Boeing 747 fuel consumption explained: hourly burn in tonnes, litres and gallons, tank capacity, variant differences and planning caveats.
A Boeing 747 typically burns about 10–12 tonnes of jet fuel per hour in cruise, roughly 12,500–15,000 litres or 3,300–4,000 US gallons. The exact figure depends on the 747 variant, weight, altitude, speed and weather; climb fuel flow is much higher, while descent fuel flow is much lower.
What is Boeing 747 fuel consumption per hour?
For a representative 747-400, 10–12 tonnes per cruise hour is a sound shorthand, not a fixed engineering value. That equals approximately 22,000–26,500 lb of fuel, or about 2.5–3 tonnes per engine per hour when averaged evenly across four engines.
In Aviation & Real-World Flying, fuel is best compared by mass because the volume occupied by Jet A or Jet A-1 changes with density and temperature. The litre figures above assume a density close to 0.8 kg per litre.
| 747 variant | Representative long-range cruise burn | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|
| 747-100/-200/-300 | About 11–13+ tonnes per hour | Engine choice, weight and the 747SP create a wide spread |
| 747-400 | About 10–12 tonnes per hour | Early, heavy cruise is usually above late-cruise consumption |
| 747-8I/-8F | About 9–11 tonnes per hour in efficient cruise | A heavily loaded freighter or lower cruise level can be higher |
These are operational ballparks rather than guaranteed performance figures. The 747-8 has newer engines and aerodynamic changes, explained in our overview of the differences between the 747-8 and earlier 747 variants, so figures from a 747-400 should not be copied directly into a 747-8 flight plan.
Take-off fuel flow can be several times the cruise rate, but only for a short period. Once established at altitude, fuel flow falls as the aircraft becomes lighter; step climbs can reduce it again. A headwind increases trip fuel chiefly by extending flight time, not by adding a fixed percentage to the hourly engine burn.
Does a Boeing 747 really burn one gallon per second?
Yes, one US gallon per second is a reasonable shorthand for cruise. A consumption of 3,300–4,000 US gallons per hour works out to about 0.9–1.1 US gallons each second.
The unit matters: an imperial gallon is larger, so the same burn is roughly 0.8–0.9 imperial gallons per second. The claim should not be treated as a constant from engine start to shutdown because taxi, take-off, climb and descent have very different fuel flows.
How much fuel can a Boeing 747 carry?
A 747 can hold far more fuel than it burns during a typical hour, but capacity depends on the model and tank configuration.
| Variant | Approximate maximum volume | Approximate mass at 0.8 kg/L |
|---|---|---|
| 747-400 | 216,800 litres or 57,300 US gallons | 173 tonnes |
| 747-8 | 238,600 litres or 63,000 US gallons | 191 tonnes |
Capacity is not the same as fuel used. Ten cruise hours at the headline rate gives a rough arithmetic estimate of 100–120 tonnes, but the dispatch load must also account for taxi fuel, contingency, an alternate, final reserve and any extra fuel. Payload and maximum take-off weight may prevent an aircraft from carrying maximum fuel at the same time as maximum payload.
How should I estimate 747 fuel in a flight simulator?
Calculate fuel for the exact simulated variant and route rather than loading an arbitrary tank percentage. A practical workflow is:
- Identify the model and units. Confirm whether the aircraft is a 747-400, 747-8I or 747-8F, and whether its displays use kilograms or pounds.
- Plan the actual route. Include expected winds, cruise level, payload, speed or cost index, departure procedures and likely arrival routing.
- Build block fuel correctly. Add taxi, trip, applicable contingency, alternate, final reserve and extra fuel. Reserve fuel is carried for protection; it is not expected trip consumption.
- Use a matching planning tool. For the relevant PMDG 747-400 generation, our dedicated PMDG 747 fuel-planning utility provides a useful starting estimate. Our broader simulator fuel planner can help with general comparisons, but it should not override aircraft-specific performance data.
- Monitor predicted arrival fuel. Compare actual and planned fuel at top of climb and later waypoints. A persistent mismatch usually points to the wrong variant, units, payload, winds, cruise level or speed assumption.
The mistake we see most often is confusing per-engine fuel flow with total fuel flow, followed closely by mixing US gallons, imperial gallons, pounds and kilograms. Check the display label before multiplying anything by four or converting it to tank volume.