How much bigger the 747-8 is
The 747-8 is 250 ft 2 in long, 18.3 ft more than the 747-400, from a 13 ft 4 in plug ahead of the wing and a 5 ft plug behind it.
The 747-8 is 250 feet 2 inches (76.25 m) long. That is 18 feet 4 inches more than any previous 747, and it made the 747-8 the longest airliner in the world when it entered service.
Where the stretch went
Boeing did not lengthen the aircraft evenly. The extra length comes from two fuselage plugs inserted either side of the wing:
- 13 ft 4 in (4.06 m) ahead of the wing
- 5 ft (1.52 m) behind it
Splitting the stretch this way keeps the aircraft balanced around its centre of gravity, and puts most of the new floor area in the forward cabin where airlines place premium seating.
What it did not change
The 747-8 was deliberately kept the same height as the 747-400, and its wingspan of 224 ft 7 in stays inside the 80 m box that airports use for gate planning. That was a commercial decision as much as an engineering one: it meant the aircraft could use existing 747 gates and infrastructure, and no airport had to reconfigure anything to accept it.
What the extra length bought
On the Intercontinental, the stretch is worth 51 more seats than a 747-400 and around 26 percent more cargo volume. On the Freighter, it adds four more main-deck pallet positions and about 16 percent more revenue cargo volume.
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
|---|---|
| Variant | 747-8 |
| Length | 250 ft 2 in (76.25 m) |
| Wingspan | 224 ft 7 in (68.4 m) |
The 747-8 against the other giants. Only the single Antonov An-225 was longer.WikiMedia
Frequently asked questions
- How much longer is the 747-8 than the 747-400?
- 18 ft 4 in (5.6 m) longer. The 747-8 measures 250 ft 2 in (76.25 m) against the 747-400's 231 ft 10 in.
- Was the 747-8 the longest airliner in the world?
- Yes. At 250 ft 2 in it was the longest passenger aircraft in the world when it entered service. Only the single Antonov An-225 — an outsize freighter, not an airliner — was longer.
More in Everything About the 747-8
The Boeing 747-8
A guide to the final 747 — the stretched fuselage, new wing, GEnx-2B engines, 787-derived flight deck and the freighter that closed the production line.
747 Timeline
A Boeing 747 chronology from the 1963 design study to the final delivery in January 2023, with rollout, first flight and delivery dates.
Fun Facts from Boeing
Boeing 747 facts and figures — six million parts, the largest building on Earth, 1,088 people on one flight, and 1,574 aircraft built over 54 years.
The 747-8 and the environment
The 747-8 meets emissions limits for hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, smoke and nitrogen oxides, with a noise footprint about 30 percent smaller than the 747-400.
The 747-8 cabin experience
Larger windows, a sculpted 787-style ceiling, LED mood lighting and a quieter cabin than any previous 747.
747-8 vs 747-400
Externally similar, mechanically different — the 747-8 has a longer fuselage, a new wing, higher-bypass engines and a higher gross weight than the 747-400.