The Boeing 747 is one of the world’s most iconic aircraft. Known as the ‘Queen of the Skies’, thanks to its huge partial double-decker design and large capacity, for a long time the quad-jet was the go-to aircraft for long-haul travel. The most modern variant, the Boeing 747-8, was announced in November 2005 and manufactured up until 2023. The variant still sees a great deal of use in the passenger and freight commercial aviation industries.
Launch Customer(s)
Pan American World Airways
Aircraft Type
Widebody
First Delivery
January 22, 1970
Last Delivery
January 31, 2023
Number Delivered
1,573
The 747 was the shortest-range widebody aircraft, but it was desirable for both long-haul and short-haul flights, and so the Boeing 747SR variant was created. This variant was specifically designed to deal with the rigors of frequent short-haul flights. This article takes a look at this variant, investigating how it was tailored for operations in this sector, the airlines that purchased it, and the routes it flew.
How And Why The 747SR Was Specialized For Short-Haul
Credit: Shutterstock
Following the launch of the Boeing 747-100, the original variant, which was launched in 1966, Boeing received requests from large Japanese airlines for a high-capacity aircraft to serve domestic regional routes between major cities. In response to this request, Boeing developed the 747SR variant, a modified 747-100 optimized for short-haul travel. The initial order for four 747SRs were delivered to Japan Airlines (JAL) in 1973.
The 747SR had a reduced fuel capacity, but it was offset by a greater passenger seating capability. According to Boeing, early versions of the variant seated up to 498 passengers, while later models could seat up to 550 in an economy-only configuration. The variant also had strengthened structural elements and landing gear to accommodate the stress from the frequent takeoffs and landings it would undergo during exclusively short-haul operations.
According to Airways Magazine, the variant was flown by JAL with ‘Super Airbus’ livery, almost pre-dating the founding of the manufacturer Airbus in 1970. The intent was for the variant to appeal to commuters traveling to and from the business hub of Tokyo. In 1986, two -100BSR SUD models, which featured a ‘Stretched Upper Deck’ (SUD) from the 747-300 variant, were produced for JAL. The 747SR was finally retired by JAL and All Nippon Airways (ANA) in 2006.
The 747SR Was Faster Than The Shinkansen
Credit: Boeing
One of the challenges the 747SR would have to face when serving the domestic Japanese market for regional travel would come not from another aircraft, but from the Shinkansen. The Shinkansen is Japan’s world-famous bullet train. Like the 747, the train entered service in the 60s, and is typically the method of choice when traveling between distant Japanese cities.
One Facebook user, in response to Airways Magazine, commented that the 747SR was the fastest way to travel.
“Was flying with one of those from Tokyo to Osaka in early ‘80-ties, 510 passengers plus crew. Believe flying time 1h10m. JAL had [departure] every hour, and believe ANA had same number of flights. Later always traveled with Shinkansen, Nozomi Super Express, 2h28m from TYO station to Shin Osaka station. Japan is the most efficient country in the world.”
The variant was also special because it was the only version to feature economy seating on the upper deck, and because of its high seating capacity, the variant was profitable, even on longer flights, according to another user.
“Qatar airways once used one of these 747 SR variants on its Doha to London Gatwick route and was extremely profitable the short range version used for long range showed how versatile these Early 747s were.”
Boeing 747 Variant Technical Data Comparison (Skybrary)
Seats
366
550
Range
5,300 nautical miles
5,000 nautical miles
Cruise Speed
MACH 0.84
MACH 0.85
Wing span (feet)
195.5
195.5
Length (feet)
231.6
231.6
Height (feet)
63.3
63.3
Powerplant
4 x P&W JT9D-7A (209.9 kilonewtons) or
4 x P&W JT9D-7F (213.5 kilonewtons) or
4 x GE CF6-45A2 (206.8 kilonewtons) turbofans.
4 x P&W JT9D-7A (209.9 kilonewtons) or
4 x P&W JT9D-7F (213.5 kilonewtons) turbofans.
Engine Model(s)
General Electric CF6
Pratt & Whitney JT9D
Pratt & Whitney JT9D
Another benefit of the strengthened body and landing gear of the 747SR was that the variant had increased load-bearing capabilities. NASA utilized this to carry the Space Shuttle Orbiter when the 747-100SR with registration N911NA was modified for use as the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) designated NASA 911, according to NASA. After entering service with Japan Airlines in 1973, the aircraft was obtained by NASA from the airline in 1989 and finally retired in 2012.
Which Routes Did The 747SR Fly?
Credit: Shutterstock
To be specific about the modifications that made the 747SR suited for short-haul travel, according to Boeing, the variant had extra structural support in the wings, fuselage, and landing gear. The brakes were also improved, and its fuel carrying capacity was reduced by 20%. However, the greater seating capacity was worth it for the two airlines that predominantly flew the variant. ANA offered a configuration with either 455 or 456 seats, while JAL offered 563 seats with the SUD variant.
Short-range versions of the 747-100B and the 747-300 variants were also developed, and the -300 variant was not only used by JAL on Japanese domestic leisure routes, but also to other parts of Asia. According to the Facebook discussion mentioned earlier, both ANA and JAL fly the same two highest-density routes with their largest aircraft, including the Tokyo-Hokkaido route.
“These planes found their niche on the Tokyo to Sapporo and Tokyo to Fukuoka flights. Both ANA and Japan Airlines still use their biggest planes on these two routes.”
According to other responses, Tokyo to Osaka was another 747SR route. However, even planes designed for short-haul eventually need to take a break, as the airlines branched out to longer-range international routes as the 747SRs started to age.
“JAL and ANA started rotating their SRs between short-range routes and international, to keep the total cycles down and prolong airframe life.”
Which Aircraft Did JAL Replace It With?
Credit: Shutterstock
Today, JAL uses similarly high-capacity aircraft for its short-haul domestic routes, but it does not use the largest aircraft it operated; the Airbus A380, which it used in a joint operation with Malaysia Airlines from 2019, according to Trico, flying the long-haul route from Tokyo Narita and Kansai to Kuala Lumpur (KUL). Instead, the Boeing 777-300ER is one of the airline’s present choices for flying many short and long-haul routes, though the Airbus A350-900 and -1000 will soon replace it.
According to One Mile At A Time, JAL is currently in the process of refreshing its long-haul fleet. As part of this, the 777-900ER is being replaced with newer, more efficient Airbus A350-1000s. However, in February, the 777-300ER was projected to be used on the following routes, among others, in March 2025. Some of these routes are frequent regional flights, like those flown by the 747SR before its retirement:
777-300ER Route
Distance (Nautical Miles)
Projected Flights per Month
(March 2025)
Bangkok (BKK) – Tokyo Haneda (HND)
2,479
30
Paris (CDG) – Tokyo Haneda (HND)
5,254
30
Tokyo Haneda (HND) – Chicago (ORD)
5,479
30
Los Angeles (LAX) – Tokyo Haneda (HND)
4,769
28
Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) – Tokyo Haneda (HND)
961
30
Singapore (SIN) – Tokyo Haneda (HND)
2,857
30
Sydney (SYD) – Tokyo Haneda (HND)
4,203
30
Sapporo (CTS) – Tokyo Haneda (HND)
442
370
Fukuoka (FUK) – Tokyo Haneda (HND)
477
340
Hong Kong (HKG) – Tokyo Haneda (HND)
1,568
2
Tokyo Haneda (HND) – Honolulu (HNL)
3,349
2
Okinawa (OKA) – Tokyo Haneda (HND)
839
200-300
Shanghai Pudong (PVG) – Tokyo Haneda (HND)
839
30-50
JAL operates a configuration of the 777-300ER that seats 244 passengers across Economy, Premium Economy, Business, and First Classes. At 242 feet long, the aircraft is much smaller than the 747-SR. These days, the Shinkansen is the preferred method of travel for regional trips within Japan. However, air travel is preferred for connecting distant regions like Hokkaido, Okinawa, and Kyushu, according to Japan Guide.
Designed Exclusively For The Japanese Market
Credit: Shutterstock
According to Fly Team, seven 747SRs were used by JAL, and ANA used 13 before the variants’ retirement. The airlines packed as many seats as possible onto the planes, with a reduction in the number of galleys and restrooms, allowing over 500 to be seated. At the time, this was the most passengers seated in the history of civil aviation of any airliner in the world.
Nowadays, airlines tend to use older, less efficient aircraft for short-haul flights until they eventually retire and are ultimately replaced with narrowbody aircraft such as the Airbus A220. Such aircraft are much cheaper to operate due to advancements in engine efficiency, aerodynamic improvements, and improved lightness, thanks to composite materials.
As a result, narrowbodies also offer greater range than similarly sized aircraft of the past, giving airlines more flexibility in route scheduling. Thus, the days may be numbered for large aircraft like the 747SR in the short-haul market.
AloJapan.com