Pan Am became the first airline to fly a Boeing 747 with passengers in 1970.
Pan American World Airways operated the first scheduled Boeing 747 passenger flight on 22 January 1970. The service flew from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport to London Heathrow, introducing the aircraft to commercial passengers.
The 747 was dramatically larger than most earlier airliners and became recognizable for its upper-deck hump, four engines, and wide two-aisle cabin. Its high capacity helped airlines reduce seat costs on heavily traveled routes and contributed to the growth of mass international air travel.
The aircraft’s first passenger flight was delayed by a technical problem before departure, but a replacement aircraft completed the service. The 747 later became a long-running family of passenger, cargo, combi, and special-purpose aircraft.