Compare the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 by seating, range, dimensions, engines, variants, service dates, and production history.
The A380 is the wider-spanning double-deck passenger aircraft with the higher approved typical seating and range figures. The 747 lineage began decades earlier, includes dedicated freighter roles, and the 747-8 is longer than the A380. Both are four-engine wide-bodies whose production has ended, but both remain in service.
Approved record data
Updated
| Measure | Airbus A380 | Boeing 747 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Four-engine double-deck wide-body airliner | Four-engine wide-body airliner and freighter |
| First flight | 27 April 2005 | 9 February 1969 |
| Entry into service | 25 October 2007 | 22 January 1970 |
| Production | 2003–2021 | 1968–2023 |
| Status | In service; production ended | In service; production ended |
| Variants | A380-800; A380F proposed | 747-100, SP, -200, -300, -400 and 747-8 families |
| Typical seating | About 545 passengers | 410 passengers |
| Published range | 8,000 nmi (14,800 km) | 7,730 nmi (14,320 km) |
| Length | 72.7 m (238 ft 7 in) | 76.3 m (250 ft 2 in) |
| Wingspan | 79.8 m (261 ft 10 in) | 68.4 m (224 ft 7 in) |
| Engines | 4 × Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP7200 | JT9D, CF6, RB211 or GEnx, depending on variant |
Values are taken from each subject's latest approved aviation.wiki revision. “Not listed” means the comparable field is not present; it does not imply a value of zero.
Context before conclusions
The A380 record centres on the A380-800 passenger aircraft. The 747 record spans passenger and freighter generations, so its 747-8I seating figure and 747-8 dimensions should not be treated as specifications for every 747.
The 747-8 is longer, while the A380 has the greater wingspan and the higher typical seating figure in these records. A single label such as “largest” hides those different measures.
The A380 production period ended in 2021 and the 747’s in 2023. Their approved status remains in service, separating the end of manufacturing from the end of airline operations.
The 747 entered service in January 1970. The A380 entered service in October 2007.
The approved 747-8 length is 76.3 m, compared with 72.7 m for the A380.
The A380’s approved wingspan is 79.8 m, compared with 68.4 m for the 747-8.
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