Airbus A380-800
Wide-body, full double-deck, four-engine commercial jet
The Airbus A380 is the world's largest passenger airliner — a full double-deck quadjet designed for the very largest hub-to-hub routes. With seating for over 500 across two decks, it became the flagship of carriers like Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Lufthansa, though shifting economics ended production after 251 deliveries.
Specifications
| First flight | 2005-04-27 |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 2007-10-25 |
| Status | Out of production (last delivery 2021); fleet remains in active service |
| Production | 2003–2021 (251 built) |
| Crew | 2 (flight deck) |
| Capacity | 525 (3-class) to 853 (high-density, certified) |
| Length | 0 m |
| Wingspan | 0 m |
| Height | 0 m |
| MTOW | 0 kg |
| Max speed | 0 km/h |
| Cruise speed | 0 km/h |
| Range | 0 km |
| Service ceiling | 0 m |
| Engines | 4 × Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP7200 |
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History
Airbus launched the A3XX program in 1994 to challenge the Boeing 747's dominance in the very large aircraft segment. The first flight was on 27 April 2005, and Singapore Airlines began commercial service in October 2007. Emirates became the largest operator with 123 aircraft, building its Dubai hub strategy entirely around the type. Airbus announced the end of A380 production in February 2019, citing falling orders as airlines shifted to twin-engine widebodies (777, 787, A350) for point-to-point routes. The final delivery, to Emirates, took place in December 2021.
Design
The A380's defining feature is its full-length double deck — unlike the 747's partial upper deck, the A380's upper cabin runs from nose to tail, supported by two full passenger entry levels. The wing was sized for a future stretched -900 variant that was never built, giving the -800 generous take-off performance and range margin. Maximum take-off weight of 575 tonnes makes the A380 the heaviest passenger aircraft ever certified. To clear ICAO Code F airport gate constraints (80 m wingspan limit), the wingtip fences are angled inward.
Variants
- A380-800 (passenger, the only production variant)
- A380F (freighter, cancelled 2007)
- A380plus (proposed re-engined / sharklet upgrade, never launched)
- A380-900 (proposed stretch, never launched)
Notable operators
- Emirates (largest operator by far)
- Singapore Airlines
- Lufthansa
- British Airways
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Korean Air
- All Nippon Airways (ANA)
- Etihad Airways
Notable
The A380 was simultaneously a triumph and a commercial disappointment. It is the only full-length double-deck commercial aircraft ever built, and the only certified four-engine jet still in volume passenger service in the late 2020s. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated retirements at Air France, Lufthansa, and Singapore, but several operators reversed course post-2022 as long-haul demand returned faster than narrowbody capacity. Emirates remains committed through the 2030s.
See also
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A380
- https://www.airbus.com/en/products-services/commercial-aircraft/passenger-aircraft/a380-family
Last updated: 2026-05-06