When the Airbus A380 was introduced, many believed that it would mark the end of the original jumbo jet, the Boeing 747. However, the retirement of both programs in recent years show that it will be a rare sight to see both types by the time this decade is over. Nonetheless, at their peak, which aircraft was best? The fully loaded 800-seater A380 (in a terrifying all-economy configuration) or the long-range 747 with a private cabin onboard?

Comparison methodology

Firstly, we will be looking at official specifications from the Boeing and Airbus websites. When it comes to technical specifications, we will primarily be comparing the latest version of each model: The Boeing 747-8, and the most up-to-date version of the Airbus A380-800.

Additionally, we will pretend that we are an airline that is looking for a large-capacity aircraft for both passengers and cargo. While it goes without saying that a Boeing 747 freight variant would easily beat an A380 (as an Airbus cargo variant was never built), we will try to remain fair and imagine that we are primarily a passenger airline first.

We will also be looking for the best flexibility and the most cost-effective operations. Some aircraft might provide a better customer experience when it comes to quieter engines and better cabins. We will take these into account but will prioritize what looks better on paper. Additionally, we will assume that both are just as easy to fly as each other.

Passengers

Carriers set up their aircraft to how they wish. Lufthansa, the operator that introduced the 747-8 for passenger services, flies its units in four classes. It can fit up to 362 passengers throughout its first, business, premium economy, and economy classes. Lufthansa launched the plane with its new business seats, which were arranged in the form of a "V" whereby two neighboring seats are angled towards one another along a central axis.

Meanwhile, the largest operator of the A380, Emirates, has three different sets of capacity, depending on the distance of the flight.

• Three class - 489 Ultra Long Range
• Three class - 517 Long Range
• Two class - 615 Long Range

No matter how airlines configure their cabins, the Airbus A380 pushes the 747 right out of the gate with passenger capacity. In a full economy configuration, the A380 can handle 250 more passengers than the 747. Nonetheless, this is because it was designed nearly 35-40 years after the Boeing 747 first took flight, and Airbus knew exactly what metrics it wanted to focus on.

Blog credit goes to Sumit Singh (simpleflying)