The Last 747, Queen of the Skies

The last 747 has rolled off Boeing's production line, but the iconic jumbo jet still has plenty of history to make.

Eric Kulisch

Friday, November 17, 2023 at 12:40 PM ET

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An artist's rendition of the 747-8 freighter version. [Courtesy of Boeing]

Key Takeaways:

The iconic Boeing 747, known as the "Queen of the Skies" for transforming air travel and global trade, ceased production with its final delivery to Atlas Air on January 31, 2023.
Originally designed with freight in mind, the 747 proved incredibly versatile, serving as passenger jets, dedicated freighters (including the unique Dreamlifter), and Air Force One, significantly impacting global logistics.
Although manufacturing has ended and many passenger versions are being retired, the newer 747-8 freighters are expected to continue flying for several more decades, maintaining a crucial role in the global supply chain.

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The last 747 has rolled off Boeing’s production line, but the iconic jumbo jet still has plenty of history to make.

Atlas Air took delivery of a 747-8 freighter on January 31, 2023, marking the end of an era for an iconic aircraft that transformed air travel and made it accessible to the average person. From the 747-100 to the 747-400, and then the modern 747-8, The Boeing Company built both passenger and freighter versions, and many used 747s that began in passenger configurations were converted to freighters by third-party engineering firms.