What’s your favorite special livery?
Posted by Patient-Frosting6620@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 204 comments
My favorite by far is the Qantas 747-400 aboriginal livery.
Boss-fight601@reddit
I’m not even a Star Wars fan, but this livery is gas
samosamancer@reddit
Can’t mention one without the other. :D I am so sad that ANA’s discontinued them.
-malcolm-tucker@reddit
These are not the planes you've been looking for.
samosamancer@reddit
…goddamn it, that’s perfect, lol
aDerpyPenguin@reddit
I have the little scale model of this on my shelf. Probably my favorite livery as well.
ayasnt@reddit
Cargolux' LX-VCFacemask and LX-VCM cutaway liveries are definitely up there, idk why no one else mentioned them.
Jmg3@reddit
This one flew into Indy last week and I saw it in the sky and had to look it up because of the nose!
ayasnt@reddit
It's a head turner for sure
Photosynthetic@reddit
…TIL that they exist. And thank you for teaching me that, because they are delightful.
ayasnt@reddit
You're welcome my friend.
Money-Dealer516@reddit
I love this one too!!
ssam_abt@reddit
Starlux Airsorayama!!
TwujZnajomy27@reddit
What's this ai generated garbage
ssam_abt@reddit
It’s from their instagram page but it was a bit low quality so I put it through an image enhancer :( there’s no need to be rude
ZeroOptionLightning@reddit
Not the greatest picture I've taken.
theaviationhistorian@reddit
Which airport is this? I like it when the terminals have a tarmac jutting in between it and the property boundary like with LAX and Terminal 1 or SAN and its former first gates in their Terminal 1.
ZeroOptionLightning@reddit
SeaTac D gates. At the very end where AA loves boarding 2 flights simultaneously next to each other.
theaviationhistorian@reddit
I don't know why I didn't register the trees as the PNW. For some reason my brain decided that this was the east coast! Thanks for answering as my exhausted mind was doing circles around this!
Man, that gate closest to the fence is really close! SAN Terminal 1 Gate 1 close! At least, before the skybridges were removed to make way for the terminal expansion.
Although it does remind me of ELP gates B6-B10 where you can see the aircraft there when arriving at the airport!
rudedogg1304@reddit
Very cool. Is there a reason we don’t see the kind of paint jobs you would’ve seen in the 50s , where it was kinda shiny / metallic? Or is it a completely different material Now ?
crozone@reddit
It's all composite underneath the paint so there's no metal to polish up. You could probably do a chrome paint job but it I assume it would be ungodly expensive.
HungryPigeonn@reddit
Jetstar has recently stopped painting their planes in their iconic silver for at least two reasons. Those being how much weight the metallic flakes add, how hard it is to match parts since the colour fades so unevenly.
I know it isn’t chrome but it’s an interesting fact nonetheless
SkyscraperNC@reddit
I think it’s a different material now. Shame, because the shiny was pretty
SackOfCats@reddit
I just flew this one a couple weeks ago.
AverageAircraftFan@reddit
If we’re counting all planes and not just airlines, this one by far
TheAgedProfessor@reddit
My dad designed these, so maybe I'm biased.
AverageAircraftFan@reddit
Oh, those are on display at the EAA Museum in Oshkosh!
Thats my nearest aviation museum. The NextGen Eagles fly at EAA too, im pretty sure
Thats sick
TheAgedProfessor@reddit
Yes, I was so happy to see the NextGen Eagles using the original liveries.
Dad did the paint scheme for the Eagle II's, too (actually, that came first)... the original prototype is in the Oshkosh museum, as well.
Capital_Shame_5077@reddit
Damn! That’s so cool
fireinthesky7@reddit
I've never seen this before! The airport in my hometown had a Stearman painted in those same colors that the owner flew pretty frequently.
Capital_Shame_5077@reddit
I’ve seen it!
McNuts20@reddit
Shit picture but this southwest one I rode on a few years back is favorite
TheMeltingPointOfWax@reddit
I wish Southwest would go permanently back to corndog livery. For now we just have the HK special.
Sunny-Nebula@reddit
Imua One, N8710M
Sunny-Nebula@reddit
Imua One, N8710M
AeroSavvy@reddit
Alexander Calder Braniff DC-8
stevc84@reddit
ImpossibleFront7991@reddit
TheAgedProfessor@reddit
Flew on this a year or so ago. Not my absolute favorite ever, but it seemed understated and respectful.
Shroom-Kitty@reddit
ANA sea turtles
TheAgedProfessor@reddit
Wow, the FD windshields are really well incorporated in those! That's gorgeous.
martinjh99@reddit
Those are brilliant - Reminds me of the livery on thee Current Airbus BelugaXL which also has painted eyes!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_BelugaXL#/media/File:Hamburg-Finkenwerder_Airport_Airbus_Transport_International_Airbus_A330-743L_Beluga_XL_F-GXLH_(DSC09365).jpg
tardis3134@reddit
YES I was just about to post this! I love the turtles :3
samosamancer@reddit
I can’t wait to fly on one of these. I saw 2 of them parked at NRT recently - my first A380 sightings in years!
Shroom-Kitty@reddit
I watched the blue one taxi when I was there a few years ago, it is so adorable. It's probably only the third A380 I've ever seen. I don't usually travel to big hubs, so it's always a treat to see one, but this one was exceptionally special.
samosamancer@reddit
Ditto, I lived in a smaller city for many years and only saw A380s once every few years. I’m now on the US west coast, and while we don’t get A380s in Seattle, it’s very easy to get to cities that do. :)
oblique_shockwave@reddit
Maybe recency bias but the Lufthansa 100-year livery is dope af
martinjh99@reddit
I just added it to the list - Definitely the best airplane in their fleet!
lunytooth@reddit
It really is such a clever livery, so much better than their new livery.
Jlx_27@reddit
I need this mod, what site did you get it from?
Gluteuz-Maximus@reddit
Gta5-mods. com. Just search for Lufthansa, FSven has the livery for every aircraft
dreamcast98@reddit
I wish this one become a new official one. Current one looks so bland compared to this.
DublinLions@reddit
GTA V screenshot is an unusual way to show it but, it works I guess.
luerlockin@reddit
This 👍🏽👍🏽
TheLastUpdate_86@reddit
Absolutely agree, the, cooked with this one, looks good on all the planes they did it for Imo
martinjh99@reddit
Lufthansa's 100 yeaar celebration livery - It's great on all the planes they have it on but nothing tops a 747 in that livery...
https://newsroom.lufthansagroup.com/en/queen-of-the-skies-now-also-features-xxl-crane-for-100th-founding-anniversary/
shityplumber@reddit
skyliners_a340@reddit
:(
inimicali@reddit
I just can't open your link, it's too small for my phone lol
xqk13@reddit
There was a bot for tiny hyperlinks but I haven’t seen it in quite some time
Techhead7890@reddit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Airlines_Flight_006
RIP :(
JonBuqajIsSUS@reddit
This made me pull out my S-Pen to click it
waiting-for-the-sun@reddit
Fucking same. I must've tried 20 times
theaviationhistorian@reddit
I remember how beautiful it was. It was a tragic coincidence how it was involved in that crash. I loved how Singapore Airlines would call their 747-400s Big Top!
mikepapafoxtrot@reddit
SQ called their 747-400s Megatop; Big Top was what they called their 747-300.
theaviationhistorian@reddit
True, I forgot about that.
superdookietoiletexp@reddit
There were two of them, but the other was repainted soon after the crash in TPE.
BleachIF@reddit
Rip
gbbxl@reddit
Brussels Airlines ‘Rackham’
TheVoicesSpeakToMe@reddit
Everyones talking about the 100 years livery (which does look amazing) but seeing a retro livery on a -8 has always been really cool for me.
definitelyainoreally@reddit
This one ends up at SFO quite often. Still haven't seen the 100 years one yet
BankHottas@reddit
My only time flying on a 757. I was about 12. We had booked an LTU flight, but got to board this beauty that smelled like freshly baked bread. A flight I’ll never forget.
Liko81@reddit
It was (and is) contentious given Sea World's record on the animals in their care, but I always liked Southwest's Shamu livery:
puntapuntapunta@reddit
The Canadian goose livery was always pretty rad.
fireinthesky7@reddit
Make way for the Cobra Chicken.
-malcolm-tucker@reddit
Majestic. Barrel chested. The envy of all ornithologies.
DaBigBird27@reddit
The Simpsons on Western Pacific
I remember seeing this once in LAX in the late 90s.
PigsAlsoCanFly@reddit
SuspendBrady4Games@reddit
Patient-Frosting6620@reddit (OP)
This! And there 787 livery too.
Not_Daniel_Dreiberg@reddit
Yes, the Quetzalcoatl. Beautiful.
random352486@reddit
JA607A, Air Do's Rokon Jet.
I just think it's a really cool design with each side of the plane being painted differently.
Few-Lengthiness4017@reddit
el al retro maybe
kakakatia@reddit
Cool-Constant4319@reddit
Lotr
Worried_Tap7290@reddit
The one and only YT (not my own photo).
Less-Dinner7205@reddit
how about this🥰
HungryPigeonn@reddit
As a graphic designer this livery upsets me 😳
Yanii3004@reddit
As a graphic designer too it upsets me also 😳
Worried_Tap7290@reddit
Own photo below. Love her.
Worried_Tap7290@reddit
selfhostcusimbored@reddit
Jlx_27@reddit
Love the Dutch flag on those. (/s)
CWinter85@reddit
It's a Yugoslavian flag.
brazzers-official@reddit
Yeah the classic American airlines are just timeless. I'd fly on with just for the look of the blank metal.
selfhostcusimbored@reddit
Still remember the first time I saw that livery as a kid. Immediately fell in love with planes. The tail engine is just a timeless look similar to a Bugatti imo.
samosamancer@reddit
If they can find a way to recreate the aluminum look on carbon-composite aircraft, it would be incredible if they brought this back. Massimo Vignelli got so much mileage (pun intended) out of Helvetica across his entire portfolio.
jembutbrodol@reddit
Might be double bias because i love the long boi and F1
DayAccurate3134@reddit
Icelandair Helka Aurora
Proof-Masterpiece487@reddit
EspritLibre_404@reddit
xfalinex@reddit
Had the pleasure of flying on one of these last year, beautiful livery
yodleleyehaw@reddit
I saw it in person once and stupidly convinced myself that it was the standard livery and I was misremembering 😐
Groveldog@reddit
Oooh, Perf!
-malcolm-tucker@reddit
Had to scroll too far to see our Kiwi cousins represented.
Maybe one day there will be a laser kiwi livery...
chalk_in_boots@reddit
This is the correct answer. Absolutely great seeing them overhead coming in to land at Sydney. Sitting in the park it's just like "Dash 8, Dash 8, Dash 8, 737, two border collies, Dash 8, OOOOHHH ANZ special livery!"
todayilearmed@reddit
South African Airways ‘Ndziani’
osmia-lignaria@reddit
i love lovveeeee this one!!!!
crucible@reddit
Ed Force One:
riempies88@reddit
I got to see this one at OR Tambo international on their South African leg of the tour. Was pretty cool.
VMaxF1@reddit
The day after they played this tour in my city, I was at the airport to look at the arriving An-225. It was quite a sight for those two to be parked next to each other!
Twitter_2006@reddit
Iron Maiden are awesome - up the Irons /m/
JonBuqajIsSUS@reddit
For me this, the Swiss A350 Wanderlust
MudMonyet22@reddit
Malaysia Airlines' Freedom of Space livery worn on 9M-MRD.
mattyGOAT1996@reddit
RIP
mattyGOAT1996@reddit
Malaysia Airlines Hibiscus
felipe0093@reddit
Idk but that plane looks insane man
mymyby@reddit
The only special livery I’ve actually flown, but it’s a good one - everything from check-in & ticketing, to on board even down to the safety video, was Sanrio.
Sunny-Nebula@reddit
samosamancer@reddit
Alaska’s United Negro College Fund livery
Sunny-Nebula@reddit
Anyone have a better photo of this one?
samosamancer@reddit
Alaska’s orca livery
samosamancer@reddit
Alaska’s Xáat Kwáani livery
samosamancer@reddit
Alaska’s Salmon-Thirty-Salmon livery :)
samosamancer@reddit
Alaska’s Virgin-America-acquisition livery
(I’m not an Alaska shill, I just really like their livery!)
samosamancer@reddit
And, controversially, Alaska’s new 787 livery. I got to fly on it within a couple of days of its introduction into service (this is my hasty-ass photo of it because I was running REALLY late), and it is gorgeous.
Patient-Frosting6620@reddit (OP)
Ahh man controversial take, I think Chester on there would’ve been cooler.
Affectionate_Fly1918@reddit
I like this one so much, I use it as an avatar in several forums.
Informed4@reddit
superdookietoiletexp@reddit
Nalanji Dreaming (which appeared on a 747-300) was arguably as nice as Wunala Dreaming. A full accounting of QF’s special schemes are here: https://www.qantas.com/en-au/onboard/fleet/flying-art
It’s a shame that these two aircraft were not preserved in a museum somewhere.
dUty3@reddit
Love the broccoli A220!
samosamancer@reddit
Thank you for sharing! I love these!
Patient-Frosting6620@reddit (OP)
It’s a bum they don’t bring it back
Horatio-Leafblower@reddit
I spoke to a senior Qantas executive who said it weighed soo much, that is why it was mostly kept in USA for short haul maximum exposure work.
Great_Specialist_267@reddit
The paint on Wunala Dreaming added a half ton to the standard weight of the aircraft and significantly increased drag because it was so thick and bumpy. It was completely repainted (quietly) in 1995 in the U.S. to reduce the drag.
Whowhywearwhat@reddit
Love these, mine are VH ZND (787) Yam Dreaming, followed closely by Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa, VH X4A (A220). Very close to my heart these.
Jackalopes_Exist@reddit
Greedy_Dark_2437@reddit
Unfortunately never got to see it in person, which I regret everyday but this has to be top 5 best liveries AOT.
SeparateRegular4632@reddit
GuyfromKK@reddit
Malaysia Airlines 9M-MPB Hibiscus livery
ohitsmark@reddit
Any that I can see and take a photo of.
Justan0therthrow4way@reddit
My favourites would be the art series Qantas has done. That 747 has a special place in my heart. I’m hoping they’ll do another one for their A350s
I also love a retro livery. It upset me immensely when BA did the BOAC livery and then was forced to retire their 747s in 2020/2021. I hate to think how much that would have cost.
leedogger@reddit
WestJet Disney
Less-Dinner7205@reddit
for the 2014 wc, germany were champs…
miRRacolix@reddit
Brussels Airlines Red Devils
proflight27@reddit
abbottstightbussy@reddit
I’ve never seen that one before. That is mint.
proflight27@reddit
Also:
theaviationhistorian@reddit
ANA Peanuts because Snoopy & Woodstock
Carolina__034j@reddit
Lufthansa 100-year anniversary! It flew over my house last week.
I also like Aeromexico's Quetzalcóatl: https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/12042197
ralphishere3@reddit
Left-Associate3911@reddit
I’m sorry. I know it’s heritage and all that, and kudos for honouring it. But that doesn’t look right to my eyes. Sorry.
samosamancer@reddit
Do you mean the visual composition, the art style, etc.? It is a very bright color palette. I’m a designer and usually prefer more visually streamlined looks, so I get it.
But the fact that this isn’t like that is indeed part of its charm, and part of the overall point of the design to begin with. It isn’t corporatized or cleaned up in Adobe Illustrator. It’s real and organic, and has existed for thousands of years longer than any of these airlines have. And the colors themselves are chosen with intention to mean specific things.
It can be hard to let go of aesthetic proclivities and preconceptions. But it’s important to stay open minded and accept many different types of beauty and visual communication, especially those rooted in different cultures.
✌🏽
Patient-Frosting6620@reddit (OP)
Do you think it’s culture appropriation?
Left-Associate3911@reddit
It reminds of the global tails when BA did it. It just doesn’t sit right. But if the native peoples of AUS feel this is OK, I will respect their view on it.
Whowhywearwhat@reddit
These liveries tell stories as old as time. They have been done with respect and permission, so no appropriation. I can't speak for every Indigenous Aussie, but these are a great way for non Indigenous people to see a little of our history, art and culture, I get that it looks a bit tokenistic but anything corporate feels that way unfortunately.
samosamancer@reddit
The fact that Indigenous artists created these liveries is huge. I’ve lived in Seattle for several years and love the prevalence of art representing the area’s tribal communities.
bangtansalt@reddit
whyy
Von_Rootin_Tootin@reddit
Can’t beat Icelandair’s Hekla Aurora
samosamancer@reddit
I just wish the engine cowlings weren’t bright yellow. I know that’s a branding element, but it just looks awkward.
selfhostcusimbored@reddit
samosamancer@reddit
Great livery for a crappy movie that I pretend doesn’t exist, lol.
mmbatt@reddit
selfhostcusimbored@reddit
Tivapularz@reddit
MinisculeMax@reddit
I like the retro liveries
Cool-Salamander-7645@reddit
Someone is on the tools in BNE.
Jlx_27@reddit
brazzers-official@reddit
You already have the right answer
mak14@reddit
FJI B744 - Air Pacific now known as Fiji Airways - Island in the Sky 👌🏾
lucathecontemplator@reddit
Probably the one you chose but this one is pretty cool too
Twitter_2006@reddit
lucathecontemplator@reddit
She was parked safe at my airport recently
Zoinggo@reddit
Marl__n7@reddit
A lot of good choices, the Qantas ones in particular, but
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RwJLaPdyyM
wilsonianuk@reddit
In 2000 I flew from the UK to the US in the peter max 777 - that was pretty special.
https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/10539819
RumSwizzle508@reddit
Cape Air might get the award for the smallest special livery with a few of their Cessan 402s. Personally, I think the following are great:
Key West Express - It has a pirate on it and shark teeth!
Pride - Cape Air serves Provincetown, on the tip of the Cape, which is one of the most important gay vacation destinations in the country. I think this great way to show their love and support for a place and community that supports them.
PissedOffDog@reddit
originally stood for Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Services
Cool-Bed-8768@reddit
AdFun240@reddit
honestly? that one. holy crap that is good looking.
MattTheMechan1c@reddit
The spirit of HK Cathay 747.
MattTheMechan1c@reddit
Also the JAL Disney 747s. I believe there’s 4-5 variations
SauceBabey@reddit
Lots of favorites but gotta share one of my least favorite special liveries. I like the sentiment behind it and it is kinda cool in its own weird way but it really looks like some designer remembered this project was due 30 minutes before the deadline
TabsAZ@reddit
UA’s Friend-ship A320
kelsobjammin@reddit
I got a terrible pic of this guy at Redmond, Oregon!
kelsobjammin@reddit
I thought you would enjoy but it caught my eye so much I had to try!
mcmillanuk@reddit
Pepsi…
TheLastUpdate_86@reddit
The french kind? ;)
mcmillanuk@reddit
That’s the one!
TheManWithTheEsky@reddit
The original Qantas Wunala Dreaming OJB with painted nacelles….
Hail Wunala!
Wunala
She does not merely fly— she arrives, a story painted in fire and earth, gliding through cloud like a whispered Dreaming.
Her skin holds ancient songs, ochre red, sunburnt sky, lines that speak of paths walked long before runways were carved from dust.
Engines hum—not just of steel, but of memory— a deep, steady chant echoing country beneath her wings.
Across oceans she carries more than passengers: she carries a continent’s heartbeat, a sky full of ancestors watching her trace their stories in vapour trails.
And when she descends— touching land with quiet reverence— it feels less like landing, more like returning.
Wunala— not just a plane, but a journey that remembers where it began.
AN2Felllla@reddit
It's difficult to choose between the Hobbit livery and the Smaug livery, but I like dragons, soooooo
Tall_adhd17@reddit
Transavia Peter Pan. I've seen it fly past my house on final lot's of times.
gvntlr@reddit
rudedogg1304@reddit
That Qantas one is absolutely sick
Sotnos99@reddit
I'm not sure what my favourite is, but I'm a huge fan of both the Air New Zealand All Blacks livery, and the red Formula 1 Qatar 777
Jessie_C_2646@reddit
I've always likes ANA's 747 and 767 whales.
I-LOVE-TURTLES666@reddit
Star Wars
Pretty_Aside_7674@reddit
Ecstatic-Ganache921@reddit
The Vietnam Airlines livery. Especially the Lotus
Peeterwetwipe@reddit
I love the Southwestorca
BarnytheBrit@reddit
Star Wars New Order
gham89@reddit
BA's 747-400 in the BOAC livery was incredible.
crownebeach@reddit
Proud desert rat. N580UW, the America West A321.
Patient-Frosting6620@reddit (OP)
Pretty sick
TheBackupQB@reddit
Icelandair Hekla Aurora is a beauty.