The infographic above displays the price of the Boeing 747, along with prices of other Boeing families. It took out data of current prices of aircraft from the official website of Boeing. How much does a Boeing 747 cost? Is it more expensive then other Boeing airplanes?
Boeing to End Production of the Boeing 747 in 2022
It has been long speculated that the end of “Jumbo” era is coming soon as airliners increasingly employ the greener and more efficient aircraft. Airbus stopped production of the Super Jumbo—Airbus 380—at the end of 2021. Additionally, Boeing also will cease production of the Queen of the Skies—Boeing 747—by December 2022.
Sadly, it is becoming more and more difficult to spot a Boeing 747 recently. Most of the Boeing 747 operators are cargo, so it is even rarer to fly a Boeing 747 as a passenger (or as a crew member). As of October 2022, there are only nine airlines that still fly passenger Boeing 747s. These airlines are: Air China, Asiana Airlines, Iraqi Airways, Korean Air Lines, Lufthansa, Mahan Airlines, Max Air, and Rossiya Airlines.
It has been more than half a century since Boeing launched the Queen of the Skies. It sure did make history in the aviation industry. The end of the production of this legendary Boeing 747 marks the end of the Jumbo era.
Now, let’s talk about money and discover—how much does a Boeing 747 cost? And how does it compare with other Boeing families?
Price of 747 Family | The Queen of the Skies
The newest and last variant of the Boeing 747 is 747-8 launched in 2005. On average, the 747-8 costs $418.4 million and 747-8F (F for Freight) costs $419.2 million.
As of October 2022, 11 passenger and cargo airlines operate the 747-8/747-8F. Among them, three are passenger airlines: Air China, Korean Air, and Lufthansa. The rest are cargo operators: Air Bridge Cargo, Atlas Air, Cargolux, Cathay Pacific Airways (Cargo), Nippon Cargo Airways, Qatar Airways (Cargo), Silk Way Airlines, and UPS.
The 747-8 was the longest airliner until the 777X launched in 2020. It is 76.3 meters long and 19.4 meters tall, with a wing span of 68.4 meters. The passenger variant can carry 410 passengers.
Price of 737 Family | Baby Boeing
Unlike the Boeing 747, the Boeing 737 is a narrow-body short-haul airliner, launched in 1967. Nick named Baby Boeing, the Boeing 737 is Boeing’s best-selling and most-produced aircraft. It is so successful that Boeing has produces more than 10 variants of the Boeing 737. Although some airlines still fly older 737 variants, most of them in service today are the third or forth generation aircraft (737NG/737MAX).
The prices widely vary depending among the family, ranging from $89.1 million of 737-700 to $134.9 million of 737 MAX 10. Overall, the newer, the more expensive.
Its spec also varies; the length of 737-700 is 35.56 meters, while that of 737-10 is 43.8 meters. The seat capacity of 737-700 is 172, while that of 737-10 is 230. The wingspan is 35.9 meters wide for all.
Price of 767 Family | Stumpy
The Boeing 767 is Boeing’s first wide-body twinjet, not as large as the Boeing 747 and not as small as the Boeing 737. It was launched in 1981, gaining popularity among airlines for its efficiency in the late 1980s and the early 1990s.
In recent years, airlines are retiring their Boeing 767s to replace them with the Boeing 787 and the Boeing 777. As of October 2022, Boeing produces two variants of the 767 family: 767-300ER (ER for Extended Range) and 767-300 Freighter. Their prices are $217.9 million and $220.3 million, respectively.
The Boeing 767F is 54.94 meters long and 15.85 meters tall, with a wingspan of 47.57 meters.
Price of 777 Family | Triple Seven
Filling the gap between the Jumbo and Stumpy, Boeing developed the Triple Seven in the 1990s with the cutting-edge technology. Launched in 1994, the Boeing 777 is the world’s largest twinjet and the most-produced Boeing wide-body jet as of today.
The prices of the Boeing 777 range between $306.6 million (777-200ER) and $442.2 million (777-9). Just like the Boeing 737, the newer, the more expensive.
The largest and latest variant of the Boeing 777 family is 777-9. It is 76.72 meters long with an extended wingspan of 71.75 meters. The seating capacity is up to 426.
Price of 787 Family | Dreamliner
The Boeing 787 is indeed a game changer; it is much lighter, much more fuel efficient, and much more comfortable to fly. Its first operational flight was in 2011.
Currently, the 787 family consists of three variants: 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10. Their prices are $248.3 million, $292.5 million, and $338.4 million, respectively.
As already mentioned, the Dreamliner increasingly replaces the Stumpy. So, the size of the Boeing 787 is similar to that of the Boeing 767. The length of the Boeing 787 is between 57 meters and 68 meters, with a height of 17 meters and a wingspan of 60 meters.
The Bottom Line: Cost of a Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is the most recognizable plane—it is a large partially double-decker aircraft with four engines. As airlines turn their back to fuel-consuming options in recent years, the Jumbo Jet is becoming a rare bird.
Not so surprisingly, the Queen of the Skies costs a lot. The 747-8 is $418.4 million and 747-8F (F for Freight) is $419.2 million. There is only one aircraft that is more expensive than the Boeing 747 family; the latest and largest variant of the Boeing 777—777-9—is $442.2 million.