some of these airlines are huge. SkyWest, for example, puts its name to more than 500 aircraft, all regional jets. They don’t all fly for American Airlines though, as it also operates regional flights for Alaska, Delta, and United. 

Three of the airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries of American Airlines. The other three are contractors. In all, more than 600 aircraft fly under the American Eagle brand. Here’s what you need to know.

The American Airlines owned subsidiaries

Three airlines are wholly owned by the American Airlines Group: PSA Airlines, Envoy Air, and Piedmont Airlines. PSA and Piedmont were soaked up by US Airways as it grew – and ultimately USAir became American Airlines. But Envoy was an American Airlines homegrown, sort of. Let’s take a look at each.

PSA Airlines

PSA Airlines has a storied history, founded as Vee Neal Airlines in 1979, operating a single Cessna 402 between Latrobe and Pittsburgh. Flourishing after deregulation, it changed its name to Jetstream International Airlines (JIA) in 1983, after the aircraft it was operating – the BAe Jetstream 31.

Struggling financially, it made a deal with Piedmont Airlines to operate flights under its Commuter brand. In 1986, Piedmont bought Jetstream, and then in 1987, USAir bought Piedmont. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Its final name change is interesting, though. Around the time Jetstream stopped operating its Jetstreams, in 1995 USAir changed its name to Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA). Why? Because USAir owned the Pacific Southwest Airlines brand, but the airline had long since been absorbed into the mainline. This way, it could protect the brand.

Today, PSA operates a fleet exclusively of Bombardier regional jets, with 143 aircraft in total. Its CRJ-700s are the older aircraft, with an average fleet age of 18.8 years, while the CRJ-900s average just 8.7 years, according to planespotters.net. 

Around 800 flights a day take off with PSA aircraft, connecting almost 100 destinations across the United States. Although it’s headquartered at Dayton, it has crew bases at Charlotte, Philadelphia, Reagan National and Dallas Fort Worth.

Piedmont Airlines

Founded in 1961 as Henson Aviation, and later Henson Airlines, this unassuming startup in Hagerstown, Maryland, was a trailblazer in something we take for granted today – codesharing. Henson, with Allegheny Airlines, began one of the earliest known codesharing arrangements in 1967.

After deregulation, Henson started providing regional passenger feed for the blossoming Piedmont Airlines (the original), and was eventually bought by Piedmont in 1983 and rebranded as ‘Henson, The Piedmont Regional Airline’. Four years later, USAir soaked them both up.

For a while, the Piedmont name disappeared, but in 1993 USAir took it upon themselves to rebrand Henson to Piedmont Airlines. Why? You guessed it: to protect the brand it had previously bought. Under US law, brand names can be reused by others if they’re not used in trade for a period of time.

Although it has 93 aircraft registered to the fleet, 33 of the oldest aircraft are parked up at Marana Pinal Airpark (MZJ) and have been for some time. 60 aircraft remain active, though most of these are no spring chickens. The youngest is 19.5 years old.

Piedmont has a busy operation too, flying around 400 services a day to more than 55 destinations. At several airports, including Pitt-Greenville, Watertown International, and Salisbury Regional, it is the exclusive operator there.

Envoy Air

If you’re looking for the origins of the American Eagle brand, look no further than Envoy Air. It all started with deregulation, when US air carriers moved from working closely with regional operators to fully outsourcing all their regional operations. This included sharing branding and even booking systems with the mainline airline.

American Airlines’ parent AMR Corp established the American Eagle brand in 1984, contracting operators to use the new brand to bring passengers into its hubs. Various airlines worked under the American Eagle brand, including Metroflight, Air Midwest, Air Virginia (later AVAir), Chaparral Airlines, Command Airways, Simmons Airlines, and Wings West.

Through the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, AMR Corp bought and merged these small regional carriers to consolidate its operations. By 1998, there were just two – American Eagle Airlines, and Executive Airlines. AMR Corp filed for bankruptcy in 2011, taking Executive Airlines with it. Just American Eagle Airlines remained.

In 2014, American wanted to have other regional carriers operating its services under the American Eagle brand, but knew that the name of its regional carrier would cause confusion. It undertook to rename American Eagle Airlines as Envoy Air, paying homage to ‘Envoy Class’, the business class product of US Airways.

The contractor airlines

Alongside American’s own regional carriers, three airlines work under contract to provide regional connectivity. SkyWest is the biggest, with hundreds of aircraft at its disposal, while Air Wisconsin has just a few dozen. Rounding out the three is Indianapolis-based Republic Airways. Let’s take a look at each.

SkyWest Airlines 

SkyWest’s story begins in Utah in 1972, when businessman Ralph Atkin bought Dixie Airlines with the intent to fly businesspeople to Salt Lake City. His endeavors paid off, and when it purchased Sun Aire Lines in 1984, SkyWest became the 11th largest regional airline in the US. 

Having codeshared with Western Express in the mid ‘80s, when Western was bought and merged into Delta in 1987, it became a Delta Connection airline. Through the ‘90s, SkyWest flourished, launching regional services for United Airlines and Continental. It acquired ExpressJet in 2010 for $133 million, and began operating for Alaska Airlines in 2011.

It arrived at the American Eagle brand in November 2012 with capacity purchase agreements with American for 12 CRJ200. It introduced larger CRJ-700/-900 aircraft in 2016, with Embraer 175s joining the American Eagle system in 2021.

Planespotters.net lists 582 aircraft registered to SkyWest, although around 100 are noted to be parked. Nevertheless, it’s a huge fleet, much bigger than JetBlue or Spirit. With operations ongoing for United, Delta, Alaska and American, as well as its own charter services, there’s some incredible organization going on there.

According to its annual report from 2023, its fleet operational for American Eagle numbers 106 aircraft. This includes 86 CRJ-700 and 20 Embraer 175. It operates 1,800 flights per day, around 20% of which are American Eagle, and carried 38.6 million passengers in 2023.

Republic Airlines

Republic has a somewhat confusing history. Its parent company, Republic Airways Holdings, can trace its roots back to the purchase of a carrier called Chautauqua Airlines in 1998. Chautauqua flew under the Allegheny Commuter service and later as USAir Express. Ultimately, it was absorbed by Shuttle America, also a Republic Airways Holdings company.

So what does this have to do with Republic? Well, the holding company registered a subsidiary called ‘Republic Airline, Inc.’ in 1998. It chose the name because it felt the brand ‘Republic’ still had some credibility with local people. That was despite the original Republic Airlines having been absorbed into Northwest in the mid ‘80s.

The subsidiary had no activity for years, and just sat as an empty entity until Chautauqua Airlines ran into trouble. It had begun flying 70-seat ERJs for United Airlines, which violated the pilot union scope clause. To remedy the situation, the holding company activated its sleeping brand, naming it Republic Airways and, once it got its Part 121 in 2005, allowing commercial flying to resume.

Shuttle America, the company Chautauqua had merged with, was itself merged into Republic Airways in 2017. Today, it operates more than 900 daily flights across the US and Canada on behalf of American, United and Delta. Its fleet of 208 aircraft is split roughly equally between the carriers, with around 75 dedicated to American Eagle.

Air Wisconsin

Right now, if you get an American Eagle flight, you might see ‘operated by Air Wisconsin’ on your ticket. But that’s going to change soon, as the airline announced in early 2025 that it would be ending its capacity purchase agreement in April. It will instead be pursuing independent operations in charter and Essential Air Service flights.

In the meantime, you could still catch a flight on one of its Bombardier CRJ-200s operating as American Eagle. It has a fleet of 62, but 25 of these are parked at Roswell (ROW) and are unlikely to come back. You’ll find Air Wisconsin mostly in Chicago O’Hare (ORD) although it also has crew bases in Dayton (DAY) and Milwaukee (MKE).

Over the years, numerous other airlines have flown for American Eagle. Most recently, Mesa Airlines flew routes for the brand until 2023 when it transferred all its services exclusively to United Express. Others include Compass Airlines, ExpressJet, Trans State Airlines and Wings West. 

More than 200 of those aircraft remain in service as cargo carriers, and around 50 are still flying passengers today. Lufthansa is the world’s largest passenger operator of the type, while Atlas Air flies the largest fleet of freighters.

But not all Boeing 747s had such straightforward careers. The huge airframe, generous range, and extensive customization options made the 747 perfectly suited to unique and unusual missions. Many ended up in interesting configurations, and several were placed into interesting roles throughout their life. 

We take a look at the top 10 coolest special mission Boeing 747s from the past, and present.

1. Boeing 747 FTB (flying testbeds)

Although the Boeing 747 is a quadjet, it occasionally flies with five engines on board. This is because the giant airframe is the perfect flying testbed for engine makers to test out their products. 

General Electric uses a Boeing 747-400 registered N747GF, a 30-year-old airframe originally delivered to Japan Airlines in 1994. GE has flown it since 2010, basing it out of Flight Test Operations (FTO) in Victorville, California

Before the 744, GE used to fly one of the oldest 747s in the world, with its Boeing 747-100 flying testbed which was built in 1970. N747GE was acquired by the company in 1992, taking it directly from the fleet of iconic airline Pan Am. But it was withdrawn from use in 2017 and is now preserved at Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.

Over the course of their combined time in the air, the two 747s have certified 12 different engine models and multiple variants, including the GE90, CFM56-7B, CF34 (the -8C and-10E), GP7200, GEnx (the -1B and -2B), LEAP (the -1A, -1B and -1C), Passport and GE9X.

Rolls-Royce purchased its Boeing 747-200 engine testbed in 2005 from Air Atlanta Icelandic. The aircraft was already over 20 years old, having originally been delivered to Cathay Pacific in 1980. Based in Tucson, Arizona, it can have various engines fitted under the wing to give them a test run and gather valuable data.

Now sporting the registration N787RR, it continues to undertake testing missions for the company, with its last flight from Tucson in September 2024. The registration of the Boeing 747 should leave a clue as to its first and original mission – testing the mighty Trent 1000 for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Although its official name is Spirit of Excellence, Rolls-Royce affectionately calls its flying testbed ‘Hefty Bee,’ explaining the moniker as “derived from FTB, the industry acronym for flying testbed.” It’s racked up more than 800 hours in the sky from over 250 flights so far, and continues to be a key piece of equipment for the manufacturer.

Deborah Robinson, Director Test and Experimental Engineering, said: “Our FTB is a great asset to us as it has a wide range of test capabilities that help us ensure our engines do everything we say they will. Computers and rig tests can achieve a lot, however in the air we can take it that step further and perform a wide range of tests to further confirm the results of our extensive ground and rig test programs. We can take the opportunity to test the corners of the flight envelope and feed back into our extensive models.”

Rolls-Royce does have another Boeing 747 waiting in the wings. N747RR is a former Qantas aircraft (VH-OJU) and was acquired by Rolls-Royce in late 2019. However, plans to convert it into a second testbed were shelved in 2022 as the company struggled financially. It retains the aircraft and could revisit these plans down the line.

Not satisfied with one flying testbed, Pratt & Whitney has a collection of two. Both C-FPAW and C-GTFF are Boeing 747SPs and aged around 45 years old. They arrived in 2009 and 2010, having originally been delivered to CAAC Airlines and Korean Air.

2. Boeing VC-25A ‘Air Force One’

Technically only ‘Air Force One’ when the president is on board, these two Boeing 747-based aircraft are some of the most famous in the world. Sporting tail numbers 28000 and 29000, the VC-25As have been transporting heads of state for the US since 1987. 

With interiors designed by First Lady Nancy Regan, the 747s are created to be like a flying White House, with huge amounts of space for meetings, conferences, and working. The upper deck houses the communications center and cockpit, while the 4,000 square feet of floor space on the main deck is configured for presidential duties.

On board, the president has an executive suite with sleeping quarters, a bathroom, and a private office. The ‘Oval Office in the sky’ can host an address to the nation if need be, something that was added after the September 11 attacks. 

Beyond the presidential suite, a long corridor connects the other spaces on the aircraft. These include a conference room with a 50-inch plasma TV, office areas with 87 telephones and 19 TVs, a medical annex with a fold-out operating table, and two fully equipped galleys capable of catering for up to 100 people at a time.

With the two aircraft rapidly approaching 40 years old, they’re becoming less cost-effective to operate. As such, the USAF is in the process of replacing them with newer Boeing 747-8s. Work began on the conversion in 2020, and delivery was supposed to be in 2024. However, the project is behind schedule, and the latest update expects the first VC-25B to be delivered in 2027.

3. Boeing 747 rocket launcher

One of the coolest ways for a passenger jet to extend its lifespan has to be in a role that involves shooting rockets into space. G-VWOW, christened ‘Cosmic Girl,’ was a Boeing 747-400 that operated for Virgin Atlantic from 2001 until 2015. In commercial service, it flew more than 2.5 million passengers on more than 8,000 flights.

But when it came time to retire from commercial service, the aircraft was acquired by Virgin Atlantic’s sister company, Virgin Orbit. The new job for the jet was to strap a rocket under its wing and send small satellites into orbit. 

Using a technique called ‘air launch,’ the 747 would fly to 35,000 feet over open ocean. There, it would pitch up by about 30 degrees, and the rocket would be released. The pilot would bank the 747 away from the rocket, and after five seconds, it would ignite and take the payload the rest of the distance into orbit.

The thought behind this was that the vast majority of the energy used in launching a rocket is consumed just to get it off the ground. Aircraft are designed to lift efficiently, so by taking the rocket to a higher altitude, satellite launch could be achieved with lower fuel consumption (and lower cost).

Sadly for Virgin Orbit, a disastrous launch in January 2023 saw the company struggling to raise new funding, and it filed for bankruptcy in April 2023. But it’s not the end for G-VWOW yet.

In October 2023, Stratolaunch, the company that flies the crazy twin-boom Roc, bought Cosmic Girl, renaming her Spirit of Mojave and giving her a new registration – N949SL. It’s currently undergoing modifications for its new owners, but will continue to fire rockets into orbit if all goes to plan.

4. Boeing E-4B Nightwatch – the ‘Doomsday plane’

While the VC-25As provide a tactical control center for the president and their entourage, they aren’t the only airborne command posts in town. The USAF also operates four modified Boeing 747s as E-4B ‘Nightwatch’ Advanced Airborne Command Posts, colloquially known as ‘Doomsday planes.’

Based on the 747-200, the E-4Bs are long-range, high-altitude vehicles with aerial refueling capabilities. On the main deck are areas for command work, conferencing, briefing, operations work, communications posts, and rest areas. They can accommodate up to 111 people on board.

In case of a national emergency, the E-4B provides a highly survivable location from which to direct forces and coordinate civil authorities. It’s designed to survive an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and even has nuclear shielding. It is designed to remain airborne for a full week in an emergency, and requires two fully loaded KC-135s to refuel. 

Having been introduced in 1974 it’s fair to say these E-4Bs are veterans of the USAF. Plans are in the works for a replacement, known as the E-4C Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC), although they’re unlikely to be introduced before 2032.

In April 2024, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) was awarded a $14 billion contract for the five aircraft required under the project. The company has already purchased five Boeing 747-8s from Korean Air for modification, and plans to begin work on converting them later in 2025.

5. Boeing 747-400LCF ‘Dreamlifter’

While Boeing 747s have been called upon to protect, to launch, and to test, Boeing uses its groundbreaking aircraft for something a bit different. Officially known as the 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF), the Dreamlifter is an extensively modified Queen with an immense cargo volume of 65,000 cubic feet. 

Boeing developed the Dreamlifter when it concluded that shipping by land and sea was too slow for the assembly of the 787 Dreamliner. As the parts were too large for standard 747s and even the An-225, Boeing would develop its own outsize transporter to ferry subassemblies from Japan and Italy to South Carolina and Washington for assembly. 

The four aircraft to be converted into Dreamlifters were acquired from airline customers including Air China, China Airlines and Malaysia Airlines. Modifications were made to the aircraft to install a swing tail for easier loading, and the upper fuselage extended for more cargo capacity.

The end result was four 747s with three times the cargo volume of a 747-400F. Three were in service by June 2008, while the fourth joined the fleet in 2010. Operated by Atlas Air, the fleet has an average age of 34 years. Nevertheless, all four are in daily use and are sure to be lovingly maintained for optimal availability.

The registrations of the four Queens with this very specialist job are:

• N249BA
• N718BA
• N747BC
• N780BA

6. Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA)

NASA acquired its first Boeing 747 in 1974, buying a 747-100 from American Airlines. Although N905NA was only four years old, American was having trouble filling its planes, and was happy to dispose of the jumbo.

NASA used the aircraft for wake turbulence studies, but in 1977, it was converted to its Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) configuration and began its important job of ferrying the Enterprise orbiter. It began these missions still sporting its American Airlines cheatline, and looking very much like an AA aircraft. By 1983, N905NA had its NASA livery.

This SCA was the first and only shuttle carrier used by the space shuttle program until 1990. It flew 70 of the 87 ferry missions, including 46 of the 54 post-mission ferry flights from Dryden to the Kennedy Space Center. 

But in 1989, the SCA got a sister. JA8117 was a 747-100SR that had been flying for Japan Airlines since 1973. When it was retired by the airline, NASA took it on and had Boeing convert it into a second SCA. When it entered service in November 1990, it took on the registration N911NA.

The modifications to these two Queens were extensive and included:

• Removal of all interior furnishings and equipment aft of the first door
• The addition of three struts to attach the orbiter
• Addition of associated interior structural strengthening to support the struts
• Installation of specialist instrumentation to monitor the orbiter during ferry flights
• Two additional vertical stabilizers on the end of each horizontal stabilizer
• Replacement of Pratt & Whitney JT95-3A turbofans were with JT9D-7J gas turbine engines

Upon its retirement in 2012, N911NA had made 386 trips as a shuttle carrier, 66 of which had a space shuttle mounted on the top. The aircraft is now on display at the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark in Palmdale, California.

Perhaps for sentimental reasons, NASA retained N905NA a little longer, using the aircraft to ferry Discovery, Endeavour, and Enterprise to museums for display. The SCA was finally retired in late 2012, and is now on display at the Space Center Houston.

7. Boeing 747SP ‘SOFIA’ flying telescope 

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA to her friends, is absolutely one of the coolest and most unusual uses of a Boeing 747 to date.

Based on the baby of the family, the Boeing 747SP that would become SOFIA started life at one of the most iconic airlines in history – Pan Am. Delivered in May 1977, N536PA, or ‘Clipper Lindbergh’ as the plane was christened, was operated in a premium-heavy configuration of 47 first class, 100 business and just 86 economy seats. 

It transferred to United Airlines in 1986, where it was reconfigured for a more economy-focused operation. It flew with 18 first, 62 business and 164 economy class seats, much more suited to the late ‘80s market. But in October 1994, N145UA was withdrawn from use and stored in Las Vegas.

It wasn’t until three years later that NASA acquired the aircraft, re-registering it N747NA. The 747SP was the perfect aircraft for the mission NASA had in mind – flying a huge telescope into the stratosphere to study the solar system in ways that aren’t possible on the ground. 

The SP, or ‘Special Performance’ 747 was designed to fly further, faster and higher than any other aircraft in the family at the time. Modified from the 747-100, sections of the fuselage were removed and other parts adapted to save weight, giving it a dinky length of just 184 ft 9 in, and a range of 6,650 NM. Its service ceiling of 45,100 ft also made it an appealing choice for the mission.

Raytheon installed the huge 18 ft tall door in the aft fuselage, mounting the telescope here behind a pressurized bulkhead. Beyond the bulkhead, in the pressurized section of the aircraft, the focal point of the telescope arrives in a scientific suite, where researchers are able to study the universe in ways that were never possible before.

Designed by German company DLR, the telescope is a 8.2 ft reflector with an oversized 8.9 ft mirror. As it was exposed to turbulent winds and vibrations, it was mounted in bearings in pressurized oil to steady the view. 

In the eight years the 747 flew for NASA, this flying telescope led to the discovery of many notable things, including:

• Water on the moon
• Oxygen on Mars
• Helium hydride (possibly the first molecule to form after the Big Bang)
• New information on magnetic fields in space
• New understanding of how stars form

Touchingly, NASA invited the grandson of Charles Lindbergh, Erik Lindbergh, to re-christen the aircraft ‘Clipper Lindbergh’ in 2007, just like its old Pan Am days. SOFIA was retired in 2022 and is on display at the Pima Air & Space Museum. 

8. YAL-1: The Boeing 747 Airborne Laser

Perhaps the weirdest-looking Boeing 747 on this list is the YAL-1. Rather than being acquired from an airline, YAL-1 was built as a 747-400F, taking its first flight in January 2000. It was then handed over to Boeing Defense, Space & Security for conversion, at which point it was given the registration 00-0001.

At the heart of this unique Boeing 747 was the megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL). The unit comprised six different modules, each weighing 6,500 lbs and about the size of an SUV. According to Tech. Sgt. Eric M. Grill in 2007, the COIL “produces enough energy in a 5-second burst to power a typical household for more than one hour.”

Primarily designed as a missile defense system to destroy tactical ballistic missiles, the system had its first inflight test firing in March 2007, and the high-energy laser successfully intercepted several missiles in tests in 2010. 

Sadly, although the project was largely a success, in December 2011 it was reported it would be ended after 16 years and $5 billion invested. Discussing the reasons behind the cancelation, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said,

“I don’t know anybody at the Department of Defense, Mr. Tiahrt, who thinks that this program should, or would, ever be operationally deployed … If you were to operationalize this you would be looking at 10 to 20 747s, at a billion and a half dollars apiece, and $100 million a year to operate. And there’s nobody in uniform that I know who believes that this is a workable concept.”

In February 2012, YAL-1 flew for the final time, landing at Davis-Monthan AFB, where it was ultimately scrapped. But even though YAL-1 is no more, its legacy lives on.

Since its retirement, studies have been ongoing to apply the lessons learned with YAL-1 to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). By 2015, the Missile Defense Agency began working to deploy a laser on a high-altitude UAV, concluding that this platform would be more efficient and more effective than an airliner.

Unfortunately, the project was ultimately shelved, but missile defense using lasers is today an established practice. Commercial airliners flying for Israeli carriers like EL AL sport laser defense systems, as does Germany’s new Airbus A350 presidential transport plane.

9. The Boeing 747 Supertankers 

When you’re dealing with an aircraft as big as a 747, it pays to think big. Certainly, that was what was on the mind of Evergreen International Aviation when it responded to a request for information on next-generation air tankers. Responding to the US Department of Interior in 2022, Evergreen proposed to convert four of its Boeing 747-200 freighters into Supertankers.

Having received a positive response, Evergreen converted the first 747, registration N470EV, into a giant aerial firefighting machine. It made its maiden flight in January 2004, but by mid-2006, Evergreen was still waiting on certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and was $40 million in the hole for the project.

Installed on board was the capacity to carry up to 19,600 US gallons of water or fire retardant, making it the largest aerial firefighting plane in the world. According to the company, the aircraft was capable of laying down a swath of fire retardant three miles long and as wide as 150 ft. FAA approval was granted in late 2006, but the first conversion never entered service.

The second, tail number N479EV, did enter service, fighting its first fire in Cuenca, Spain in 2009. In 2010, it was deployed to Israel to fight the Mount Carmel forest fire, and in 2011, it arrived in Arizona to tackle the Wallow Fire.

But developing the Supertanker had taken its toll on Evergreen. It ran into financial difficulties, and on November 30, 2013, it shut down operations. But it wasn’t the end for the Boeing 747 Supertanker; not quite.

In 2015, Global SuperTanker Services, a company resurrected from the ashes of Evergreen, bought all the physical assets and intellectual property of the defunct company. Everything, that is, except N479EV itself. The new company transplanted the sprayer tank system from the 747-100 onto a newer 747-400, registered N744ST.

The Global Supertanker was deployed on a respectable number of missions, including to Santiago in 2017, to Israel in 2016, and to various emergencies for Cal Fire, among others. Unfortunately, Global SuperTanker Services also ran into financial difficulties and shut down in April 2021, selling N744ST to National Airlines to be converted into a cargo aircraft.

10. Boeing KC-747 aerial refueler 

Way back in the 1970s, Boeing proposed an adapted 747 to be an aerial refueling tanker. The Advanced Tanker-Cargo Aircraft (ATCA) program called upon manufacturers to create a heavy tanker–transport aircraft that was suited to the current climate. 

Boeing went up against versions of the DC-10, Lockheed’s C5, and the L-1011 for the contract. Ultimately, the DC-10 was selected and went on to become the venerable KC-10. But Boeing had made this plane and marketed it anyway as the KC-25/KC-33. Just two were built, and both went to the same buyer – the Iranian Air Force.

The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, thought these aircraft would be perfect to refuel his extensive fleet of F-4 Phantom fighter jets. As of today, one of the two Iranian KC-747s has been lost in an accident, but the other one is still serving the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF).

It’s the world’s only KC-747, and if you happen to be in Iran on a parade or flyover day, you’re likely to see it thundering overhead.

The KC-747 was thoroughly tested by Boeing, even refueling one of the fastest planes in the world – the SR-71 Blackbird. It used the refueling booms from the KC-135 to prove its capabilities, but was ultimately considered to be too big and too expensive. As such, the IRIAF operates one of the rarest 747 modifications in the world.

To assess which airlines are the safest, AirlineRatings uses data on everything from recent incidents to audits and certifications from industry bodies. It also considers fleet size and age, profitability and other metrics in its calculations.

Air New Zealand is the world’s safest airline (again)

AirlineRatings puts Air New Zealand at the top of the table when it comes to safety. The Kiwi airline claimed top spot in 2024 and in 2022 and regularly vies for the title of safest airline alongside its antipodean neighbor. 

Despite operating in challenging locations like Queenstown Airport – surrounded by mountains – and Wellington with its unpredictable winds, Air New Zealand has had no serious incidents or crashes in the modern jet era. 

“It was extremely close again between Air New Zealand and Qantas for first place with only 1.50 points separating the two airlines,” said Sharon Petersen, CEO at AirlineRatings. “Whilst both airlines uphold the highest safety standards and pilot training, Air New Zealand continues to have a younger fleet than Qantas which separates the two.”

She further noted that it was too difficult to separate the airlines that shared a three-way tie for bronze position—Cathay, Qatar, and Emirates—as their scores were identical in all categories.

The top 10 safest airlines in the world for 2025

According to AirlineRatings, the top 10 safest airlines in the world to fly with in 2025 are:

1. Air New Zealand

The safest airline in the world has reclaimed its top spot once again.

In its 84 years of passenger service, Air New Zealand has had just four hull losses and two hijackings. Only one incident led to passenger fatalities – the 1979 Flight 901 disaster which saw a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 crash into Mount Erebus on Ross Island, killing all 257 people on board.

The most recent incident was in 2008, when an Air New Zealand Airbus A320-200 crashed into the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of France. No passengers were on board, as the aircraft was being handed back to ANZ from the German company XL Airways after a period on lease. Seven crew were on board, two from XL, four from Air New Zealand and one representative of the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority. All seven lost their lives.

According to Planespotters.net, Air New Zealand has a fleet of 112 aircraft, ranging from its island-hopping ATR 72s up to its huge 777-300ER. Its average fleet age is 10.4 years, and its earnings have been good (although slightly stunted by ongoing engine issues), all helping it to claim the number one safest airline spot for another year.

2. Qantas

Long heralded as one of the safest airlines in the world, Qantas was just a point and a half behind its neighbor in the 2025 rankings. Qantas previously held the title of safest airline for seven years in a row (2012 – 2019) then again in 2021 and in 2023. 

It’s often claimed that Qantas has never had an aircraft crash, which is almost true. Qantas has never had a fatal jet accident, but given that it’s been around for 102 years, its pre-jet-era aircraft were just as prone to accidents as any other.

Most fatal accidents on Qantas planes happened in the 1920s and 30s and involved small biplanes. In the 1940s, several Qantas planes were shot down during the Second World War while assisting Allied forces. Two de Havilland DH.84 Dragons and one DHA-3 crashed in 1951, but since then there have been no recorded accidents with Qantas aircraft.

=3. Cathay Pacific

The three-way tie between Cathay, Qatar and Emirates just goes to show how closely aligned these airlines are. All three prioritize safety above all else and scored highly in the AirlineRatings ranking for 2025.

As the flag carrier and largest airline of Hong Kong, Cathay has a strong reputation worldwide for exemplary service. The airline has often been in the top 20 or even top 10 safest airlines, but jumping into third position for 2025 is an accolade it can be proud of.

Including its cargo division, Cathay operates 180 aircraft. Its narrowbodies are all Airbus A320 family aircraft, while widebodies are split between the A330, A350 and 777. On the cargo side, it operates a fleet of 20 747 freighters, although it also has orders in for the forthcoming A350F.

Although Cathay has seen some incidents in its history, it has had no hull loss or fatalities since 1972. That year saw its worst accident ever, when a Convair CV-880 heading back to Hong Kong from Bangkok was downed by a bomb in a passenger’s suitcase. All 81 occupants lost their lives.

Since then, only minor incidents have been recorded. Most recently, in September 2024 its Airbus A350-1000 suffered a fuel leak, leading to an engine fire. The plane landed safely with no casualties, although the airline briefly grounded its A350 fleet to inspect other engines.

=3. Qatar Airways

Based in Doha, Qatar Airways positions itself as the world’s most luxurious airline, and was voted the world’s best airline by Skytrax in 2024 for the eighth time.

Amazingly, Qatar Airways has never been responsible for a single fatality due to its flights. However, it’s important to remember that the airline has only been flying for 30 years, and aviation in that time has become much safer. Nevertheless, it’s a statistic to be proud of.

The airline has had two hull losses, however. The first was in 2007, when an Airbus A300 was destroyed in a fire at Gamco in Abu Dhabi. Investigations revealed the fire started onboard, and was probably caused by a spark or electrostatic discharge. The second, in 2017, also involved a fire. This time, an Airbus A321-200 was parked on a remote stand at Hamad International (DOH) when the satellite antenna caught fire, burning through the fuselage and damaging the cabin.

Qatar has often been in the top 10 safest airlines, coming in at number four last year. Securing bronze position, even if it is shared, is a testament to the airline’s attention to detail.

=3. Emirates

Celebrating its 40th year in the sky in 2025, Emirates has secured its highest position ever in the safest airlines ranking. Frequently in the top 20, it climbed to seventh place last year and has continued to aim higher to claim the third place spot.

According to the Aviation Safety Network, only three accidents and incidents have been recorded for Emirates aircraft. Only one led to a hull loss and a fatality.

That incident occurred in August 2016, when a Boeing 777-300 impacted the runway during an attempted go-around in Dubai (DXB). Damage to the engine caused a fire, which ultimately led to a firefighter being fatally injured when the center fuel tank exploded. All 300 occupants were evacuated safely.

Well known as the world’s largest operator of the Airbus A380, Emirates is also the biggest operator of the 777. For the first time in many years, 2025 has seen a new addition to the fleet, with the Airbus A350 entering service on a route to Edinburgh on January 4, 2025.

6. Virgin Australia

From its early days in 2000 as ‘Virgin Blue,’ Virgin Australia today flies a fleet of almost 100 aircraft to dozens of Australian destinations. In its 25 years of operation, the airline has never lost an aircraft nor had a fatal accident. 

Only four incidents are recorded in the Aviation Safety Network database. Three of these were ground collisions, while one involved a hard landing of an ATR-27.

In 2024, Virgin expanded its partnership with another of the safest airlines on this list – Qatar Airways. Having been allies for some time, the Doha-based airline stepped things up a gear by taking a 25% equity stake in Virgin Australia. This has enabled the partners to announce a record 10 daily connections between Doha and Australia, with Virgin wet-leasing Qatar’s Boeing 777s to make the trip.

7. Etihad

In the prime of its life, 21-year-old Etihad is the second largest airline in the UAE after Emirates. It has just shy of 100 aircraft and serves 86 destinations.

In its 21 years of operation, Etihad has never had a fatal accident or a hull loss. In fact, there’s not so much as a turbulence event to complain about with this carrier. Safety is clearly the number one priority.

Etihad did lose an aircraft though, although it wasn’t technically in the fleet. In November 2007, a brand new Airbus A340-600 that was due to be delivered to Etihad was destroyed in an accident at Airbus facilities in Toulouse. The un-chocked aircraft broke loose during an engine test, accelerating to 31 knots and smashing into a concrete barrier.

8. ANA

Founded in 1952, All Nippon Airways (ANA) has been connecting Japan to the world for over 70 years. With over 220 aircraft and 92 destinations, it is Japan’s largest airline and has a five-star rating from Skytrax.

ANA wins many awards, snapping up a great ranking in the most on-time airlines of 2024, as well as Best Airport Services and Best Airline Staff (Asia) in the Skytrax Awards 2024. It also got runner-up in Best Cabin Staff and Cleanest Airline at the same event.

Given its storied history, ANA has had its fair share of accidents, but none in modern history. Its most recent (and most deadly) accident was in July 1971, when a Boeing 727 collided with a F-86F on a training flight and crashed, killing all 162 occupants.

9. EVA Air

Taiwanese carrier EVA Air is one of the two largest airlines in the Republic of China. It operates passenger and cargo services to more than 50 destinations with its fleet of 84 aircraft.

Its average fleet age is just 8.9 years, and the airline has already lined up its future replacements for aging aircraft. The 777-300ERs will be replaced by incoming A350-1000s, while the A321-200s will be retired by 2032, to be replaced by A321neos.

In its 35-year history, EVA has never lost an aircraft or passenger. Four incidents are recorded in the Aviation Safety Network database – two hard landings, one ground collision with another aircraft and a 777 crashing into a light pole in Toronto in 2017.

10. Korean Air

Korean Air has come a long way to achieve a top 10 position for the world’s safest airlines. Once upon a time, the airline was notorious for an abysmal safety record, with President Kim Dae-jung describing it in 1999 as “an embarrassment to the nation”.

Between 1970 and 1999, Korean Air lost 16 aircraft due to serious accidents and incidents, leading to the fatalities of more than 700 people. 

Its most recent accident was recorded in October 2022, when an Airbus A330-300 was written off following a runway excursion. Four previous attempts had been made to land in Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB), and on the fifth attempt, the aircraft overran the runway and struck an ILS localizer array.

Its most deadly accident happened in 1997 and involved a Boeing 747-300. Flight 801 was on a night time approach to Guam (GUM) when the aircraft impacted a mountain. The accident killed 228 occupants, but 26 survived the crash.

But Korean has turned things around since its dark days, and today is rated a five-star airline by Skytrax. It has passed the IATA Operational Safety Audit and has significantly improved its standards to become one of the safest airlines in the world today.

Notable absences and inclusions in the safest airlines list

AirlineRatings rates airlines out to 25th place, and there’ve been some changes in the safest list for 2025. 

For the first time, Iberia features in the top 25, claiming 16th place. The Spanish airline, part of the International Airlines Group (IAG), also did well in the most on-time airlines list for 2024, claiming top spot in Europe and its subsidiary Iberia Express claiming most on-time low-cost carrier.

According to the Aviation Safety Network, Iberia hasn’t had an accident since 2008. And checking the Aviation Herald, just four incidents were recorded in 2024 – one engine shutdown, one hydraulic problem, a bird strike and a damaged tyre.

Vietnam Airlines also makes it into the list for the first time, appearing in position 22. The Aviation Safety Network hasn’t recorded an accident with the Vietnamese carrier since September 2000, and AvHerald lists just two incidents in 2024 – a bird strike and a cracked windshield.

The airline has repeatedly obtained the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification, the ‘gold standard’ in aviation for operational safety. 

“Vietnam Airlines have not had a fatal accident in 27 years nor have they had any serious incidents,” noted Petersen. “The airline operates a fleet of 100 modern aircraft with an average age under 10 years and the company has passed its IOSA certification without fail since 2006. In addition to this, the country of Vietnam has also made huge strides in aviation safety with better airports, navigation system upgrades and far more stringent protocols.”

Notably, two regular entries on the safest airlines list did not make an appearance this year. Singapore Airlines and KLM both slipped off the list following a couple of incidents. Singapore Airlines suffered extreme turbulence in May 2024, while KLM’s Boeing 737 skidded off a runway in December 2024 following a hydraulic failure. 

Petersen emphasized that while these airlines remain exceptionally safe and retain their seven-star safety rating, they just narrowly missed out on a spot this year due to incidents that occurred.

However, incidents don’t always mean a low ranking in the safety stakes. Japan Airlines’ handling of the devastating runway crash in January 2024, which saw all passengers and crew safely escape despite a major fire, shows just how well JAL is applying its procedures. The safe evacuation exemplifies JAL’s commitment to safety, and it retained 19th position in the list.

Nevertheless, some of both types are still around, as are many other large passenger jets. Here are the top 10 biggest commercial aircraft in the world in 2025, based on how many passengers they can accommodate.

As airlines can configure their aircraft differently, we’ve used the exit limit to calculate the largest capacity airplanes. The exit limit is the maximum number of passengers the aircraft is certified to safely evacuate in 90 seconds (using only half of the available exits). 

It would be unusual to find a widebody aircraft in service operating at its maximum exit limit (although Cebu Pacific comes close with its 459-seat A330-900). Still, it’s a decent measure of usable capacity.

We count down the top 10, starting with the smallest of the big jets and working up to the largest. 

10. Boeing 787-10

Exit limit: 440

Designed to compete with the Airbus A330 family and replace older, less efficient Boeings like the 767, the 787 Dreamliner took its first flight in December 2009. It received its type certification in August 2011 and entered revenue service with ANA in October that year.

The first Dreamliner was the 787-8, the baby of the family, which was 56.7m long and an exit limit of 381. Two years later, the 787-9 arrived with a length of 62.81m. It has an exit limit of 420 passengers.

Finally, in March 2017, the longest member of the family arrived, the 787-10. With a fuselage 68.28m long, it has an exit limit of 440 passengers. However, most airlines fly with at least two classes on board, which could reduce the overall passenger capacity to around 330 in two classes and 300 or less in three or more classes.

9. Airbus A350-900

Exit limit: 440

The Airbus A350 is a long-haul passenger aircraft with a range of up to 15,000 km. Within the market, it competes with the 777 series, as well as the new Boeing 777X. Singapore Airlines is the largest operator of A350-900 aircraft; other primary users include Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, and Air France.

The A350-900 entered service with Qatar Airways in January 2015. Three years later, Qatar was the launch customer again, this time for the bigger brother – the A350-1000 (which features later in this countdown). The airline has had its ups and downs with Airbus and a dispute over paint but is tipped to be mulling a further order for the type, although it hasn’t been locked in yet.

In 2018, Singapore Airlines took delivery of the first A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range). Airbus increased the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) through various measures – systems refinements, landing gear improvements, material optimization – which allows it to carry more fuel in its existing tanks. This gives it a staggering range of 9,700 nmi (17,964 km), or around 19 hours of flying time. Singapore Airlines operates this variant on the world’s longest route, although with a light load of passengers – just 161.

As of December 2024, the A350 family has received 1,345 firm orders, with 628 aircraft delivered. The A350-900 is by far the most popular, representing 85% of the in-service fleet.

8. Airbus A330-300

Exit limit: 440

Airbus A330-300 is a widebody aircraft that entered service on November 2, 1992. The largest of the twin-engined A330s, it was designed to replace the Airbus A300.

Its exit limit is 440 passengers, although most airlines typically configure it with 250-290 seats. Some of its primary users include Turkish Airlines, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Cathay Pacific. 

The A330 was designed alongside the A340 and shares many of its characteristics. However, the A330 has two main landing gear legs instead of three and a shorter fuselage length.

The last A330-300 was delivered in October 2022, with ALTAVAIR taking the last of the unclaimed airframes originally destined for the troubled HNA Group. The carrier intends to have Elbe Flugzeugwerke convert it to a freighter. Airbus had a few dormant orders on its books after this but cleared them out in its December 2023 update.

The A330neo has effectively superseded the A330ceo, although production of the ceo continues at a low rate with the A330-200-based MRTT. However, Airbus has hinted at transitioning the MRTT to a neo-based platform at some point in the future.

7. Airbus A340-300/600

Exit Limit: 440

The iconic Airbus A340 is becoming a rare passenger jet today, with less than 70 still in commercial service. The -300 and -600 were the better-selling models, with the -200 and -500 selling only 28 and 34, respectively.

Both the A340-300 and -600 have an exit limit of 440, although the -300 requires four Type A doors and a nine-abreast configuration to apply this.

The A340-600 was the world’s longest airliner until the arrival of the Boeing 747-8 in 2010. Production of the type ended in 2012, although it is still in use with some well-known airlines, including Lufthansa, Edelweiss and SWISS.

6. Airbus A330-900

Exit limit: 460

The A330neo is the successor to the popular A330ceos, with two variants (-800 and -900) based on the two original ceo variants (-200 and -300). The -900 is the larger version and took its first flight in October 2017, gaining certification in November 2018.

TAP Air Portugal was the launch customer, taking delivery of the world’s first A330-900 on November 26, 2018. It entered commercial service the next month, flying from Lisbon to Sao Paulo.

The A330-900 is advertised as having a 12% fuel burn advantage over the original ceo variants, delivered by larger, more efficient engines, as well as various aero optimization measures such as sharklets. 

As of December 2024, the A330neo family has received 371 orders, with 145 aircraft delivered. The vast majority of the orders are for the -900, with just 12 for the smaller -800 version. Just seven -800s have been delivered so far.

The largest operator of the -900 is Delta Air Lines, with 31 in its fleet. TAP has 19, Condor has 17, and ITA Airways has 11. Airlines with substantial orders awaiting delivery include Cathay Pacific, VietJet, and AirAsiaX.

5. Airbus A350-1000

Exit limit: 480

Airbus had been planning a stretch of the A350 since 2011, but it was November 2017 before the aircraft got its EASA and FAA certification. Qatar Airways took delivery of the first in February 2018 and put it into commercial service four days later on its Doha to London Heathrow route.

At just under 74 m long, the A350 is the biggest aircraft Airbus is building today. It’s 11 frames longer than its little sister, the A350-900, and has a slightly larger wing. It also has a six-wheel bogie rather than four on the -900 and various engineering upgrades to maintain a world-beating range in the larger airframe.

To date, 1,345 of the A350 family have been ordered, with 302 of those the larger -1000. As of the end of November 2024, 628 of the family have been delivered, 90 of which are the -1000. 

Qatar Airways retains the largest fleet of the type, with 24 in service. Other major operators include British Airways, which has 18 active; Cathay Pacific, which has 18; and Virgin Atlantic, which has 12. Delta is set to fly a fleet of 40, although it hasn’t received any yet, and Korean, Air India, and Qantas are also expecting deliveries of the type.

4. Boeing 777-300ER

Exit limit: 550

The Triple Seven has been a mainstay of long-haul flying since its introduction in 1993. Originally produced as the 777-200, it had its range extended for the -200ER in 1997, and then the fuselage stretched for the 777-300 in 1998. 

The extended range -300, known as the 777-300ER, was introduced in 2004 with a higher MTOW, allowing for an impressive exit limit of up to 550 passengers. This version also has extended raked wingtips, a modified landing gear, and a strengthened fuselage.

The production line for the 777-300ER remains open, but Boeing is working hard on its successor, the 777X. As such, airlines that might have ordered more -300ERs have moved over to the 777-9 and are waiting for that aircraft to arrive.

The -300ER has been a huge success, significantly outselling every other variant in the Triple Seven family. All in, 832 have been built and delivered, almost double the 422 of the next most popular model, the 777-200ER.

Emirates has a huge fleet of 777-300ER, with 124 in service as of December 2024. Qatar Airways, Air France and Cathay all have significant fleets of more than 40 units, but dozens of international airlines have the ER in their fleets.

3. Boeing 747-8

Exit limit: 605

The Boeing 747-8 is the last in a long line of game-changing double-decker aircraft. Following the success of the 747-400, Boeing wanted to make an even larger aircraft to compete with the Airbus A380. Originally called the 747 Advanced, the 747-8 was officially launched in 2005.

Lufthansa was the first airline to order the 747-8 in 2006, followed by Korean Air and Air China. In 2011, the last order for a passenger version of the 747-8 was received for the US President’s ‘Air Force One,’ which is suffering production delays.

Boeing delivered the final 747 in January 2023, with cargo giant Atlas Air taking the last off the production line. Between the 747-8F and the 747-8I, Boeing sold 155 aircraft, just 48 of which were passenger jets.

Only three airlines fly the 747-8 with passengers on board – Lufthansa (19), Korean Air (7) and Air China (7). With these planes being pretty new, they’re likely to be around for a while yet.

2. Boeing 747-400

Exit limit: 660

The Boeing 747-400 is a passenger aircraft manufactured by Boeing in the US, with a capacity to accommodate up to 416 passengers in a three-class configuration, 524 in a two-class configuration, or 660 in an all-economy cabin. It has a travel range of 7,260 nautical miles or 13,446 kilometers.  

The 747-400 was a major development of the 747 series, with several structural and electronic improvements, and it made its inaugural flight on April 29, 1988. It flourished in the international market, making travel cheaper and more accessible to everyone.

As well as a successful passenger jet, the Queen of the Skies was also a great freighter. Of the 694 built, 227 were built for freight. Conversely to the passenger version, 218 cargo 747-400s are still flying, with major operators including Atlas Air, Kalitta, and Cargolux.

The passenger 747 was wildly popular, with 467 delivered and in service with airlines. But in recent years, the disappearance of the 747-400 has been rapid. 

The pandemic in 2020 caused several airlines to accelerate their retirement plans and saw the loss of the 747 in some of the world’s most iconic fleets – British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Qantas, for example.

The biggest operator today is Lufthansa with eight Queens in its fleet. Rossiya has five, and just two remain with Air China. Saudia keeps a couple in reserve for Hajj flights, and Iran’s Mahan Air has two, but the 747-400 is becoming a rare bird these days.

1. Airbus A380-800

Exit limit: 853

The Airbus A380 is a feat of engineering. The full double-decker aircraft was designed to revolutionize long-haul travel and alleviate pressures on airports nearing capacity. It first flew in 2005, and entered service with Singapore Airlines in October 2007.

Unfortunately for Airbus, the A380 was some years late and had two engines too many for the climate it arrived in. The sway from traditional hub-and-spoke to more point-to-point operations was already happening, and airlines were beginning to prefer more nimble, efficient aircraft that could trump capacity with frequency. Airbus ended production in 2021.

As much as passengers love the comfort and smooth ride offered by the superjumbo, airlines struggled to fill it and found the limitations on the airports that could receive it to be constricting. Consequently, no airline really invested in the A380 in a way that would transform their business model. No airline, apart from one.

Emirates has long been the biggest champion of this massive airliner, taking delivery of 123 in total. Seven have already been retired, but the airline still maintains an enormous fleet of 116 of the type. It’s part way through a mammoth refurbishment program, which will see the fleet flying well into the next decade.

Like the 747, the A380 suffered due to the pandemic downturn. It was the first type to be grounded around the world and the last to return, with many airlines saying they would never bring it back at all. While some did, indeed, see their last days of flying in 2020, a surprising number have (in some cases sheepishly) been returned to service, including:

• Lufthansa – 6 (2 parked)
• Singapore Airlines – 12 (3 parked)
• Qantas – 10 (3 parked)
• Korean Air – 7 (3 parked)
• British Airways – 12 (1 parked)
• Qatar Airways – 8 (2 parked)
• Asiana Airlines – 6
• ANA – 3

Although the huge size and the four engines of the Airbus A380 make it ripe for inefficiency, when it flies full, it’s actually very competitive on a fuel burn per seat basis. Operators realize this, and position these giant aircraft on the most popular routes where they know they can sell most of the seats. 

Some current operators, like Qatar Airways, are planning to phase out the A380 once new big jets arrive. Others, like ANA, use the superjumbo for specific routes and aren’t likely to retire them anytime soon. Despite everything, the amazing Airbus A380 is here to stay for some years, even if it is, one day, only in Emirates livery.

But times change, and the advent of new twinjets that could fly just as far on much less fuel saw the 747 in decline. The pandemic of 2020 accelerated retirement plans for many airlines, leaving the world somewhat devoid of the Queen of the Skies as we enter 2025.

Flying a passenger Boeing 747 isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible, as several airlines still offer scheduled flights with the type. We take a look at who’s flying the Boeing 747 in 2025, and how to catch a flight on the last remaining Queens this year.

How many Boeing 747s are flying in 2025?

Although the passenger Boeing 747 has become something of a rarity, as a type, the use of the 747 is still relatively widespread.

Planespotters.net lists 264 747s in active use right now, plus another 35 that are listed as ‘parked’. Some of these aircraft may be stored longer term and unlikely to return to service, but many are simply undergoing maintenance ahead of returning to their fleets.

The vast majority of the active 747 fleet is used for cargo. Atlas Air is the largest operator, with 51 aircraft in service, 48 Boeing 747-400 and 13 747-8. UPS flies 43 in its fleet, mostly the newer -8, and Cargolux has a fleet of 29, split between the -400 and -8.

Although most of the world’s Boeing 747s are in cargo-carrying roles, there are still some passenger operators too.

Which airlines fly the Boeing 747 in 2025?

According to data from planespotters.net, there are 50 Boeing 747s in commercial passenger configurations that are still in airline fleets. Not all of these are ‘active’ – the number drops to 39 aircraft if we consider currently active examples only.

Inactive aircraft may be undergoing maintenance, which is likely the case for operators like Lufthansa as the airline relies heavily on the 747 for high-capacity operations. In other cases, such as Mahan Air’s single 747-300, the aircraft hasn’t flown for some time and may well never do so again, but remains in the fleet on paper at least.

Where can you fly a Boeing 747 in 2025?

According to data from aviation analytics company Cirium, your absolute best bet for flying a Boeing 747 in 2025 is to pick a flight operated by German carrier Lufthansa. Sporting the largest fleet of passenger 747s in the world, the range of flights available makes it possible to travel all over the world with a Lufthansa Queen (as long as you don’t mind connecting through Frankfurt). 

For Iranian airlines, schedule data isn’t available from Cirium. However, interrogating Flightradar24 data shows Mahan Air is mainly using the 747-400 on domestic routes from Tehran (THR) to Kish Island (KIH) and Mashhad (MHD). In 2024, it made a couple of international appearances in Dubai (DXB) and Latakia (LTK), but these are the exceptions rather than the rule.

Airlines have not filed their schedules for the full 2025 year yet but below is data for the flights scheduled to be operated by a Boeing 747 up to the end of October 2025.

Although Lufthansa is the easy pick here, don’t discount Korean Air for a long-haul trip on the 747-8. Its fleet of seven aircraft can be spotted in US airports now and then. If you plan to take a nostalgic trip across the Pacific with Korean Air, you’d better make it quick, as changes are coming.

The service to Atlanta, operating under a joint venture with Delta Air Lines where Delta flies the A350 to Seoul and Korean the 747-8, will be switching away from the Queen of the Skies at the end of March. According to Cirium, from March 30, 2025, Korean will swap its double-decker for the capable 777-300ER. 

This means Korean Air will no longer operate the world’s longest passenger 747 flight. That accolade will be handed on to Lufthansa with its Frankfurt to Buenos Aires service.

Korean Air previously removed the 747-8 from its London Heathrow (LHR) service, marking the end of the Queen at the iconic British airport. Now, five of its 747-8s have been sold to the Sierra Nevada Corporation as part of its ‘doomsday plane’ project. Two have already left the fleet, with the other three set to be handed over imminently.

Lufthansa plans to retire the 747-400 by 2028 as part of its fleet renewal plan, replacing them with its incoming Boeing 777X. However, the 747-8s are getting a refresh with the new Allegris cabin starting in 2025, so are likely to stay in the fleet for at least another decade.

Airports such as Paris-Beauvais (BVA), London-Luton (LTN), Frankfurt-Hahn (HHN),   and Brussels-Charleroi (CRL) are all good examples of this, where you think you will be dropped close to the city that the airport is named after, yet your arrival at the airport represents only half of your journey.    

This phenomenon has become a more frequent occurrence since the dawn of mass low-cost air travel in the late 1990s. Out-of-town regional airports often offer relatively cheaper fees (such as landing fees, parking charges, and handling costs) than their rivals located closer to the cities they serve. This in turn means that the airline can reflect these lower fees by offering cheaper fares to those airports. But of course, this does mean that the responsibility for reaching those cities falls on the passengers themselves, which can often be seen as inconvenient at best, and disingenuous at worst.   

However, there is another side to this story. For every airport located miles away from the city after which they are named, there are many major international airports whose location means that upon arrival, you land right in the heart of the city you were expecting to be in. Indeed, some of these airports are located so close to those city centers, that one can even walk between the airport terminal and the downtown area in just a matter of minutes.

In this article, AeroTime takes a whistle-stop tour around the world and visits 25 major international airports that are located within the boundary of the cities after which they are named. Each airport listed is located less than six miles (10 km) from the central business district (CBD) of their namesake city, with either a short walk or failing that, a very short taxi ride standing between you, your luggage, and the bright lights and hustle and bustle of the downtown area. Equally, all airports listed handled 500,000 passengers in 2023 or more.    

Note: All distances are expressed in terms of the shortest road route between the central business district of each city and the respective airport according to Google Maps. Journey times quoted are averages and should not be relied upon for any purpose.          

North America

Kicking off our tour in North America, and even some of the largest cities in the United States have major airports located within the confines of their locations. 

Starting our tour in the Northeast US, Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS) is located 4.7 miles (7.5km) from the downtown area of Boston. From the airport’s central area, the Boston skyline is visible and is located across Boston Harbor from the airport itself. Handling 36 million passengers and 378,000 aircraft movements in 2023, the airport was on track to beat these figures in 2024, having already handled 34 million passengers by October 31, 2024. 

The airport can be reached by car from the city center in just seven minutes, via the Sumner Road Tunnel that accesses the central terminal area from East Boston. 

Also, in the Northeast US can be found Washington-Reagan Airport (DCA – formerly Washington National Airport). The airport is located so close to the city center of the US capital that landing aircraft pass low over the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall before flying over the Potomac River and touching down. The airport is just 3.1 miles (5km) from the city center and in 2023 handled 25.4 million passengers. Like Boston-Logan Airport, the airport can be reached by road in just seven minutes. However, landing aircraft cover the distance in less than 30 seconds!

Remaining on the east side of the US but further to the south, Miami International Airport (MIA) is located six miles (9.6km) from downtown Miami. Aircraft departing from the airport’s easterly runways blast over the city’s central business district and head out over Miami Beach and the Atlantic Ocean before continuing on track for their destination. In 2023, the airport, which serves as a major gateway to Florida as well as for flights to Central and South America, handled 52.3 million passengers.

In the major cities of Chicago and Dallas, Midway and Love Field Airports respectively have historically been considered as downtown airports. While worth honorable mentions given their historic significance, as both sit just outside of our threshold of six miles (10km) outside of the city centers, neither falls within the scope of this article.   

Heading westwards, we reach the city of Phoenix in Arizona, whose Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is located just 4.6 miles (7.3km) southeast of the downtown area. Handling 48.7 million passengers in 2023, the airport acts as a major gateway to Arizona, Nevada, and even Southern California. With its three parallel runways, Sky Harbor International Airport hosts 24 airlines serving 120 domestic and 25 international destinations.

Close to Phoenix is Las Vegas, whose Las Vegas-Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) is just 3.4 miles (5.4 km) from the Las Vegas Convention Center, located just off ‘The Strip’ in downtown Vegas. Aircraft taking off or landing at the airport have the iconic Las Vegas skyline as their backdrop, with passengers on night flights enjoying spectacular views of the illuminated central area of the city as their aircraft arrives or departs. The airport handled 57.6 million passengers in 2023, making it the eighth busiest airport in the country for that year.

Even further west lies the city of San Diego on the Pacific coast of California. Home to 1.4 million residents, the city is served by San Diego International Airport (SAN), one of the busiest single-runway airports in the US. The airport is located just 2.9 miles (4.6km) from the city center and can be reached by road in ten minutes. The airport handled 24.1 million passengers in 2023, a 9% increase over 2022.

Dropping south of the border into Mexico, Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) sits just 5.3 miles (8.5km) from downtown Mexico City. Located at an elevation of 2,230 meters (7,314ft), the airport is the highest above sea level featured on this list. While the traveling time from the city to the airport is quoted by Google as 15 minutes, Mexico City’s notoriously congested road network means that this journey time is rarely achievable.

Lastly, in the US although located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean lies Honolulu-Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) which is situated 5.4 miles from downtown Honolulu, the Hawaiian Islands’ capital city. A 15-minute drive will take you between the two, where the airport sits out in Mamala Bay. The airport handled just over 20 million passengers in 2023 with flights serving destinations across North America, Asia, and Oceania.  

Before leaving North America, two major airports in Canada are worth a mention.  Firstly, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) falls just within our distance threshold, located exactly 6.2 miles (10 km) from Vancouver city center. Driveable in just 13 minutes, and located south of the city on Sea Island, the airport handled 24.9 million passengers in 2023.

Also in Canada, and worth a mention as probably the closest airport on our list to its corresponding city center is Toronto’s Billy Bishop-Toronto City Airport (YTZ). Famously located within walking distance of the financial district of Toronto, the airport officially lies just two miles (3.2 km) from the downtown area. Just a ten-minute drive (or 35-to-40-minute walk) will take you to the airport’s terminal which handled two million passengers in 2023, making the airport Canada’s ninth busiest airport.

South America

Two airports in Brazil fall well within our distance threshold and both are located in the country’s two largest cities, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

Located less than a mile (1 km) from the center of Rio de Janeiro lies Santos Dumont Airport (SDU), famous for being one of the largest airports located within its corresponding city center. Situated on a peninsula within the Castelo district and just a stone’s throw from the city’s central cathedral and Museum of Modern Art, the airport’s single north/south runway ensures that aircraft do not fly over the congested city center as they arrive and depart.

Named after the Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos Dumont, the airport serves as a hub for local airlines such as LATAM Brasil, Azul, and GOL. The airport handled 11.4 million passengers in 2023 and saw 120,000 movements. These figures are remarkable as just a handful of domestic destinations are served from the facility including Sao Paulo (Congonhas and Guarulhos airports), Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, and Campinas.

In Brazil’s second main city, Sao Paulo lies Congonhas Airport (CGH). Located exactly six miles (9.7km) from the city center, the airport is one of four that serves the city of Sau Paulo and is the country’s second busiest airport after neighboring Guarulhos International Airport (GRU). The airport handled 22 million passengers in 2023m and can be reached in 17 minutes by road from the city’s main central cathedral.

Moving south to Argentina, we find Jorge Newberry Aero Parque (AEP)  located just 4.4 miles (7.3km) from the center of Buenos Aires. Located in the Palermo district of the city, the airport can be reached in just 11 minutes from the center of the city and serves both domestic and international flights. Major airlines serving the airport include national carrier Aerolienas Argentinas, LATAM, GOL, Flybondi, Avianca, and JetSmart. The airport handled 15.6 million passengers in 2023, making it the busiest airport in Argentina. 

Europe

In the continent of Europe, there are numerous airports located fairly close to the cities that give them their name. Due to the way cities developed over the centuries and their unique architecture, some larger airports have invariably been located (or relocated) away from the main built areas. However, there are still some airports located much closer to their corresponding cities.

Probably the most famous European airport that falls within the brief of this article is Gibraltar Airport (GIB) serving the British enclave of Gibraltar, located on the south of the Iberian Peninsula. As a British colony, Gibraltar is home to around 40,000 inhabitants and whose skyline is dominated by a huge, 426m (1,400ft) granite monolith known as ‘The Rock’. The airport serving Gibraltar is officially located just 2.9 miles (4.7km) from the Governor’s official residence in the center of the town.

Shared with the Royal Air Force that continues to maintain an operations base at the airport, two airlines currently serve Gibraltar from the UK including British Airways and easyJet. The airport also handles regular private jets from across Europe, and in 2023, saw 473,000 passengers pass through its single terminal. The airport is located so close to the center of Gibraltar, that famously, a public road in regular use crosses the main runway, with traffic being stopped by traffic lights when an aircraft is landing or taking off!

While referencing the UK, London-City Airport (LCY) has become renowned for writing the textbook on short runway air operations in downtown locations since its opening in 1987. Located 6.5 miles (10km) from Tower Bridge in the center of London and even closer to the financial and business district of Canary Wharf at a mere four miles (6.4km), the airport’s single runway handled a remarkable 3.4 million passengers in 2023, although this total was still far short of the 5.1 million handled in 2019 before the COVID pandemic struck.

The airport currently offers flights to 33 European destinations operated by nine carriers – British Airways City Flyer, SWISS, KLM, ITA Airways, Luxair, LOT Polish Airlines, Loganair, Aurigny, and Lufthansa. 

Heading into mainland Europe,  Milan’s Linate Airport (LIN) is considered the Italian city’s downtown airport. Located six miles (9.7km) from the city’s main Castello Sforzesco landmark, the airport offers flights to destinations across Europe.

Due in part to the city also being served by Malpensa (MXP) and Bergamo (BGO) airports, as well as its urban location, Linate has faced a cap on the range of flights it can offer of 810 miles (1.500km) for many years. However,  despite this, the airport handled 9.4 million passengers, a 22% increase over 2022. The airport can be accessed via road in 36 minutes from the city center.

Poland’s Warsaw-Chopin Airport (WAW) is the primary international airport serving the Polish capital city. Located in the Włochy district of Warsaw, the airport is the busiest airport in Poland and the 31st busiest airport in Europe, handling 18.5 million passengers in 2023, and handling approximately 40% of the country’s total air passenger traffic. The airport is situated 5.2 miles (8.3km) from the downtown area of Warsaw and can be reached in 24 minutes by road from the Centrum metro station in the heart of the city.   

In Germany, the city of Dusseldorf is served by Dusseldorf Airport (DUS), known as Dusseldorf International Airport until 2013. As Germany’s fourth busiest airport in 2023 behind Frankfurt (FRA), Munich (MUC), and Berlin-Brandenburg (BER), the airport handled 19.1 million passengers in 2023, and flights serve over 100 destinations. The airport is located 5.3 miles (8.6km) from the city center and can be reached by road in 17 minutes.

Before heading away from Europe, two smaller airports in Greece are worth mentioning as the majority of their passengers originate from international locations. Firstly Corfu-Ioannis Kapodistrias International Airport (CFU) is located on a small island just outside the city walls of Corfu Town on the Ionian island of the same name.

Handling 1.8 million passengers in 2023, the vast majority arriving on scheduled and charter flights carrying holidaymakers from elsewhere in Europe, the airport can be reached by road in just 13 minutes from the old town, although the distance of 2.8 miles (4.5 km) can be reached in just 30 minutes on foot.

Similar to Corfu Airport, the airport serving the Greek island of Skiathos (Skiathos International Airport-JSI) can be reached on foot from the center of Skiathos town in just 28 minutes on foot, or just five minutes by car. The airport located a mere 1.2 miles (2km) from the center of the town handled 560,000 passengers in 2023 and is world-renowned for offering aviation enthusiasts a thrill as landing aircraft pass over the public road at the end of the runway at just 20 meters (60ft) above the ground.  

Africa

Serving the Angolan capital city of Luanda, Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport (LAD) has served both domestic and international passengers arriving in Luanda for 70 years. However, a process has just started in November 2024 that will see the vast majority of flights handled by the airport transfer to the newly constructed Dr Antonio Agostinho Neto International Airport that has been built 40km south of the city.

In the meantime, the current airport serves a range of international airlines in addition to TAAG, the Angolan national carrier. The airport is located just 2.7 miles (4.4km) from downtown Luanda – a journey that takes just 11 minutes by road.

Over on the eastern side of the continent of Africa lies Ethiopia, whose capital city Addis Ababa is served by Addis Ababa-Bole International Airport (ADD). The airport is located 5.1 miles (8.3km) from the city center and takes just 31 minutes by car to reach the terminal building. The airport handled 17 million passengers in 2023 and is the home of Ethiopian Airlines, currently the fastest-growing airline on the continent of Africa. 

Rest of the world

Wrapping up our tour of major city center airports around the world, we stop off in Doha in the Middle Eastern country of Qatar. Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) is located just six miles (9.7km) from downtown Doha and the National Museum of Qatar. The airport has significantly grown in recent years, following the expansion of national carrier Qatar Airways. Just a nine-minute drive away from the center of Doha, the airport handled 87 million passengers and 1.81 million tonnes of cargo in 2023.

In the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, the city’s secondary airport of Songshan International Airport (TSA) may be overshadowed by its larger sister at the Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) but is a significant facility in its own right and is also located far nearer the city center.

Just 3.1 miles (4.9km) from the central business district, of Taipei, Songshan Airport sees service from a large number of domestic and international airlines including homegrown China Airlines, All Nippon Airways, EVA Air, Japan Airlines, and a multitude of airline based on the Chinese mainland. The airport, which handled around seven million passengers in 2023, can be accessed by road in just 13 minutes from Taipei’s central shopping district.

Ending our whistle-stop global tour Down Under, Sydney’s Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) just sneaks onto the list as the final major international airport located near the city it serves. Located just six miles (9.7km) from the steps of the iconic Sydney Opera House, Sydney’s main airport can be reached by road in just 13 minutes from the CBD. The airport is so close to the downtown area that arriving and departing passengers often get excellent views of Sydney Harbor and its legendary Harbour Bridge as they pass overhead.

To be supplemented by the newly constructed Western Sydney Airport in 2026, the current facility is the busiest international gateway to Australia and handled 38 million passengers in 2023.

Summary

Regardless of the unrelenting growth in global commercial aviation and despite the growing trend for larger out-of-town airports, as our tour has shown, there remains a large number of major international airports that survive in their city center locations, offering in many cases a niche service to customers that desire more local and convenient travel options.

Airports such as those listed above in cities like Toronto, London, Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paulo (to pick just a few), work purely because of their urban locations. While other larger airports that serve the same city or conurbation pick up the majority of the traffic, the smaller airports specialize in serving point-to-point markets, often with smaller aircraft offering higher frequencies of flights.

The combination of city center airports offering such niche services alongside the larger out-of-town airports works for many cities. But as real estate values in cities come under increased pressure and as environmental concerns push inner city airports to the peripheries, the species remains under threat. But so long as airports serving the same city can work in harmony and continue to complement each other going forward, then the future for city-center airports should be assured.

Flying low-cost airlines might mean no-frills, but an on-time arrival is still an important element of the passenger experience. Low-cost airlines are well-known for running a tight ship when it comes to operations, but who does it best?

From Cirium’s data, the most on-time low-cost airline in the world in 2024 was Europe’s Iberia Express, the low-cost subsidiary of IAG’s Iberia. The airline has performed well in previous years, winning four times before. But there are some surprises in the data, not least that Ryanair (despite all the fanfare) doesn’t feature in the top 10 at all. 

We count down the top 10 on-time low-cost carriers for 2024, with more detail on each.

10: Thai AirAsia – 77.46%

Thai AirAsia is a major low-cost airline in Thailand and a joint venture between Malaysian AirAsia and Thailand’s Asia Aviation. Founded in 2003, it operates a fleet of 60 all-Airbus narrowbody aircraft, and is gradually upgrading from the A320ceo to the more efficient neos. 

The airline was recognized in the 2023 Cirium awards as the most efficient airline in Asia-Pacific. For 2024, it was 5th in the region, but claimed 10th in the global rankings for most on-time low-cost airline.

The AirAsia group has been moving towards consolidating its many subsidiaries into a unified airline group. However, Thai AirAsia is not part of the reorganization at present, as it works on its own restructuring after being particularly hard-hit during the pandemic.

9: Southwest Airlines – 77.77%

Southwest Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the US, with a fleet of over 800 aircraft in service. It exclusively flies the Boeing 737 and is gradually replacing older NG aircraft with newer 737 MAXs. It’s keenly waiting on the certification of the 737 MAX 7 in order to continue its fleet refresh.

The carrier has clawed its way back from a disastrous operational meltdown over Christmas 2022 and confrontations with an activist investor in 2024 to claim 9th spot in the world’s most on-time low-cost airlines. Mike Malik, CMO of Cirium, described Southwest’s performance as ‘incredible’, given the challenges it has faced.

The airline has been through something of a transformative 2024, with board shakeups, route changes, and some of the biggest alterations to its policies in its history. For the first time, the airline has launched ‘red-eye’ flights and has shunned open seating. Will these changes make it even more on-time in 2025? We will have to wait and see.

8: Indonesia AirAsia – 78.97%

Formed 25 years ago as Air Wagon International (Awair), Indonesia AirAsia launched under its current brand in 2005, and operates a fleet of 32 aircraft. Like its sister airline, Thai AirAsia, the Indonesian airline also exclusively flies the A320 family, although it doesn’t yet have any neo aircraft in its fleet.

CEO of Capital A – the new name for the AirAsia Group – Tony Fernandes said the airline wants to have 100 aircraft in the next five years, but that it needs funding of up to $80 million to achieve this. No aircraft orders have been placed specifically for Indonesia AirAsia, but perhaps we could see something announced in 2025.

The airline is planning growth in 2025, with several new routes earmarked for its expansion. Five aircraft that have been parked in Jakarta for several months will be returned to service to facilitate this growth, according to Veranita Yosephine Sinaga, President Director of Indonesia AirAsia, although the new routes have not yet been disclosed.

7: Norwegian – 79.23%

Back from the brink, Norwegian put in a great show to claim 7th place in the most on-time low-cost airline of 2024. After the dream of low-cost long-haul ended for the airline, its focus has been on restructuring the business into a profitable entity. Now, it flies short- and medium-haul only, concentrating on intra-European and North African destinations.

2024’s on-time performance of 79% was slightly lower than its 2023 result of 82.7%, but it was operating at a far higher capacity. The acquisition of regional carrier Wideroe has both bolstered and complicated its operations, but with profitable results in the last couple of quarters, the move seems to be paying off for the airline.

Norwegian was keen to continue its growth in 2025 but is concerned its plans will be stalled due to slower-than-expected deliveries from Boeing. During the third quarter’s earnings call, CEO Geir Karlsen said, “We are considering various mitigating actions to overcome the shortage of aircraft, such as lease renewals.” 

6: Allegiant Air – 79.31%

US ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air has successfully snagged 6th place in the most on-time low-costs for 2024 with an on-time arrival rate of almost 80%. For most of the year, the airline completed its flying with the Airbus A320 family exclusively, but that changed in late October when its newest aircraft type entered the fleet.

Allegiant shook things up with an order for the 737 MAX in early 2022. The first arrived in September 2024, entering service towards the end of October. So far, Allegiant has taken delivery of four of the type, but has dozens more on order, including for the yet-to-be-certified 737 MAX 7.

The first 737 MAX for Allegiant was also the US’ first 737 MAX 8-200. Based on the MAX 8, this high-density version features slimline seats and an extra emergency exit to give it a higher passenger capacity. Designed for Ryanair, the model has proven popular in the low-cost world, with India’s Akasa Air and Vietnam’s Vietjet also ordering the type.

5: Vueling Airlines – 81.20%

European low-cost carrier Vueling, part of the IAG Group, broke the 80% barrier in its on-time performance in 2024. It had previously won the award for most on-time airline in Europe in 2021 with performance of over 90%, but as far fewer flights were in the skies that year, it’s hardly a fair comparison.

With 2024 just about back to normal in European aviation terms, Vueling has maintained efficient operations to secure 5th place in Cirium’s list. It returned to London-Heathrow (LHR) for the first time since 2020, with routes to Barcelona and Paris, and has expanded its uptake of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). 

Its 136-strong fleet has always been all-Airbus, with everything from the A319 to the A321neo included. Rumors have it that this could change with the arrival of the 737 MAX in IAG’s stable. Originally expected to go to British Airways low-cost subsidiary BA Euroflyer, it is now believed that the MAX will go to Vueling to replace older A320ceos.

4: Peach Aviation – 82.32%

Launched in 2012, Peach Aviation was originally a joint venture between ANA, Innovation Network Corporation of Japan, and First Eastern Investment Group. However, in late 2024, ANA acquired the remaining 7% stake in Peach to become full owner of the low-cost carrier.

As CMO of Cirium Mike Malik put it, Peach seems to be “taking a leaf out of its parent airline’s books” when it comes to operational excellence. ANA is regularly among the top on-time airlines in Asia-Pacific and missed out on the top spot to Japan Airlines in 2024 by less than half a percentage point.

For Peach, operating 82% of its flights on time is no mean feat, particularly when so many of its routes touch some of the busiest airports in Asia. Its budget-friendly flights are popular with customers, and it continues to add more routes to its network, with one of its most notable additions in 2024 being Osaka to Singapore.

3: Azul Airlines – 82.42%

Based in Sao Paulo, Azul is another David Neeleman success story. Founded in 2008, it followed on from his success with Morris Air, JetBlue and WestJet, and is currently the largest airline in Brazil.

Azul struggled during and after the pandemic, and was rumored to be considering Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2024. However, unlike many of its Latin American counterparts, Azul undertook a thorough restructuring without entering bankruptcy. Part of that restructuring included ceasing Airbus A350 operations, with both of its former aircraft now transferred to THAI.

The airline is now focused on getting more Embraer E195-E2s into its fleet fast. It is eyeing various expansions in 2025, and is striding into the new year in a much more comfortable financial position. 

2: Gol – 84.09%

Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, or just Gol for simplicity, is another Brazilian low-cost that is doing exceptionally well in the on-time performance stakes. Securing silver medal position is quite a feat for this carrier, given that it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early 2024.

Gol has been a member of the Abra Group since it was formed in 2022, formally merging Gol with Avianca. With the might of the group behind it, the airline reached a debt-to-equity agreement that should see it exiting Chapter 11 in 2025.

Mike Malik, CMO at Cirium, noted that “Gol didn’t feature very well in the past few years, but since it’s been taken over by Abra and Adrian Neuhauser’s team, it has done exceedingly well … there’s some magic that Adrian weaves on these airlines that makes their performance increase, so watch out for Gol going forward.”

1: Iberia Express – 84.69%

The number one most on-time low-cost airline in the world for 2024 is the Spanish low-cost Iberia Express. Owned by Iberia and part of IAG, the carrier has been flying for 12 years from its home in Madrid. In 2024, it achieved an on-time performance rate of almost 85%.

Iberia Express has been awarded for its on-time performance numerous times in the past. In both 2022 and 2023, it won most on-time European airline, and took the crown for most on-time low-cost airline every year from 2014 to 2018. 

Winning in the low-cost sector for 2024 is just one of the airline’s accolades, as it also took gold in the rankings for European airlines. Naturally, its parent airline runs a tight ship as well. Iberia was the second-most on-time airline in Europe, and 8th in the world in the global rankings. 

Describing Iberia Express following its win last year, Mike Malik, CMO at Cirium, commented, “What sets Iberia Express apart from other airlines is not only its exceptional punctuality but also its strategic role within Iberia and the International Airlines Group (IAG). As a subsidiary, Iberia Express benefits from Iberia’s strong brand recognition and extensive network, while contributing significantly to the group’s overall performance and profitability. The airline’s success in maintaining high OTP rates is a key factor in bolstering the group’s reputation and reliability among passengers.”

Jeremy Bowen, Cirium CEO, said, “2024 was a difficult year for airlines, facing a large-scale IT outage, and unseasonable and severe weather patterns. Despite these challenges, these airlines and airports have worked tirelessly to ensure their customers have a smooth journey and reach their destination on-time.”

Here are the results for the most on-time airlines in 2024.

The most on-time airline in the world

The airline with the best on-time performance in 2024 might be an airline you don’t know all that much about. Safair is a small regional airline based out of O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) in South Africa and, according to Cirium, it has achieved an on-time percentage of 93.82% across 2024. 

Safair operates a fleet of Boeing 737s for passenger transport, including several -800s and 10 ‘classic’ 737-400s. It also operates one of the world’s largest fleets of L-100 Hercules cargo aircraft, although those weren’t included in the on-time performance report. 

Close behind Safair is Oman Air, with on-time performance of 90.3%. Copa Airlines in Panama rounded out the top three with 88.2% on-time arrivals.

Most on-time global airline

The gold standard for Cirium’s on-time awards is in the global airline category. In 2024, we’ve seen a surprise winner, which has not even featured in the top on-time airlines in recent years. According to Cirium, the most on-time airline of 2024 was Aeromexico, with an on-time arrival rate of 86.7%. 

Cirium analysts pointed out that, for Aeromexico, this is a sign of huge improvements. In 2023, the airline achieved on-time performance of just 77%, improving operations by more than 9% over the year.

In second place was Saudia, with 86.3% of flights arriving on time, almost a 5% improvement over 2023. And in third was the three-time platinum winner Delta Air Lines with an on-time performance of 83.5%.

Not all airlines qualify for the award, as entrance requires that they fly to at least three continents and provide a certain number of available seat miles (ASMs). As such, some of the regional airlines don’t qualify, even if they had a higher on-time percentage in the report.

North America’s most punctual airlines

Cirium tracked all the airlines in North America to find out who operated with the least delays. Given the global results, it’s no huge surprise to discover that Delta Air Lines took the crown in this category too with its 83.5% on-time performance. 

For Delta, this is an incredible feat, given that the airline operates more than 1.6 million flights a year. The airline had to battle with the major CrowdStrike outage in the height of the summer, but managed to pull things back with a 91% on-time rate in August 2024. 

Cirium’s Chief Marketing Officer Mike Malik applauded Delta’s performance, saying, “They run a very good operation, and I’ve got to congratulate the COO John Laughter for their impeccable performance in this area.”

Nipping at the heels of Delta is United Airlines, improving its on-time performance in 2024 to become the second most on-time airline in North America. United’s on-time performance came in at 81%, around a percentage point better than in 2023.

In third place is Alaska Airlines with on-time arrivals of 79.3%. This was a bit of a dip from its performance of 82.3% in 2023, which secured it second position, but enough to hold on to third place for 2024.

Europe’s most on-time airlines

For the third year in a row, IAG’s Iberia has clinched both first and second place in Europe’s on-time performance. Iberia Express, the regional subsidiary, took the top spot with an on-time performance of 84.7%, while mainline Iberia came in second with 81.6%, an incredible performance from the group given the flooding that happened in Spain.

A newcomer in this category provided a surprise third place as SAS secured its spot on the leaderboard. There’s been a great deal going on at the Scandinavian airline, as it emerged from restructuring and joined SkyTeam during the summer. Malik noted that the airline has been “making huge strides in investment in IT and technology and also fleets as well.”

In the UK, Virgin Atlantic led the way with 74.01% of its flights arriving on time, while Wizz Air UK came in at 70.5% with easyJet coming in third with 68.4% on-time arrivals. British Airways flyers will be disappointed to see just 67.83% of the company’s flights arrived on time.

Copa cleans up again in Latin America

For the 10th year in a row, Copa Airlines is the most on-time airline in the Latin American region with a performance of 88.2%. Sadly for Copa, it doesn’t provide the network to qualify for the global award, but clearly runs a great operation to achieve such a high on-time performance.

As Cirium’s Mike Malik noted, “behind every great airport is a great airline,” and Copa’s success is a good example of this. Its home airport – Panama Tocumen (PTY) – won the most on-time medium airport in the ranking as well, with a performance of more than 90%.

Aeromexico will have to be satisfied with second place in its regional rankings with 86.7% and is closely followed by Caribbean Airlines in third at 85.5%.

The Middle East is setting the bar for operational excellence

Although Safair claimed the crown for on-time performance in the Middle East & Africa (ME&A) regions, the ability of Middle Eastern airlines and airports to run a tight ship must not be understated. The other two winners in the ME&A category were Oman Air (90.2%) and Royal Jordanian (87%), all of which surpassed the global winner – Aeromexico – although the airlines didn’t qualify for that category.

More operational excellence becomes apparent when you consider the airports being utilized by these airlines too. In particular, Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH) won both the awards for most on-time global and large airport, with its home carrier Saudia also coming second in the global rankings. 

Cirium CMO Mike Malik noted, “Something’s going on in Saudi Arabia. Both Saudi Arabian Airlines and also the airports are doing exceedingly well. They’re really pulling out all the stops at this current time.”

It’s no secret that Saudi Arabia is pouring money into its aviation industry under its Vision 2030 initiative. The crowning glory of this will be the launch of its homegrown startup, Riyadh Air, set to launch in 2025 and based at King Khalid Airport. Saudi Arabia wants to have 300 million air passengers by 2030 and is preparing its airports, airlines, and hospitality sector to achieve this goal. Running a tight, on-time operation is a crucial component of future success.

Asia Pacific sees a switch at the top

For the past few years, ANA has dominated the on-time rankings for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. In 2024, it’s been pipped at the post by fellow Japanese airline Japan Airlines (JAL) with an on-time performance of 80.9%, less than half a percentage point ahead of ANA (80.6%)

Both airlines saw a slight reduction in on-time performance compared with 2023 when ANA came in with 82.7% and JAL at 82.6%. In 2022, they were even more on-time, at 88.6% for ANA and 88% for JAL. However, both years saw reduced flying activity due to the pandemic, so this is the first year that either airline has operated anything close to a ‘normal’ schedule.

In third place for APAC, Singapore Airlines kept up a good show with an on-time performance of 78.7%. Given the size of Singapore Airlines’ network and its operation of some of the busiest and longest flights in the world, maintaining that performance is a great result.

Here is a selection of our top stories and trends that have shaped commercial aviation news in 2024.

A bad start to the year that set the tone for aviation news

They say that bad luck comes in threes, and that certainly seemed to be the case for 2024 as the year kicked off with three significant negative events. 

First, there was a shocking runway collision in Tokyo on the second day of the year. Japan Airlines flight 516 was landing at Haneda Airport (HND) when the Airbus A350-900 collided with a Japan Coast Guard DHC Dash 8 that was already on the runway. Five of the six people in the Dash 8 were killed, but amazingly all 367 passengers and 12 crew of the Airbus were safely evacuated.

AeroTime journalist Luke Peters noted that “Not only did this accident result in the first hull loss of an Airbus A350 while in commercial airline service but raised a series of questions regarding runway safety protocols, communications between air traffic controllers and pilots, and possible issues relating to pilot fatigue, particularly when operating at night in poor weather conditions. The investigation’s complete findings, when published, could have far-reaching implications for future commercial air operations.”

Just days later, on January 5, 2024, another incident rocked the aviation world when a door plug separated from an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 as it was taking off from Portland. AeroTime journalist Ian Molyneaux commented, “The incident would come to dominate the news agenda this year and lead to huge questions over Boeing and its reputation.”

The third event, although not an aviation incident, would set the stage for the fortunes of two particular airlines, and it wasn’t the news they wanted. JetBlue’s $3.8 billion takeover of Spirit Airlines was blocked by the US Department of Justice on January 16, 2024. Both companies suffered financially, with JetBlue trimming routes in a bid for profitability. Spirit’s share price dropped in the wake of the block. It attempted to revive merger discussions with Frontier but ultimately filed for bankruptcy protection in November 2024.

Financial troubles saw airlines fail

Spirit wasn’t the only airline struggling financially. In the first half of the year, US airlines in particular engaged in an airfare war that saw many posting losses. Slower aircraft deliveries from manufacturers led to the industry growing more slowly than anticipated, putting pricing power in the hands of the carriers.

As the competition subsided, airlines returned to profit, with IATA estimating net profits to reach $30.5 billion by the year-end. However, not all airlines came out unscathed, and we said goodbye to some notable and historic brands. These included:

• Lynx Air – February 26, 2024
• Air Malta – March 31, 2024
• Bonza – April 30, 2024
• Rex Airlines – July 30, 2024
• Canada Jetlines – August 15, 2024
• Czech Airlines – October 28, 2024

“The collapse of Bonza in late April 2024, followed swiftly by Rex halting all of its Boeing 737-operated services in July 2024, brought to close the latest chapters in a very long line of independent airlines that have tried and failed to break the steadfast duopoly of Qantas and Virgin Australia in the Australian market,” said Luke Peters. “Over recent decades, many carriers have tried and failed to carve a niche for themselves in the Australian air travel market, and with proposed startup Koala Airlines planning on being the next to try, time will tell whether history repeats itself once more.”

As well as trouble down under, Bonza’s sister airline in Canada has been struggling financially. Flair Airlines saw four of its aircraft repossessed in 2023 as it missed rent payments, and has been revealed to owe various parties substantial amounts of money. It has since been noted to be seeking investors and a restructuring of its balance sheet. As the only remaining ultra-low-cost airline in Canada, travelers are watching closely to see if it survives.

Turbulent trips reinforce the importance of wearing a seatbelt in flight

Extreme turbulence is nothing new in aviation, but 2024 has seen several events that served to shine a light on this dangerous phenomenon. 

The first, and most attention-grabbing, was Singapore Airlines flight 321 which hit severe turbulence over Myanmar. At least 71 people were injured, with dozens requiring treatment in intensive care. Sadly, one 73-year-old British man died of a heart attack as a result of the incident. 

Following this shocking event, several other incidents occurred over the course of the year. In July 2024, Air Europa’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner made a sudden descent over the Atlantic Ocean, injuring three passengers and one crewmember. In August 2024, a Korean Air A330 ran into turbulence, injuring 10 passengers and four cabin crew. And Lufthansa’s Boeing 747-8 ran into a similar issue over the Atlantic in November 2024, injuring 11 people.

Several other notable turbulence events in 2024 have seen the industry questioning whether enough is being done to keep passengers and crew safe. Some carriers, like Korean Air, have revised their rules around crew serving times to ensure staff are safely strapped in when the skies get bumpy, but as yet, no blanket changes have been made to regulations.

The industry is doing a great deal to predict and detect turbulence, even involving AI in prediction modeling. While regulators have so far shied away from introducing tougher seatbelt legislation, the message to passengers is clear: keep your belt fastened at all times when in flight.

The deadliest year for aviation since 2018

A flurry of accidents in the final month of the year added up to make 2024 the most deadly year for aviation since 2018. This comes in stark contrast to 2023, which went down in history as the safest year for air travel since records began.

Two crashes in the summer led to multiple fatalities. In July 2024, Nepal’s Saurya Airlines crashed after taking off from Kathmandu, killing 18. Then, in August a VoePass turboprop was captured in shocking videos freefalling from the sky and killing 62. 

Alongside a number of incidents with single-figure fatalities, this put the industry at 101 fatalities by the end of November 2024. However, two high-profile crashes at the very end of the year ramped up the numbers dramatically.

On Christmas Day, 38 people were killed when an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer lost control and crash-landed in Kazakhstan. Miraculously, 29 people survived the crash thanks to the valiant efforts of the flight crew in getting the plane to the ground. Russian air defenses have been blamed for the incident, although investigations are ongoing.

Then, on December 29, 2024, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 landed on its belly at Muan International Airport, careering down the runway and smashing into a concrete barrier. All but two of the 181 people onboard perished in the fire that immediately consumed the plane.

While not included in the commercial incidents reported, there was another accident that was rather close to home for the AeroTime team. As our journalist Goda Labanauskaitė explained, “Not to be subjective as a native Lithuanian, but for me, the Vilnius DHL aircraft crash was a huge story. Not only for me – local aviation experts are calling the crash one of the biggest aviation disasters to have occurred in independent Lithuania.”

“Currently the investigators have begun the process of decrypting data from the black boxes, so hopefully soon we will learn the cause behind the crash,” she continued. “Most importantly, the whole AeroTime Editorial team has been working closely together in order to analyze the developments.”

Crowdstrike and labor strikes

Technology problems are nothing new in the aviation industry, but the massive CrowdStrike outage in July 2024 really highlighted how reliant airlines are on IT. Delta alone reported around 7,000 flight cancelations across five days, leading to losses of more than $500 million. The incident has sparked discussions on the balance of cybersecurity practices and the need for improved industry standards.

But when CrowdStrike wasn’t striking, workers were. From flight attendants to catering teams, labor disputes have been rife in 2024. One of the most high-profile was, of course, the Boeing machinists strike, which went on for much longer than expected. Goda covered it for AeroTime, and told us this:

“The Boeing strike has been one of the longest and most fascinating topics I’ve covered and followed this year. It drew my attention because it touches on many important issues, such as labor and employee rights, economic impacts, and production challenges impacting not only the planemaker, but the whole aviation industry. The seven-week strike, involving 33,000 US West Coast workers, resulted in a net loss of $6.17 billion, led to layoffs of 10% of the workforce, and stopped production of Boeing’s 737 MAX, 767 and 777 models.”

Hot on the heels of Boeing’s strike came another at a US company, as Textron Aviation workers voted to strike. Goda had the pleasure of covering that too, and remarked that “it was interesting to explore the strike action of both companies and follow their progress.”

Goda added that “The Textron strike unfolded differently and ended much quicker, lasting four weeks. It significantly affected the company’s financial results for the third quarter of 2024, leading to a revenue decrease of about $50 million and a profit drop of around $30 million. It also caused production issues and stoppage to aircraft deliveries.”

Our personal favorite aviation news stories of 2024

Luke Peters loves aviation history and highlighted the news of NASA retiring its Douglas DC-8 in May 2024 after more than 37 years of research missions. He added, “The retirement of this aircraft marked not only the end for this particular plane from flying duties but also the retirement of one of the very last Douglas DC-8s left flying worldwide. 

“The type was integral in shrinking the planet through the introduction of the jet age in the 1950s but was also loved by passengers and crews alike for its sleek lines, spacious cabin, and impressive range and speed capabilities. With the era of four-engined commercial jet aircraft all but over, the retirement of this plane was another sad step towards confining the type to the aviation history books.”

As well as covering the main news stories, AeroTime journalists get to the heart of the matter and explore niches of the industry in depth. One such interview was undertaken by Jean Lim, our Asia-Pacific reporter, when she spoke with Airbus APAC President Anand Stanley regarding widebody demand and sustainability.

Jean noted that “it was wonderful to get insights from Anand Stanley, who is known for his remarkable foresight with trends. In this interview, I found his perception and thoughts on SAF sourcing in Southeast Asia to be particularly valuable because some of them are being applied now months later.”

Jean also dove into the growth of aviation in ASEAN, and how it is driven by small aircraft, islands and middle class power. She mentioned that she was particularly proud of this long read as she’d been “keenly following and observing the direction of commercial aviation in Southeast Asia the past year, and this piece is a culmination of the shift coming to fruition.”

Finally, a story that shouldn’t happen in these modern times but did nonetheless, Luke Peters reported that two elderly British travelers had publicly slated UK-based charter carrier Jet2 after it flew them to the wrong Mediterranean island on holiday in January 2024. 

“The pair were said to have been left in “an awful state” after they mistakenly boarded a flight to Menorca (MAH) rather than their desired destination of Majorca (PMI) at Bristol Airport (BRS),” Luke explained. “While regrettable for the passengers involved, the story just goes to show that, despite all the automation being introduced to make air travel safer and more efficient for all involved, there is still some way to go to eradicate the element of human error.”

We’d like to take the opportunity to thank our readers for their support over the year, and to wish you health and happiness in the new year. Keep following AeroTime for all the important aviation news in 2025.

Global travel data company OAG has released its analysis of the busiest international flight routes of 2024, and there have been some changes. Notable is the surge in passenger volume in Asia, where pandemic restrictions were last to lift and carriers have been slow to reinstate capacity.

Back in the top spot is the burgeoning connection from Hong Kong (HKG) to Taipei (TPE), which was traditionally the busiest route in the world, but hasn’t held the top position since 2019. Last year’s busiest flight route between Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and Singapore (SIN) dropped to fourth place, despite traffic growing by 10%. 

Let’s take a look at each of the world’s busiest international flight routes in more detail.

10: New York JFK – London Heathrow – 4,011,235 seats

The traffic between London Heathrow (LHR) and New York JFK has long been extensive enough that it keeps this route in the top 10. Last year it achieved eighth, but more because Asian carriers were still in recovery mode than its own exemplary performance.

Covering almost 3,500 miles, it’s the longest route in this top 10 list and the only one featuring western destinations. 

Traditionally a high-traffic business class route, Heathrow to JFK sees airlines plying their flagship aircraft in a bid to snag their share of the traffic. British Airways took the iconic A380 to JFK until November 2024, when it switched it out for its 777s with the new Club Suite onboard.

Virgin Atlantic flies its flagship Airbus A350-1000 on the route, having swapped out the 747-400 during the pandemic. All the US airlines fly premium-heavy configurations on this billion-dollar route, including JetBlue with its new Mint product on the A321LR. The only outlier here is Norse Atlantic, a low-cost airline without a business class product that has been running at a loss through 2024.

9: Bangkok Suvarnabhumi – Singapore Changi – 4,033,344 seats

Getting between these two popular Southeast Asian cities is easiest and quickest by plane. Taking just two and a half hours, compared to 12 hours by bus, it’s a well-used entry route into the heart of SEA from one of the world’s biggest international gateways.

More than four million seats were available on the route in 2024, up 16% compared with last year. It’s also one of the Asian routes that has not only recovered to 2019 levels but actually surpassed it, up by 5% on its pre-pandemic traffic.

With multiple airlines flying the route, many of which are low-cost carriers, the prices on this route can be incredibly competitive. It’s not uncommon to find a return ticket for under $100, although fares do go up during busy periods.

8: Jakarta Soekarno–Hatta – Singapore Changi – 4,069,071 seats

Another route that has been growing in the last year is Jakarta to Singapore. Again, this is a connection with one of the world’s busiest international hubs, giving passengers onward connections from their long-haul flights to the region.

But it’s not only leisure travel that is influencing the popularity of this route. The close economic ties between Singapore and Indonesia mean the connection sees plenty of business travel as well, reflected in the dedication of full service carriers like Garuda and Singapore Airlines.

Garuda and Singapore Airlines launched a joint venture in May 2023, which was approved in July 2024. Together, the two airlines have recently upped their frequencies on this route, with Singapore moving to eight daily services from six, and Garuda moving from four to six in November 2024. Both airlines deploy widebodies on this route despite being under two hours in duration, with SIA using the A350 and Boeing 777, and Garuda using the A330-300.

7: Bangkok Suvarnabhumi – Hong Kong International – 4,201,802 seats

Connecting two economic hubs, Bangkok to Hong Kong is a route used as much by business travelers as leisure. It dropped out of the top 10 in 2023, but has recovered traffic in 2024 to climb back up to 7th. 

Although the route has grown 29% in terms of available seats in the last year, it’s still down 13% compared to pre-pandemic numbers. It’s an incredibly competitive route, with everyone from low-costs to full service plying the route. There are around 24 departures per day, with a mix of widebodies and narrowbodies flying the service.

There’s an in-built hack on this route to get a better seat and a nicer airplane. Both Emirates and Ethiopian Airlines operate fifth freedom flights on this route, with widebodies you wouldn’t normally see on such a short service. Ethiopian brings its Boeing 787-9 to the party, while Emirates flies the iconic Airbus A380 on this route.

6: Dubai International – King Khalid International – 4,306,599 seats

Maintaining 6th position in 2024 is the well-trafficked route from Dubai to Riyadh. Growing a staggering 37% since 2019, the two-hour flight takes the place of a ten-hour plus drive between the two cities.

Populated with the biggest airlines in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, you can find both low-cost and full service options on the route. Flyadeal, flydubai and Flynas are all low-cost, flying narrowbody Airbus and Boeing aircraft, while Saudia switches between the A321 and the A330 for the service. 

To be sure of a widebody flight, Emirates is the best option. It uses its Boeing 777 on the service at least three times per day, and has been known to fly the A380 on this short hop, although it is also typically the more expensive option. For cost savings, it’s entirely possible to find a ticket on one of the low-costs for under $120 most dates.

5: Seoul Incheon – Kansai International – 4,982,769 seats

With almost five million available seats in 2024, Incheon to Kansai remains in the top 10 but dropped a place from last year. Compared with pre-pandemic, the route is up 45% in capacity, and 18% from last year alone.

Operating the route are a real melting pot of airliners, from Jin Air’s Boeing 737NG to Asiana’s Airbus A350. Korean Air switches between the 737 MAX, the Boeing 787, the 777 and the Airbus A330 on the route, while South Korea’s T’Way Air occasionally flies its widebody A330.

Japan’s Kansai Airport (KIX) in Osaka is the world’s only floating commercial airport. For various reasons, the airport is sinking, although projections are that it will remain usable for many years to come. Remarkably, Kansai Airport has lost no bags at all in the 30 years it has been operating.

4: Kuala Lumpur International – Singapore Changi – 5,382,163 seats

The shortest route on this list, Kuala Lumpur to Singapore holds onto a place in the top 10 list, although it’s been knocked off the number one spot thanks to other Asian routes experiencing incredible growth. It’s up 10% in available seats since last year, but remains just under where it was in 2019

Despite the high traffic on the route, the flight time is only around an hour. It’s more convenient than by car (around 4 hours 45 mins) or by bus (around six hours), although the journey is perfectly doable by land transport. Nevertheless, the high demand for flights means there are typically more than 40 connections per day.

With just an hour’s flight time, you wouldn’t expect to see widebodies on the route, but you’d be surprised. Singapore Airlines flies its Airbus A350 twice daily on the route, and Ethiopian Airlines has another interesting fifth freedom route here, where you can scoot up to Malaysia on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

3: Seoul Incheon – Tokyo Narita – 5,410,456 seats

The connection between the two capital cities of these nations has become ever more well-supplied. Versus 2019, the route has added a staggering 68% more available seats, making it the most well-recovered route in the top 10.

Part of this has been down to efforts to normalize relationships between South Korea and Japan. Although there’s still work to be done, Asia News Network noted that “Young Koreans don’t have to hide their travels in Japan now that the two neighboring countries have become closer again.”

Record numbers of South Koreans have been visiting Japan in 2024, with 3.73 million arriving in the first half of the year alone, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. It has been reported by Kyodo News that Japan is even contemplating pre-clearance for visitors from South Korea.

Alongside better relations, a weak yen has made Japan a hot destination for visitors from all over the world. The country set a new record for visitor arrivals this year, receiving 33.38 million foreigners by the end of November with still a month to go, surpassing a previous high of 31.88 million visitors in 2019.

2. Cairo International – King Abdulaziz International – 5,469,274 seats

Holding on to second place for another year is the very busy Cairo to Jeddah route. Operated by a healthy mix of full service and low-cost airlines, the flight is around two hours and 20 minutes in duration.

Saudia departs nine times a day on the route, most of those services using a widebody Airbus A330. It also supports seven services daily from EgyptAir, most of those also using A330s, alongside multiple daily services from narrowbody airlines. 

Much of the traffic is related to religious pilgrimage, as Muslims head to Mecca, but a large migrant worker population further adds to demand. As Saudi Arabia focuses on diversifying its economy through tourism initiatives, we can expect to see both Jeddah and Riyadh in the top 10 for years to come.

1. Hong Kong International – Taipei Taoyuan International – 6,781,577 seats

The very busiest route in the world by some margin with a full 1.3 million more available seats in 2024 is between Hong Kong and Taiwan. Traffic on the route has grown significantly in 2024, although it remains around 15% lower than pre-pandemic, suggesting it could be even busier next year.

Daily, there are an incredible 35 or so flights on this route, ranging from Hong Kong Express and its no frills, no hand luggage service at around $130 to lie-flat business class from Cathay Pacific for $1,300. Also putting in an appearance with a single daily flight is the luxuriously branded STARLUX with its Airbus A350.

Close cultural and economic ties keep this flight route busy, with workers commuting for meetings and families reuniting for festivals. Leisure travel is popular too, with both destinations offering something a bit different. 

But Hong Kong is also an important transit hub, particularly for Taiwanese travelers as there are limited direct services to mainland China. Those looking to connect to the rest of the world frequently use HKG as a gateway, adding to the demand. 

This year, airlines offered a combined 6.8 million seats on the world’s busiest route; could 2025 see it break 7 million?

Conversely, the year seems to have created just the right market conditions in which a handful of startup carriers have been able to take to the air for the first time – full of ambition and anticipation for the exciting times that may lay ahead.  

As we say goodbye to 2024, AeroTime looks back on those carriers that failed to survive the year, with their names and operations now confined to the aviation history books. We will also run through the newcomers of 2024 – airlines that, possibly after years of planning and gathering the finance and regulatory approvals needed, saw their first commercial flights get airborne and start earning revenue. 

Note: This article will be limited to major passenger and cargo airlines and is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Air taxi operators and private jet/general aviation companies are not included, nor are companies that have been incorporated but have not yet operated their first commercial service.  

Note: All data included in this article was sourced from ch-aviation unless otherwise stated, and was current as of December 23, 2024.      

An ever-changing landscape  

2024 proved to be another fascinating year for the airline industry. With some elements of the industry still struggling to find a firm footing three years after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, other sectors are soaring, with surging demand and airlines searching for ways to match supply with demand.  

The process has not been helped by supply chain issues impacting the deliveries of new aircraft from the leading manufacturers, paired with a blizzard of issues at Boeing that all began with the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 blow-out incident in January 2024.  

The lack of aircraft capacity in the short term saw a monumental shift toward the use of wet-leased aircraft under ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) contracts. Under such agreements, specialist carriers supply seasonal capacity to airlines, allowing them to meet the peaks in demand, while providing the flexibility to offload that extra capacity once demand subsides.  

The growing use of ACMI aircraft, plus the retention of older aircraft in airline fleets that may have been earmarked for retirement, have undoubtedly been the two most significant trends within the global airline sector in 2024. It would be foolhardy to expect these trends to subside significantly as we head into 2025.   

And yet, set against the backdrop of a global airline industry that in many respects has never had it so good, some companies were simply unable to navigate their way through the twelve months of 2024. Whether through strained finances or other factors, the year saw more casualties than it did new startup airlines, the latter having made it through the myriad complexities involved in starting an airline to watch as their maiden flights took to the air. 

Airline causalities of 2024  

2024 saw the demise of seven major carriers worldwide, with Canada and Australia seeming to be a focal point for hardship in their respective airline industries.  

The year kicked off with the failure of a historical carrier in the Caribbean. LIAT (to give its full name, Leeward Islands Air Transport) had been operating inter-island scheduled and charter flights around the Caribbean Sea since its first flight in 1956. However, the airline had run into severe financial difficulties during the pandemic, not only from a lack of passengers but also from ongoing aircraft lease costs. In early 2020, it was placed into administration by its majority shareholder, the government of Antigua and Barbuda.  

With losses continuing to mount while in administration, despite a recovery in traffic figures, a decision was made in late 2023 to close the airline down, ending over 70 years of flight operations. At the time of its demise, the airline utilized a fleet of ATR 42/72s, plus De Havilland Canda DHC-6 Twin Otters and DHC-8 turboprops. However, out of the ashes of LIAT came a new carrier named LIAT20 – for further details, see ‘Newcomers’ below. 

Next to go under was Canada’s Lynx Air in February 2024. This Calgary-based low-cost airline operated a fleet of nine Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft on scheduled flights around Canada. The airline only started operations in April 2022 (having rebranded from a charter carrier named Enerjet). Anticipating rapid growth, it had made commitments for up to 46 737 MAX planes to be introduced over the coming years. 

However, via a statement issued on February 22, 2024, the ultra-low-cost carrier announced that it would cease operations immediately, citing mounting financial pressure as the primary cause. In its statement, the airline said that, in the face of “rising operating costs, high fuel prices, exchange rates, increasing airport charges, and a difficult economic and regulatory environment,” the decision had been made to close.  

There had been last-gasp talks held with fellow budget Canadian operator Flair about a possible merger, but the failure of these talks was the final nail in Lynx Air’s coffin. The airline ceased all operations, with its fleet of aircraft being repossessed by their lessors.

In March 2024, yet another historic carrier failed, namely Air Malta. The state-owned legacy carrier of the Mediterranean island group of Malta and Gozo had been loss-making for years. Its operations had been bankrolled by the Maltese government repeatedly, in breach of EU anti-competitive regulations banning the state aid of airlines. By the end of 2023, with Air Malta facing increasing competition from European low-cost carriers, some of which had even set up their own bases on the island nation, the Maltese government decided that enough was enough. Having limped on for years, the national carrier was to be shut down.  

On March 31, 2024, Air Malta operated its last-ever service, a flight from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Malta, ending 50 years of continuous flying. In accordance with the Maltese government‘s plan, the same day saw the inaugural flights by KM Malta Airlines. This new legal entity was ostensibly Air Malta in all but name, using the same fleet of seven Airbus A320s and employing many of the staff who had been employed by the now-defunct carrier. KM Malta Airlines continues to operate today, albeit in the same competitive environment in which its predecessor failed (see below).  

With Spring arriving in the northern hemisphere in April 2024, Winter had set in south of the equator – notoriously a difficult time for any airline operating on tight margins. Bonza, a new airline startup in Australia, had just celebrated its first anniversary in January 2024. It was expanding cautiously with a handful of leased Boeing 737 MAX 8s which were each given stereotypical Australian names such as ‘Bruce’ and ‘Sheila’.  

Although things appeared to be “bonza” from the outside, with passenger numbers building and new routes being added to its network, it soon became clear that the company’s finances were under strain. In April 2024, the airline’s owners, Miami-based investment firm 777 Partners (itself under investigation at the time), withdrew support for Bonza, leaving it struggling with mounting debt and effectively no way out. As creditors circled, on the morning of April 30, 2024, administrators were appointed who acted quickly in suspending all flight operations, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. 

Despite early efforts to save the airline, lessors were quick to take the view that there was little real hope and that their aircraft could be placed more profitably elsewhere. With the jets soon departing from Australia, chances of the carrier taking to the air again became very slim. The ‘thumbs up’ logo of Bonza had morphed into a real-life ‘thumbs down’, leaving a low-cost gap in the Australian domestic air market once again.     

With the Australian market lamenting the loss of Bonza, it was not long before another well-established domestic carrier would come unstuck trying to compete with the well-established duopoly of Qantas/Jetstar and Virgin Australia on the domestic trunk routes between state capitals. In March 2021, Rex Airlines (Regional Express) began using a small fleet of Boeing 737-800s to compete with its larger rivals on routes between the major cities of Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra.  

However, the Boeing 737 operation faced increasing competition from the larger incumbent carriers from the outset and losses at the airline began to mount. Before the arrival of the jets, Rex had mastered the art of running small regional turboprop operations linking rural communities with larger commercial centers.  

A boardroom coup ensued in early July 2024, and by the end of the month trading of shares in Rex had been suspended by the Australian Stock Exchange. This suspension sent shockwaves around the Australian airline industry, and on July 31, 2024, administrators were called in to rescue Rex.  

The first thing the administrators did was to ditch the lossmaking 737 routes, returning the airline to what it seemed to do best – serving small communities with its fleet of around 60 Saab SF340 turboprops. These operations continue today, though now financially supported by the Australian federal government, with many of the routes classified as ‘lifeline’ or public service routes.  

So, while not an airline failure in the truest sense, Rex’s time as a second-tier carrier on the Australian domestic scene ended in 2024 – for the time being, at least.   

Back in Canada, as August 2024 arrived, another recent startup budget carrier was struggling to survive. Canada Jetlines had been jostling to find its place within the Canadian domestic scene alongside the likes of Flair, Lynx Air, and WestJet’s Swoop subsidiary almost since its first commercial service in September 2022. With its scheduled services failing to make a return, the carrier announced that it would pivot towards charter and wet-leasing services using its fleet of four Airbus A320s.  

In early 2024, the airline declared that it had placed two of these aircraft with Air Arabia under lease agreements for the bulk of that year, with the remaining two aircraft being made available for charter flights. However, it seemed a case of ‘too little, too late’ for Jetlines. With losses spiraling out of control, in June 2024, the airline’s CEO stepped down, quickly followed by the resignation of four board directors in August 2024. Even Brigitte Goersch, the airline’s replacement CEO, called time on her whistle-stop career with Jetlines at this point.    

On August 15, 2024, the company suddenly paused all operations, announcing that it was to seek creditor protection. The carrier’s aircraft were swiftly repossessed by their lessors and have since remained in storage, in Amsterdam and Maastricht in the Netherlands, Lourdes-Tarbes in France, and at Miami Opa-Locka Airport in the US. 

Entering the last quarter of 2024, the global airline industry said goodbye to two airline brands that had both carved out names for themselves, albeit for different reasons. 

Czech Airlines (or ČSA) had been flying as the national carrier of the Czech Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia) since 1923, However, since the early 2000s and the attendant rapid growth of the low-cost airline phenomenon across Europe, the airline had struggled to establish a profitable place for itself in an increasingly crowded market.  

In 2018, realizing that the carrier was fighting to survive, the Czech government (which owned 97.7% of the airline’s shares) sold out to independent local airline group Smartwings, which largely specialized in charter and wet-lease operations with a sizeable fleet of Boeing 737s. Following a restructure, Czech Airlines continued to operate as a separate brand under the Smarwings group. In June 2022, another investor, Prague City Air, took a 70% share in the airline, with Smartwings retaining 30%.     

On October 26, 2024, in an unusual twist to the story, Czech Airlines became the parent company of Smartwings. As part of this transition, Smartwings took over the operational management of all flights previously operated by Czech Airlines whose brand was to be wound down under the plan. The last official flight of Czech Airlines took place on October 28, 2024, from Paris to Prague with flight number OK767 using Airbus A320 OK-IOO.  

Although Smartwings suggested that it may operate some aircraft in the Czech Airlines livery purely for nostalgia, the airline itself has ceased flying, bringing an end to exactly 101 years of aviation operations. 

The final casualty of 2024 was the Indian full-service carrier Vistara. First established in 2015, the airline was jointly owned by the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines. It was set up to become a new national carrier for India, a country where its flag carrier, Air India, had become a sad shadow of its former self.  

Vistara was growing nicely, expanding its network, building a fleet of modern Airbus and Boeing airplanes, and earning itself a loyal customer following. However, things would abruptly change direction in November 2022 when the Tata Group purchased Air India from the Indian government. With the purchase complete, plans were set in place that would see Vistara initially compete alongside Air India, but eventually be swallowed up by, and merge into, the rejuvenated flag carrier.  

As 2024 progressed, the merger plans were developed, and a wind-down timetable for the Vistara brand was set in place. November 11, 2024, marked the last full day of Vistara operations in India as a separate airline entity. After that day, All Vistara operations fell under the Air India banner, although flights operated by Vistara aircraft would be flown under a specially allocated two-letter designator for an interim period. Vistara flights dropped the airline’s ‘UK’ flight designator on November 12, 2024, to be replaced with the ‘AI’ code of Air India, albeit with a ‘2’ before each new flight number.   

In the first month following the merger, Air India expected approximately 1,150,000 customers with pre-merger Vistara bookings to travel with the newly unified airline. In a social media message posted on its final day of operations, Vistara took to social media to convey a special farewell message to its customers and employees. “As the plane ascends, so do our dreams; let’s glide toward the future, where the sky isn’t the limit, but just the beginning,” the airline said as it bid farewell to its followers.  

As a resurgent Air India re-invents itself as the all-new and reenergized flag carrier for India, many will lament the loss of Vistara – an airline that was seen in 2015 as a trailblazer, breathing new life into the ailing Indian commercial airline scene. Ironically, that same market has become the fastest-growing aviation market in the world in 2024, with Air India itself leading the charge with an outstanding order book for over 400 new aircraft.   

Newcomers 

Although relatively quiet in terms of new airline startups, 2024 did see a handful of new carriers take to the air for the first time, while more established airlines consolidated their positions and expanded where and when suitable opportunities arose.  

Of the newcomers in 2024, there were no new major airlines commencing operations, but a few smaller carriers began their journeys within the industry. A mix of cargo and passenger carriers, these airlines originated in Gabon, Brazil, Cyprus, Malta, and the Caribbean.  

Starting in the African state of Gabon, Gabonese ATR operator Afrijet rebranded and relaunched itself as FlyGabon, a new flag carrier for the Central African country. Founded in 2004, Afrijet saw its role as providing a new national carrier, after the demise of Air Gabon in 2006. The launch of FlyGabon was part of the Gabonese government’s strategy to revitalize its air transport sector, coming in the wake of the government acquiring a majority stake in Afrijet through a company called Fly Gabon Holdings. 

Following the move, Afrijet was to operate under a new FlyGabon brand. The newly launched carrier aims to serve all nine provinces of Gabon once airport infrastructure meets commercial standards, enhancing accessibility and offering affordable pricing to help combat the high cost of living.  

#flygabon https://t.co/JgcimH080u pic.twitter.com/VoG2OcMMC2

— Dworaczek-Bendome (@DworaczekBendom) June 16, 2024

FlyGabon initially operated a single ATR 72-600 aircraft, with a capacity of 72 passengers, with its first flight taking place on August 31, 2024. A second ATR has since joined the airline’s fleet for further regional flights.  

In late 2024, the nascent airline received its first jet aircraft in the form of the 2004-built Airbus A320 ZS-GAB, a former Etihad Airways machine. The addition of this leased aircraft has allowed FlyGabon to commence international flights from the capital city of Libreville to Johannesburg in South Africa. According to the carrier, it aims to add further narrowbody jets to its fleet over the coming years, bringing the total to six aircraft by 2031.  

Meanwhile, staying within the continent of Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) saw the birth of a new carrier in the form of Mont Gabaon Airlines. Based in the capital city of Kinshasa, the airline operates domestic scheduled flights to Goma, Lubumbashi, and Kinshasa using an eclectic fleet of wet-leased aircraft, including a 33-year-old Boeing 737-500, a 16-year-old ATR72 and a 34-year-old Boeing 767-200ER leased from Air Zimbabwe.  

Little else is known about the airline at present, with its website proving to be rather rudimentary, to say the least. The airline has said that it hopes to expand beyond the borders of the DRC in the future, with more Boeing 737s set to join the airline in 2025.  

One of Air Zimbabwe's two parked Boeing 767s is back in service – but now flying DRC colours for new airline Mont Gabaon Airlines. The 767, tail number Z-WPF, still spots its name Chimanimani. It flew from Harare to Goma on May 4

@ArcelvandenBerg pic.twitter.com/mNPOadml7V

— ZimLive (@zimlive) May 5, 2024

Over in South America, Brazil saw the launch of an all-new cargo-only airline in 2024. Levu Air Cargo. The carrier, ‘Levu Transporte Aéreo e Logística’ to give it its full name, has its headquarters in Campinas, Sao Paulo, and forms the Brazilian arm of German Logistics giant DHL, transporting express parcels and other time-critical items around the Brazilian domestic market.   

To get off the ground, the private owners of Levu Air Cargo announced an initial investment of $103 million to acquire four aircraft into its fleet, all of which would be operated under contract to DHL. In May 2024, the airline received its first aircraft in the form of Airbus A321P2F, registration PS-LVU, leased from European ACMI operator SmartLynx Airlines.

The airline’s second aircraft, an Airbus A330-300P2F (to be registered PR-LVU) is currently in Chateauroux, France, in the process of being converted from a passenger to a freighter variant. Currently, the carrier is operating regular cargo flights on behalf of DHL between Campinas, Recife, and Manaus in Brazil using its sole A321P2F. 

Another cargo-only startup in 2024 was Euroavia Airlines, based at Larnaca International Airport (LCA) in Cyprus. Established in April 2024, the airline operates a single Boeing 767-300ER converted freighter, leased from Air Transport Services Group. The aircraft, registered 5B-DEE, is 32 years old, having first taken to the skies with German leisure airline Condor in 1992. It was operated by Condor until June 2023, at which point it was converted into a freighter variant before being delivered to Euroavia on August 13, 2024.   

The airline operates cargo charter flights across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, with the aircraft having most recently operated regular flights between the Cypriot airports of Larnaca and Paphos, plus sectors to Dubai in the UAE.  

EuroAvia Airlines
5B-DEE (ex.N437CM)
ex,D-ABUA

B767-330/ER(BDSF)(WL)
LN/455 (32.0years)

ILN-SNN-LCA delivery

キプロスに初のB767-300ERが導入されたようです。 pic.twitter.com/bVbxJ1N9MP

— 𝐕𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐀 (@Vespina_ZZ336) August 13, 2024

Having almost reached the end of a rather short list of 2024 airline startups, we now revisit two brands that we have already seen earlier in this article, albeit in slightly different guises.  

Back in the Caribbean (and previously mentioned in the ‘Casualties’ section), LIAT failed at the start of 2024. However, out of the ashes of that carrier came a newcomer, based on its predecessor but operated as an entirely new legal entity. As such, LIAT 20 is a new inter-island airline serving multiple islands in the Caribbean Sea. With a route network that emulates that flown by its earlier incarnation, LIAT20 was initially incorporated in Antigua and Barbuda in July 2020 in collaboration with private Nigerian airline Air Peace.  

Air Peace holds a 70% stake in the company and has been responsible for the leasing of the new Embraer E145s that are being used for the airline’s initial routes. Air Peace and the government of Antigua and Barbuda invested $65 million and $20 million, respectively. The airline received its first two new Embraer E145s in April 2024 and inter-island connections were prioritized, with the government looking to reprise previous LIAT routes, including those to Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.  

LIAT20’s inaugural flight to Port-of-Spain receives the traditional water cannon salute at Piarco International Airport. The Embraer ERJ-145, operating as 5L365, arrived at the Piarco International Airport just after 9:30am on Thursday. This marks the start of a 5x weekly service… pic.twitter.com/AD41MIUyuj

— CNC3TV (@CNC3TV) December 19, 2024

The airline commenced operations on August 6, 2024, with an inaugural flight to Castries, Saint Lucia. The airline now serves a total of 25 routes to 10 destinations in 10 countries across the Caribbean with its pair of Embraer 145 regional jets. The airline also expects to receive its first ATR42-600 shortly, to operate on islands with shorter runways.  

Finally, we end with one of Europe’s newest flag carriers – KM Malta Airlines. Born out of the demise of the aforementioned Maltese national carrier Air Malta (see above), KM Malta Airlines operated its first flight on March 31, 2024, and has since developed a Europewide network that largely mirrors that flown by its predecessor.  

Currently, the airline operates flights to 17 airports across 15 key European cities from Malta – Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Catania, Dusseldorf, London (Heathrow and Gatwick), Lyon, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris (Charles De Gaulle and Orly), Prague, Rome, Rome, Vienna, and Zurich. The current fleet sees seven former Air Malta Airbus A320neos being deployed on all routes.       

Summary  

With such an array of carriers entering and leaving our skies during 2024, the global airline landscape has changed once again. Heading into 2025, and with geopolitical and economic environments the way they are, we are highly likely to see further changes in the year to come.  

There will probably be more casualties as certain airlines fail to keep a firm eye on their costs and rising debt levels, while others will simply not attract enough fare-paying passengers to survive. Of the newcomers welcomed in 2024, some will stand the test of time and make a great success of their business models, while others may even feature on our list of casualties when 2025 draws to a close twelve months from now. 

Either way, history tells us that as we enter a new year of commercial airline operations, there will always be winners and losers, although only time will tell which category each is set to fall into.  

According to research from online travel marketplace Hopper, some days are busier than others. Unlike Thanksgiving, where there is a single busiest day to fly, the whole of the festive period is expected to see high volumes of travelers, although Hopper suggested some days that could be quieter.

The company said, “To avoid the crowds this year, plan to travel on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and again over New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.” As there are fewer flights on those days, it would follow that the airport would be less busy.

But are there any other red flag days in the mix, or any days that would be better to travel? We crunched the numbers from TSA throughput in recent years to find out.

The best days to fly during the holidays

The absolute best day to fly during the holidays is Christmas Day. For the last three years, December 25 has been one of the quietest travel days of the period, with almost 400,000 fewer TSA passes than the average. But who wants to spend the big day in airports?

If you’d prefer to spend Christmas Day elsewhere, consider flying on Christmas Eve. Passenger traffic was significantly down last year, with 433,000 fewer people traveling than the average. However, this was likely because December 23 and 24 in 2023 were a weekend, so there was a spike in travelers on Friday 22 as everyone finished work and dashed off for the holidays.

In 2022 and 2021, Christmas Eve saw a good quarter of a million fewer passengers than the festive average, so if you don’t mind last-minute travel, it could be a good bet. However, Hopper warns that last-minute airfare prices have already started to rise, up 10% in the last five weeks. Domestic return trips are averaging $371, 8% more than Christmas 2023.

The New Year period is also quiet for travel, with most people seemingly getting where they’re going before January kicks in. New Year’s Eve is traditionally the quietest, down by 260,000 passengers on average for the past three years. New Year’s Day is typically quieter too, but there’s another travel spike on January 2, so try to avoid that. 

The worst days to fly over Christmas

The very worst days for flying over the festive period are almost always during the week before the big day. In 2021, 2.2 million passengers passed through TSA checkpoints on Thursday, December 23, while in 2022, both the Wednesday and Thursday before Christmas Day saw more than 2.3 million travelers. Wednesday, December 21, 2022, was the busiest day in all of December.

Last year, a record 2.8 million passengers were screened at TSA checkpoints on Friday, December 22. That day was only slightly more than the 2.6 million screened on both Thursday 21 and Saturday 23.

This year, Christmas falls on a Wednesday, so we can expect the whole of the weekend before the event to be mega busy in US airports. Several sources are predicting Friday, December 20 to be the busiest day for air travel, although there’s no doubt it will be busy right across that weekend.

Flying home for Christmas early is the best option

Perhaps the boat has already sailed on that piece of advice for this year, but in general, according to TSA statistics, flying at least 10 days before Christmas Day can pay off if you’re keen on a quieter experience.

In all three most recent years, the middle of the week before the weekend before Christmas has been less busy. Wednesday, December 14, 2021, saw only 1.6 million passengers, Tuesday, December 13, 2022, saw 1.8 million, and Tuesday, December 12, 2023, just 1.9 million passengers were screened, the lowest number in December.

In terms of getting away again, New Year’s Eve can’t come highly recommended enough, as one of the lowest days for screening the past three years running. If you plan to wait until January, avoid the 2nd like the plague as all previous years have seen a significant spike in screenings. By January 4, traffic had just about returned to normal, so it might pay to wait.

Three of these incidents led to fatalities, with the SSJ-100 claiming 89 lives. That might lead one to ask the question: is the Sukhoi Superjet safe?

The short answer is yes, it’s as safe as any commercial aircraft out there. However, sanctions on Russian companies could change that in years to come. We explain why.

Who flies the Sukhoi Superjet?

The geographic spread of the SSJ-100 is very limited in terms of commercial carriers.

An early adopter of the Sukhoi Superjet was Mexican carrier Interjet, taking delivery of its first in September 2013. But the SSJs didn’t work well for the airline, plagued with reliability issues and a slow supply of spare parts. 

By mid-2019, 15 of Interjet’s 22 SSJs were parked up, and it was looking to replace them with Airbus A320neos. But by the end of 2020, Interjet was in so much debt it had to stop flying, and declared bankruptcy in April 2021.

In Europe, CityJet was the only customer for Sukhoi, taking delivery of seven aircraft between June 2016 and December 2018. They flew on wet-lease for Brussels Airlines for a while but suffered similar reliability problems. By February 2020, CityJet had got rid of all its Superjets.

Just four SSJ-100s are operated by foreign owners—three aircraft by the Royal Thai Air Force and one by Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee. So, of the 111 (or so) active aircraft, you’re highly unlikely to encounter one outside of Russia.

How many Sukhoi Superjets have been lost or damaged?

The problem with a Russian aircraft that only flies in Russia is, right now, there’s not much data available for Russian airlines. In the wake of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, airlines were removed from alliances, kicked out of membership organizations, and stopped sharing information with the West.

From previous accounts, there could have been as many as 229 SSJ-100s built in Russia. Planespotters.net tracks 192 individual airframes, and specifies the following status of the fleet:

• Active: 111
• Parked: 28
• Stored: 47
• Scrapped: 1
• Written off: 5

Five hull losses from such a small fleet is significant. The Boeing 727 is known as the type with the most hull losses, with 120 aircraft lost to crashes, terrorist acts, and other incidents. But that’s out of a fleet of 1,832 (not to mention technology from the 1950s). 

Aviation Safety Network (ASN) lists a total of 95 incidents involving the Sukhoi Superjet. However, these range from very minor events, such as a precautionary return to origin due to a suspected fault, to catastrophic crashes that claimed dozens of lives.

The five hull losses of the Sukhoi Superjet

Five SSJs have been scrapped due to damage since 2012. These are the five: