Crossed an item off my bucket list: 747 upper deck flight

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Shtapiq@reddit

Why? Looks like you can’t really look forward.

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Ancient-Way-6520@reddit

You can see forward a little out of the first few windows because of the nose taper and you get to sit in front of the pilots haha

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Public-Cat-9568@reddit

Wow, really cool. I always wondered if you can look from those front seats.

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Ancient-Way-6520@reddit

Yeah there are some cool videos out there https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQf-7fgA7H8

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matsutaketea@reddit

this was my dilemma before UA retired the 747. I had the choice between nose or upper deck and I ended up on the upper deck. I don't have regret though as I had always wanted to use the stairs

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SkyMilesEnthusiast@reddit

Love the 747 but the business class looks dated

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Jesse-Heisenberg@reddit

Lufthansa 747 upper deck is just lovely. That’s my constant ride back to my hometown 🥹 So it has a special place in my heart

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decavn@reddit

Looks like you were in a 747-400 with the big top!

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ObjectiveToAFault@reddit

Jealous! Rarely see passenger versions in the states, except for Lufthansa flights to Germany.

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Lufthansa is now the largest 747 operator, by far, so they are the most likely you may come across. The only other airlines that still fly the 747 for passenger services are Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Air China, and Saudia.

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ssbuxtd@reddit

Yeah, a very rare bird in passenger service these days. Korean Air flies their 747-8 to/from ATL every day. It is the only possible way to fly the 747 from Atlanta.

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microwaved__soap@reddit

I understand the inevitable march of technology but damn reading that HURTS

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cbg13@reddit

Is virgin no longer flying them?

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source4mini@reddit

Retired their last ones, I think the -400s, during COVID.

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PacSan300@reddit

KLM, British Airways, and Qantas were a few other airlines who retired their 747s due to covid.

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source4mini@reddit

Qantas really feeling that right now too, especially with retiring 2 of their A380s at the same time and now their replacement 787s and A350s being greatly delayed.

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SmokinTires@reddit

Asiana retired their last pax 747 a couple of months ago

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Shtapiq@reddit

Do you happen to know which cities it links?

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spddmn77@reddit (OP)

MIA, EWR, JFK, ORD, IAH, SFO, LAX and maybe a few others I’m not remembering

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ConstableBlimeyChips@reddit

Frankfurt to Tokyo Haneda as well. I know because I flew Economy to Japan and upper deck back.

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Shtapiq@reddit

Ah man, that would be one of the destinations. Comfy enough for a family of 5?

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ConstableBlimeyChips@reddit

Economy is never comfy. Upper deck is nice if you can afford. It's actually one of the worst business class products because it's 2-2 seating and you don't get a private seat/cubicle. But as an aviation geek getting to say you flew upper deck on a 747 and got to visit the cockpit before the flight is worth it.

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jdvfx@reddit

Last time I did LAX-FRA I had the two seats to myself, so I kept the window seat in bed mode, had my meals in the aisle seat.

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Shtapiq@reddit

Of course, that’s the point! :) They don’t seem to do Frankfurt-New York though

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Zealousideal_Ad_821@reddit

There’s one 747 flight from FRA-JFK and FRA-EWR. There is also a FRA-JFK A340 flight

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Foggl3@reddit

I wonder what my wife will say about me trying to non-rev this just to do it lol

Also, happy cake day

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Zealousideal_Ad_821@reddit

I’m 3 months away from getting my ZED privileges and this is the first thing I’m planning on doing. Bring your wife on a surprise trip to Germany and act surprised when it’s on a 747

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Foggl3@reddit

Might make a good Christmas trip

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2fast2nick@reddit

I did virgin Atlantic some years ago, their economy was upper deck. It was a little cramped because the plane kinda turned in on the top sides.

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jaobrtx@reddit

São Paulo too!

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Kevlaars@reddit

YVR too!

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2fast2nick@reddit

I did LAX to FRA this summer.

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Shtapiq@reddit

A Frankfurt-New York would be doable in a 747?

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spddmn77@reddit (OP)

They have two 747 flights daily to New York. A 747-8 from FRA-EWR and a 747-400 from FRA-JFK.

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eguy888@reddit

I can't believe LH still has the same cabin as when I flew on the -8i in 2014! Their cabin quality has really gone downhill compared to their competitors. Still, the -8 rules. I love flying on it, I'll be on it in a few weeks again.

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spddmn77@reddit (OP)

Yeah, the cabin felt dated and far behind what other airlines offer. Wouldn’t be worth it if not for the upper deck experience.

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cadre_78@reddit

Just did it 4 times recently. It’s the best!

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I_like_apostrophes@reddit

Did that on Air New Zealand from LHR to LAX. Wonderful.

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white_castle@reddit

Awesome! I got to fly on a 747 upper deck with Northwest Airlines - a long time ago. It was also my first upper class travel experience.

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ImperfectlyCromulent@reddit

I flew upper deck on a 747… from Minneapolis to Chicago. What a tease.

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white_castle@reddit

What a strange route for such a big plane! Must have been a ferry flight to position it for a long haul.

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PacSan300@reddit

The upper deck of a 747 is really a special place. Feels like you are in your own private cabin, in many ways. Been upstairs a few times for cockpit visits (back when they allowed that), but only flew as a passenger up there once: with Air New Zealand on a transpacific flight in business class. Was a memorable experience that felt rather exclusive due to the ambience.

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OddIndependence877@reddit

they don’t allow cockpit visits anymore?

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absoluteczech@reddit

Where have you been the last 22 years and 362 days

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ericek111@reddit

Still a pretty common thing in Europe.

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OddIndependence877@reddit

some cool cats on my flight to iad let me in recently

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extravert_@reddit

they mean during the flight dawg

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Meemooh11@reddit

Only on ground before the doors are closed

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superidoll420@reddit

Oh some ah been law den enters the room

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JoelinVan@reddit

Saudi Arabia entered the chat...

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Public_Fucking_Media@reddit

I miss being a nonrev, I loved flying upper deck 747

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JBerry_Mingjai@reddit

Me too! Though I actually prefer the nose. I had what the FA called the Captain Kirk seat once.

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Significant_Slice291@reddit

I had the opportunity to take the nose seats on the upper deck from Frankfurt to Buenos Aires last year on Lufthansa. The coolest thing was freshly scrambled eggs for breakfast - they actually had a little box of eggs and an electric stove to do that :) 747 nose ride was a lifelong checklist item.

My first ever airplane ride as a kid was on a 747 Air India from Mumbai to Delhi in 1996 - I think they used to fly Mumbai - Delhi - London - New York (I might be mistaken). I remember the huge projector screens everywhere in the plane :) My dad did his research and booked us on the wide body plane - it was very exciting!

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Ldghead@reddit

LH -8 business is great. I'm actually taking it again this December.

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VerminLordTaka@reddit

As a non-europen this “business class” looks really dated?

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Pilot_212@reddit

Years ago Tower Air had economy seats upper deck. Did it a few times to Paris and back. Was the only way to tolerate flying on that airline.

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LyleLanley99@reddit

I lucked out a kid because my seat on the high density 747 Japan Airlines domestic flight was on the upper deck. I felt like a king walking up those stairs.

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Zesiro@reddit

Allegris can't come fast enough to these jets...

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spddmn77@reddit (OP)

Agreed

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compsecmonkey@reddit

Did you take an upper Decker?

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CumDumpsterDiving@reddit

These gentleman may not know what you’re talking about lol.

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risketyclickit@reddit

My company pad for a business class seat on PA and I was psyched to ride the upper deck. Then they offered me a first class upgrade (main deck). Only guy ever to be disappointed at a F/C upgrade.

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OscarOrr@reddit

In 1982 did the upper deck business class on Pan Am JFK to Narita on a SP flew right over Danali, still memorable 40+ years later

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PamuamuP@reddit

Very cool! That mood light makes it almost cozy

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spddmn77@reddit (OP)

It was very cozy up there, especially being a mostly night flight

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LedZep2727@reddit

I was lucky enough to fly on one of those in the late 1980’s when the upper deck was a lounge/bar.

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BostonNU@reddit

Yep, those were the days. TWA’s Royal Ambassador service JFK to LHR and JFK to FCO. And on Valentines Day, JFK to CDG 😍😍😍😍😍😍

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justmeandnobod@reddit

Awesome, I did that on a Thai Air flight from Stockholm to Bangkok

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STxFarmer@reddit

Did upper deck from Bangkok to Amsterdam on Thai Air years ago Still one of my most enjoyable flights Favorite airplane of all time

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Dwilliamson5002@reddit

We did that as well before they are all gone. Flew back from FRA to IAD last year. Missed doing the Concorde and didn’t want to miss out on the upper deck of the 747! Was lucky to get the 747-8 vs the -4 they have.

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Majortom_67@reddit

I hate you

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undercoveraviator@reddit

Me too! Twice! And the A380 twice too... The 747 is a much nicer flying plane, imho. It seemed smoother than the 380, but-- that's just my opinion. It's such a shame they are going away.

I would def recommend to anyone that can-- get a flight before they are gone!

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Euphoric-Profit6117@reddit

Beautiful!

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Thin-Ebb-9534@reddit

It was biz class then (pre Delta One). They weee lie flats, but 1st gen. Maybe 8-12 seats? Plus the cockpit. One dedicated FA. At the time DL had Glenlivet on board and the upstairs FA would go downstairs and clean out the carts for me. (It was a long flight to NRT).

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Blah-Blah-Blah-2023@reddit

So glad I got this experience a few years ago on British Airways. I got surprise upgraded from economy class to the upper deck. Excellent champagne cocktails, as I recall.

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Thin-Ebb-9534@reddit

That was always in my list but it was tough out of Atlanta until the Delta-Northwest merger that brought a lot of 747s into the fleet. They were lovely. Flew 2-3 of them, including the one in the Delta museum (tail 6301), that turns out to be the first 747-400 made. I remember that number because it had been my extension at work.

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spddmn77@reddit (OP)

Delta’s 747s had a pretty private upper deck seat configuration if I remember correctly

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lookedrs@reddit

So jealous! Wow

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AeroInsightMedia@reddit

Is the 747 a single aisle or two aisle plane?

Reeponse: "Yes"

I've always thought of it as a two aisle plane but this photo gives some new insight.

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maxathier@reddit

Lovely !

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77_Gear@reddit

Lucky you ;)