Lufthansa was the launch operator of the passenger Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental.
Lufthansa introduced the 747-8 Intercontinental into scheduled passenger service in 2012. The aircraft is the newest passenger version of the 747 family, with a lengthened fuselage, redesigned wings, improved engines and updated systems compared with earlier 747 variants.
The airline’s first scheduled 747-8 passenger service connected Frankfurt with Washington, D.C. Lufthansa had ordered the aircraft as part of a long-haul fleet strategy, and its launch made the airline closely associated with the final passenger generation of the famous 747.
The 747-8 should not be confused with the 747-8F freighter, which entered service earlier with Cargolux in 2011. The Intercontinental is the passenger model, while the 747-8F is designed primarily for cargo operations.