The Boeing 747 was the first wide-body airliner to enter commercial service.
Its unusually wide fuselage created two passenger aisles and allowed airlines to carry far more people than earlier narrow-body jets. Boeing also placed a distinctive upper-deck flight deck and lounge above the forward cabin, producing the aircraft’s famous humpback profile.
Pan American World Airways introduced the 747 on January 22, 1970, with a flight from New York to London. The aircraft was developed during a period when airlines expected rapidly increasing passenger demand and wanted a high-capacity aircraft for major international routes.
The 747 is sometimes confused with the 767 or 777 because all are Boeing wide-body aircraft. However, the 767 entered service in 1982 and the 777 in 1995. The 747’s size, range, and recognizable shape made it an enduring symbol of intercontinental air travel.