Compare the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 by size, capacity, range, cockpit, engines and airline role, with crucial variant caveats.
In aviation and real-world flying, the Airbus A380 is the wider, heavier, full-length double-deck airliner; the Boeing 747 has one full passenger deck and a shorter upper deck. The 747-8 is longer, but the A380 offers more floor area, higher passenger capacity and a distinctly Airbus fly-by-wire cockpit.
Which Boeing 747 should be compared with the A380?
The Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental is the fairest single passenger comparison with the A380-800, while the older 747-400 is the aircraft many travellers mean when they say “747”. The comparison mistake we see most often is mixing dimensions, range figures or engine data from different 747 generations.
Only the A380-800 entered airline service, whereas the 747 developed through numerous passenger, combi and freighter variants. Our explanation of the 747-8’s changes from the 747-400 covers those generational differences in more detail.
Is the Airbus A380 bigger than the Boeing 747?
The A380 is bigger by weight, wingspan, cabin width and usable passenger floor area, but the 747-8 is about 3.6 metres longer. That is why “Which is bigger?” produces conflicting answers: length alone favours the 747-8, while overall size and capacity favour the A380.
| Feature | Airbus A380-800 | Boeing 747-8I | Boeing 747-400 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck arrangement | Two full-length passenger decks | Full main deck plus partial upper deck | Full main deck plus partial upper deck |
| Length | 72.7 m | 76.3 m | 70.7 m |
| Wingspan | 79.8 m | 68.4 m | 64.4 m |
| Height | 24.1 m | 19.4 m | 19.4 m |
| Maximum take-off weight | Up to 575 tonnes | About 447.7 tonnes | Up to about 396.9 tonnes |
| Traditional three-class seating figure | About 555 | About 410 | About 416 |
| Nominal maximum range | About 8,000 nmi | About 7,730 nmi | About 7,285 nmi |
| Typical cruise | Mach 0.85 | Mach 0.855 | Mach 0.85 |
These are representative manufacturer figures, not guaranteed figures for every flight. Seating changes by airline, while range depends on payload, reserves, weather, routing and the precise subvariant. Our size guide to Airbus’s largest aircraft explains why the A380 remains Airbus’s largest airliner despite not being the longest airliner built.
How do their cabins and passenger capacities differ?
The A380’s defining feature is its full-length upper deck, giving it substantially more cabin floor area than any passenger 747. Its broad main deck can accommodate ten-abreast economy seating, while the upper deck is wide enough for substantial premium cabins or additional economy seating.
The 747’s upper deck occupies only the forward part of the aircraft, creating its distinctive hump. It offers a smaller, more private cabin, but nothing close to the A380’s total upper-deck capacity.
Actual comfort is set by the airline rather than the aircraft badge. Seat width, pitch, lavatory count and cabin density can make a spacious airframe feel cramped. The A380 is generally praised for low cabin noise and a steady ride, but that does not guarantee a better individual seat.
Do the A380 and 747 have similar engines, speed and range?
Both are four-engine long-haul aircraft with broadly similar cruise speeds, but they use different engine families and have different operating characteristics. The A380 was offered with Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP7200 engines; the 747-8 uses General Electric GEnx-2B engines.
The 747-400 could be ordered with General Electric, Pratt & Whitney or Rolls-Royce engines. Our breakdown of engine types fitted across the 747 family identifies the main combinations.
Neither aircraft has a decisive real-world speed advantage. Published range figures are also close enough that payload, winds and airline configuration matter more than a few hundred nautical miles on a specification sheet. Runway requirements likewise depend on weight, elevation, temperature and runway condition; there is no reliable rule that one always needs a longer runway.
One easily missed mechanical difference is that the A380 has thrust reversers only on its two inboard engines. Passenger 747 variants use reverse thrust on all four engines.
How are the A380 and 747 cockpits different?
The A380 uses Airbus sidesticks, extensive fly-by-wire control and electronic flight-envelope protections, whereas modern 747s retain conventional control columns and Boeing-style cockpit logic. The two aircraft therefore feel and operate very differently despite performing similar long-haul missions.
The early 747 generations required a flight engineer as well as two pilots. The 747-400 introduced a two-pilot glass cockpit, and the 747-8 added newer displays and fly-by-wire control of some surfaces while retaining yokes. The A380 was designed from the outset around a two-pilot glass cockpit, ECAM monitoring and Airbus managed-flight concepts.
Why did airlines use them for different jobs?
The A380 was designed primarily to move very large passenger loads between major hub airports, while the 747 family served passenger, combi and dedicated freighter roles. That difference became as important as their physical dimensions.
- A380: best suited to dense routes where airport slots are scarce and enough passengers can fill two complete decks.
- 747 passenger models: offered high capacity with a smaller cabin and lower maximum weight than the A380.
- 747 freighters: provide a main-deck cargo hold, large side door and, on dedicated freighter versions, an opening nose for long or awkward loads.
- A380 cargo: no production freighter version entered service, so operational A380s carry freight only in the belly holds beneath the passenger decks.
High trip costs and the growth of efficient long-range twinjets reduced demand for both four-engine passenger types. Airbus ended A380 production in 2021, and Boeing delivered the final 747—a freighter—in 2023. Both types remain in service, but the 747 retains a distinct cargo role that the A380 never acquired. We cover the commercial factors behind this in our account of why the A380 programme ended.
Which is better: the A380 or the 747?
The A380 is the stronger choice for maximum passenger capacity, cabin floor area and full double-deck operation. The 747 is more versatile as an aircraft family and is the clear choice for main-deck or outsized freight, especially in 747-8F form.
For passengers, the better flight usually comes down to airline configuration, seat choice and service. For an operator, neither wins automatically: route demand, cargo requirements, airport compatibility and load factor determine whether either large four-engine aircraft makes economic sense.
What should flight-simulator pilots avoid mixing up?
Sim pilots should never reuse A380 weights, V-speeds or automation techniques in a 747—or interchange 747-400 and 747-8 performance data. The correct figures must come from the loaded aircraft and the model-specific flight-management system or documentation.
- Check the exact variant: the 747-400 and 747-8 have different dimensions, engines, avionics and performance.
- Use calculated speeds: copied take-off or approach speeds become unsafe when weight, flap setting, runway or weather changes.
- Plan the stand and taxi route: the A380 and 747-8 fall within ICAO Code F by wingspan, while the 747-400 is Code E. Not every gate or taxiway suitable for a 747-400 can realistically accept an A380.
- Do not transfer cockpit habits: Airbus managed modes, sidestick logic and ECAM procedures do not map directly to the 747’s mode-control panel, yokes and EICAS workflow.