IATA 742ICAO B742

Boeing 747-200

Boeing

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Iconic widebody jumbo jet that shaped long-haul aviation.

First flight

1971

Category

Wide-body jet

Seating

~366 passengers (typical 3-class)

Range

12,700 km

Engines

4 × turbofan (Pratt & Whitney JT9D, General Electric CF6, or Rolls-Royce RB211)

Status

Retired (passenger service); limited freighter use

The Boeing 747-200 is a long-range, wide-body commercial jet that entered service in the early 1970s as an improved variant of the original 747-100. It featured more powerful engines and increased fuel capacity, enabling significantly greater range and payload than its predecessor, making it ideal for high-density intercontinental routes. The -200 was offered in several variants, including the 747-200B passenger version, the 747-200F freighter, and the 747-200C convertible, giving airlines and cargo operators considerable flexibility. Its four-engine configuration and double-deck forward fuselage became one of the most recognizable silhouettes in aviation history. By the 2000s and 2010s, most passenger airlines had retired the 747-200 in favor of more fuel-efficient aircraft, though some examples continued flying as freighters into later decades. The type played a decisive role in democratizing air travel by dramatically lowering per-seat operating costs on long-haul routes.

Notable operators

Major operators included Pan Am, British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Japan Airlines, and Air France, among many others.

Notable facts

›The 747-200 entered airline service in 1971, succeeding the original 747-100 with greater range and payload.
›It was offered in passenger, freighter, and convertible variants, broadening its commercial appeal.
›The type could carry over 400 passengers in high-density all-economy configurations.
›Some 747-200Fs continued operating as freighters well into the 21st century.
›The 747-200 was selected as the basis for the US Air Force's E-4B Nightwatch airborne command post.

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This profile is provided for general information only. Specifications may be inaccurate or vary by variant/operator — verify with the manufacturer before relying on them.

Encyclopaedia

The Boeing 747 is a long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2023. It was conceived in response to the demand of Pan Am for a jet 2+1⁄2 times the size of the 707, which had been introduced in October 1958, to reduce the airline's seat cost by 30%. The design team was led by Joe Sutter, who left the 737 development program in 1965 to design the 747. In April 1966, Pan Am ordered 25 Boeing 747-100 aircraft, and in late 1966, Pratt & Whitney agreed to develop the JT9D engine, a high-bypass turbofan. On September 30, 1968, the first 747 was rolled out of the purpose-built Everett Plant, the world's largest building by volume. The 747's first flight took place on February 9, 1969, and the 747 was certified in December 1969. It entered service with Pan Am on January 22, 1970. The 747 was the first airplane called a "Jumbo Jet" as the first wide-body airliner.

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