Summary
Despite almost being lost from our skies completely in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Airbus A380 has now made a solid comeback with many carriers once again using the so-called Super Jumbo around the world.
Several airlines operate the Airbus A380 to the United States, serving key routes between major hubs.
Here’s an overview of the current operators and their routes:
Emirates
Dubai (DXB) to Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Houston (IAH), Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), and Washington Dulles (IAD). Emirates maintains one of the most extensive A380 networks to the U.S., utilizing its flagship aircraft for high-capacity routes.
British Airways
London Heathrow (LHR) to New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Washington Dulles (IAD), Boston (BOS), Miami (MIA), and Dallas Fort Worth (DFW). British Airways offers regular A380 services on popular transatlantic routes.
Lufthansa
(Photo: N509FZ, distributed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 Licence)
From Munich (MUC) to New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Los Angeles (LAX), and Washington Dulles (IAD). Lufthansa recently resumed A380 flights on U.S. routes, with plans for further expansion next summer.
Korean Air
Seoul (ICN) to New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX). Korean Air deploys the A380 primarily on routes where passenger demand is highest.
Asiana Airlines
Seoul (ICN) to Los Angeles (LAX). Asiana also increased A380 services on this route recently.
All Nippon Airways (ANA)
All Nippon Airways fly their A380s almost exclusively to Honolulu. Photo (c) Frank Kovalchek
Tokyo Narita (NRT) to Honolulu (HNL). ANA uses its unique “Flying Honu” A380s specifically for high-demand leisure travel to Hawaii.
Etihad Airways
Abu Dhabi (AUH) to New York (JFK). Etihad reintroduced A380 service to the U.S. in 2024 after a hiatus.
Qantas
Qantas has returned six A380s into service since the Covid pandemic. VH-OQL, seen here, returned to Sydney at the beginning of February 2023 and is expected to begin revenue flights shortly. (Photo: Hpeterswald, distributed under a CC BY-SA 3.0 Licence)
Sydney (SYD) to Los Angeles International (LAX). Qantas uses its A380s on the longest trans Pacific routes.
The A380 remains a popular choice for airlines on high-demand routes due to its large passenger capacity and luxury appeal.
Have you flown the A380 recently? Leave a comment below.
Title image: Erik Ritterbach
