Gallery: The Boeing 747's Swan Song

While COVID-19 accelerated Boeing 747 retirements, the process was very much underway before the crisis. In late 2017, United Airlines retired its last 747. Shortly after in that same year, fellow U.S. operator Delta Air Lines said goodbye to its last operating 747.

British Airways had initially planned to retire its 747s, which accounted for around 10% of its fleet pre-COVID, in 2024 as it shifted its focus to smaller, more fuel efficient aircraft. However, this plan was brought forward with immediate effect in July 2020.

The Australian carrier had earmarked the 747 for retirement at the end of 2020, but COVID-19 accelerated its plans and it retired all its jumbo-sized aircraft in July 2020. The final flight was conducted across Australia before the aircraft headed for the Mojave Desert in the U.S. to be stripped for parts.

Having seen most of its larger aircraft types remain in storage for more than a year, Lufthansa said in May 2021 that it plans to retire all aircraft with more than 25 years' service—up to 115 aircraft. As part of the plan, it will likely retire the 747, along with another four-engine aircraft in the A380, by no later than 2025.

Virgin Atlantic, which saw its 747 fleet grounded for nine months due to the COVID crisis, flew the aircraft for the final time in December 2020. Retirements extended into 2021, with Taiwan's China Airlines phasing out its final commercial 747 in March.

Just 39 747s remain in active service as of July 2021. The largest operator of the aircraft is Russian carrier Rossiya Airlines, which operates nine of the jumbo jet.

Due to the accelerated retirements, the 747 became an increasingly common teardown option. The UK's Air Salvage International had 15 747s on site during 2020, most of which it expects to break down and sell off for parts. The likes of GA Telesis also acquired a 747 for teardown last year.

While the 747 will cease to be a commercial aircraft concern in the near future, the aircraft will be used by cargo operators for some time yet. More than 200 cargo variants are in-service at present, with Atlas Air operating the most 747s via a fleet of 35 aircraft.