The world's largest passenger aircraft and the only double-deck, four-engine commercial jet ever built for airline service. When you see one overhead, you'll know it.
✈ Scan Your Sky NowThe Airbus A380 is the largest passenger aircraft ever built for commercial service. Its distinctive double-deck fuselage carries passengers on two full-length floors — the main deck and an upper deck that spans almost the entire length of the aircraft. Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Qantas have made it the flagship of their long-haul fleets, with Emirates operating over 120 of the 251 built.
Despite its size, the A380 is remarkably quiet — four GP7200 or Trent 900 engines produce less noise than older twin-engine widebodies thanks to advanced acoustic technology. Passengers consistently rate A380 flights as the most comfortable in the sky, citing low noise, good air quality, and the psychological effect of flying on something so substantial.
You cannot mistake an A380. The fuselage is massive — visibly wider and taller than any other aircraft in the sky. Look for the characteristic hump along the upper half of the fuselage where the full-width upper deck runs. Four engines under the wings, all in a row, is the other unmistakable identifier — almost all modern widebodies have two engines.
The wings are enormous, spanning nearly 80 metres from tip to tip. On approach to Heathrow you'll often see the A380 making a long, shallow approach — its size means ATC give it extra separation. The landing gear has 22 wheels in four bogies — watch them deploy about 10 miles from the runway.