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 production of the iconic Boeing 747 "Queen of the Skies" officially concluded on January 31, 2023, with the final 747-8 freighter delivered to Atlas Air.
The 747 revolutionized both passenger air travel, making it accessible, and global cargo trade, being originally designed with freight in mind and introducing innovative features like its unique nose-loading door.
Despite the end of manufacturing, the jumbo jet, particularly the modern 747-8 freighters, is expected to continue flying and contributing significantly to the global economy and supply chain for several more decades.

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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.