The Queen of the Skies is fading away: My fond memories of the British Airways 747
I cannot believe I'll never get to fly on the British Airways 747 again.
Back in July, British Airways announced it was retiring all 28 of its 747s.
The airline had planned to retire the jumbo jets by 2024 anyway, but the coronavirus pandemic dramatically sped up the process. The plane's four engines and relative age led to lots of maintenance. Poor fuel economy didn't help matters.
The last flight of a BA 747 happened back in December. Aviation blogger Sam Chui documented the final flight.
Related: These are the last Boeing 747s you can fly in the world
Over the years, I've gotten to see the planes many times at London Heathrow Airport (LHR), and I've always documented it when I've spotted the plane.
While I can no longer fly the giant bird, I do look back on the rare times I got to fly the plane with fondness.
Related: Where is British Airways parking its jets during the coronavirus
I flew coach on the 747-400 in September of 2018. I told the crew how excited I was for my first-ever 747 trip, and they let me take lots of pictures and even chat with the pilots for a few minutes. I loved the kick of the engines on takeoff. Four engines are better than two for takeoffs in my opinion. The massive plane had plenty of room. In fact, I had a whole row on that flight to myself. Poor man's business class.
Twice I got to sit on the upper deck of the jet in business class. Though the cabins were a bit dated, there was nothing quite like it. My favorite thing was the giant lockers for all your carry-ons and other junk.
I flew the 747-400 in business class on Feb. 28, 2019, from London to New York-JFK. Check out the pictures of those side lockers and all that legroom. The staggered front/back seating was always a little awkward, but on this flight, I didn't have anyone next to me so I wasn't looking into someone's face the whole time.
What turned out to be my final 747 flight was on Aug. 14 of 2019.
All three journeys were memorable. I wish I had been able to experience the plane on even longer flights, but I'm happy I got to experience it at all. Service was good on all three legs — very efficient and very British. I was actually treated most warmly on that first flight in coach.
If you still want to fly the 747 before they all "fly away," there are still some being operated. In fact, we wrote about the last double-deckers you can fly in the world.
Related: These are the last Boeing 747s you can fly in the world
747s are still available for booking by carriers like Air China, Korean Air and Lufthansa. These are mostly the newer-version 747-8s — a little longer upper deck and tweaked wings.
Related: Lufthansa 747-8 returns to U.S. in March
I never got to fly on any U.S. carrier's 747s (they've been gone several years now), but my colleague Zach Honig did. In fact, he and TPG's Nick Ellis were on the last 747 operated by United Airlines back in 2017.
Delta ditched their 747 back in 2017 as well. TPG was on the last revenue flight.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.