
The Boeing 747 is one of the world's most recognisable aircraft. Its high passenger capacity and long range have allowed airlines to open up new direct routes worldwide. The 747-8 is the final series of the large, long-range wide-body airliners in the Boeing 747 family. It is the largest model variant of the 747 and the largest aircraft overall. But how much fuel does the 747-8 hold?
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What You'll Learn

The Boeing 747-8 has a fuel capacity of 63,034 gallons
The Boeing 747 is one of the world's most recognisable aircraft. It is a large, long-range wide-body airliner with high passenger capacity. The 747-8 is the final series of the 747 family and is the largest model variant. It is also the largest aircraft that Boeing has produced. The 747-8 was launched in 2005 and made its maiden flight in 2010.
The 747-8 is powered by a smaller, more efficient version of the General Electric GEnx turbofan engine. This engine was originally designed for the 787 Dreamliner. The 747-8's maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 975,000 pounds, making it the heaviest Boeing airliner.
The 747-8 has a range of over 8,000 nautical miles. It is designed to carry up to 467 passengers in a 3-class configuration. The aircraft's fuel efficiency is impressive, with a proven record of consuming 11% less fuel per passenger than its competitor, the Airbus A380.
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$2267

The 747-8 is the largest aircraft in the 747 family
The Boeing 747 is a large, long-range wide-body airliner that has been in service since the 1960s. Over the years, Boeing has explored larger 747 versions, including the 747-8, which is the largest model variant of the 747 and the company's largest aircraft overall.
The 747-8 is a new development of Boeing's largest airliner and is in direct competition with the Airbus A380 on long-haul routes. The 747-8 is more than 10% lighter per seat and consumes 11% less fuel per passenger than the A380, resulting in a trip-cost reduction of 21%.
The 747-8's fuselage was stretched by 18 feet (5.5 m), reaching a total length of 250 feet (76 m). This made it the longest airliner in service until the debut of the 777X in 2020. The 747-8 features a deeper and thicker wing, allowing for greater fuel capacity, and larger raked wingtips for improved aerodynamics.
The 747-8 is powered by a more efficient, smaller version of the General Electric GEnx turbofan engine from the 787 Dreamliner. Its maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 975,000 pounds (442 tonnes), making it the heaviest Boeing airliner. The freighter version, with a shorter upper deck, can haul 308,000 pounds (140 tonnes) over 4,120 nautical miles (7,630 km; 4,740 mi).
The 747-8 has a full-fuel capacity of approximately 63,000 gallons, weighing around 400,000 pounds, which is nearly as much as the empty plane itself.
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The 747-8's wings are deeper and thicker, allowing for greater fuel capacity
The Boeing 747 is one of the most recognisable aircraft in the world, with a high passenger capacity and long range. The 747-8 is the final series of the large, long-range wide-body airliners in the 747 family and is the largest model variant of the 747. It is also Boeing's largest aircraft overall.
The exact fuel capacity of the 747-8 varies depending on the model. The 747-8i Intercontinental can carry 63,034 gallons of fuel, while the 747-8f freighter has a capacity of 59,734 gallons. This is an increase in fuel capacity of around 9% compared to the 747-400, which could hold 57,285 gallons.
The 747-8 has a maximum takeoff weight of 975,000 pounds, making it the heaviest Boeing airliner. It can fly over 8,000 miles on a full tank, with a range of 8,056 nautical miles. The 747-8 is more fuel-efficient than its competitors, consuming 11% less fuel per passenger than the Airbus A380.
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The 747-8 burns 3,500 to 3,800 gallons of fuel per hour
The Boeing 747 is one of the world's most recognisable aircraft, with an impressive range and high passenger capacity. The 747-8 is the final series of the large, long-range wide-body airliners in the 747 family. It is the largest model variant of the 747 and is Boeing's largest aircraft overall.
The 747-8 is powered by a smaller, more efficient version of the General Electric GEnx turbofan engine, which is recognisable by its "shark teeth" style engine cowlings. This engine allows the 747-8 to burn 3,500 to 3,800 gallons of fuel per hour at cruising speed. The exact fuel burn rate depends on passenger capacity and the make and model of the engines.
The 747-8 has a deeper and thicker wing than its predecessors, allowing for greater fuel capacity. The aircraft's fuselage was stretched by 18 feet, reaching a total length of 250 feet, making it the longest airliner in service until the 777X in 2020.
The 747-8 burns jet fuel, including Jet A, Jet A-1, and Jet B, which are types of refined kerosene. The plane's fuel capacity varies by model, with some variants like the 747-8i Intercontinental carrying 63,034 gallons of fuel. This large fuel capacity enables the 747-8 to fly over 8,000 miles on a full tank.
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The 747-8 is more fuel-efficient than the Airbus A380
The Boeing 747-8 is the final series of the large, long-range wide-body airliners in the Boeing 747 family. It is the largest model variant of the 747 and Boeing's largest aircraft overall. The 747-8 was designed to be a direct competitor to the Airbus A380 on long-haul routes.
The 747-8 has a range of 7,730 nautical miles (14,310 km) or 4,120 nautical miles (7,630 km) as a freighter. It can carry 426,109 lb (193,280 kg) of fuel as a passenger aircraft or 400,218 lb (181,536 kg) as a freighter. In comparison, the A380 holds 253,983 kg (559,937 lb) of fuel, which is just over 60,000 kg more fuel than the 747-8.
Despite the A380's greater fuel capacity, Boeing states that the 747-8 is more than 10% lighter per seat and consumes 11% less fuel per passenger than the A380, resulting in a trip-cost reduction of 21% and a seat-mile cost reduction of over 6%. This is due to the 747-8's more efficient, smaller version of the General Electric GEnx turbofan engine from the 787 Dreamliner, as well as its deeper and thicker wing, which allows for greater fuel capacity.
However, it is important to note that fuel efficiency in large aircraft is not a fixed metric and can vary depending on operational conditions such as load factor and route profile. For example, an A380 flying at 60% capacity will use more fuel per passenger than a 747-8 operating at 90% capacity, despite the A380's theoretical efficiency advantage. Additionally, when used on short-haul or medium-haul routes, the A380's fuel efficiency drops due to the extended time spent climbing and descending relative to cruising.
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Frequently asked questions
The 747-8 is the largest model variant of the 747 and Boeing's largest aircraft overall. The 747-8I Intercontinental can carry 63,034 gallons of fuel, while the 747-8F freighter can carry 59,734 gallons of fuel.
It costs around $140,000 to $170,000 to refuel a Boeing 747, but the price depends on the fuel market price, the flying route, the aircraft model, fuel type, and taxes.
The 747-8 has a deeper and thicker wing than previous 747 models, allowing for greater fuel capacity. The 747-8I Intercontinental's fuel capacity of 63,034 gallons is an increase of more than 9% over the 747-400's capacity of 57,285 gallons.
The 747-8 is not considered a fuel-efficient vehicle compared to other aircraft, but it is more fuel-efficient than the Airbus A380. On a flight from New York to Los Angeles, a Boeing 747 consumed an estimated 27 gallons of fuel per person, while a car travelling the same route consumed 56 gallons of fuel per person.










































