@ San Francisco, CA
March 2026
A Lufthansa 747-8 soars overhead before making the turn for final approach to SFO, a rare sight here as only a few international carriers still operate the Queen of the Skies on routes to San Francisco. Even rarer is this special “Centennial Livery” Lufthansa is using to celebrate their 100th anniversary (1926–2026). This livery, applied to a special anniversary fleet, features a deep blue fuselage, a massive white crane logo spanning the forward section, and “100” markings on the sides and belly of the aircraft. Many international carriers sport underbelly logos, a bit of branding primarily designed for visibility from the ground during takeoff and landing. In Europe, this trend has been particularly popular to ensure their brand is recognizable even when the aircraft is thousands of feet above an observer.
Lufthansa operates 18 of these newer -8I (Intercontinental) models, along with eight of the older 747-400 aircraft, having flown 747s in their fleet since 1970. Introduced in 2010, the 747-8 is the third generation of the 747, with a lengthened fuselage, redesigned wings, new engines, and improved efficiency. Production of the 747 finally ended in December 2022.