50 years ago today United Airlines debuted a new aircraft type, the Boeing 747-100. A half century later, the Queen of the Skies remains a beloved aircraft and symbol of beauty.
July 23, 1970: United Debuted 747
United took delivery of the 747 on June 30, 1970. Its first 747-100, N4703U, painted in Friend Ship livery, departed on July 23, 1970 from San Francisco to Honolulu and returned same-day:
UA181
San Francisco (SFO) – 09:00 AM
Honolulu (HNL) – 11:05 AM
UA182
Honolulu (HNL) – 12:55 PM
San Francisco (SFO) – 08:45 PM
All images courtesy of United Airlines
My first 747 flight on United was from Los Angeles to Chicago in September 2004 with my uncle. Our flight back from Chicago was also on the 747 and marked my first upgrade and first time flying in business class. Our upper deck seats seem so ancient now but were such a treat at the time. You can read more about that flight here.
> Read More: A Love Affair With United Airlines (to more recent readers of my blog – this is why I am called a United “fanboy”)
In 2017, United’s final 747-400 flight was operated on the same route. I had the chance to be on that flight with my uncle and it remains one of the best, if not the best flight of my life. You can read my full review here.
> Read More: Historic Final 747 Flight on United Airlines from the Upper Deck
While today marks the 50th anniversary of United’s first 747 flight, some may challenge that assertion.
Routesonline notes that Continental Airlines actually debuted the 747 about a month earlier.
“Despite United’s very first Boeing 747 passenger service operated on 23JUL70, the actual first 747 flight under United Continental Holdings, including the former Continental Airlines, was operated on 26JUN70, Chicago – Los Angeles – Honolulu. Continental 747 was nicknamed “The Proud Bird of the Pacific” during its short-lived operation in the 1970s.”
As a longtime legacy United flyer, I’m going to count today as the first 747 flight.
CONCLUSION
Qantas and British Airways have both retired the 747 this week. The -400 variant is becoming increasingly rare, with a new generation of fuel efficient aircraft now taking its place. But I can think of no aircraft more majestic and beautiful on the outside than the 747. I can also think of no aircraft more special to me over the years than flying the 747 on United.
(Thanks to DELee on Flyertalk for reminding me of this special anniversary)
I flew the United 747-200s quite a few times in Asia around 20 years ago. They were old then but still fantastic.
3-4-2 in Coach!
Why wasn’t I born during those years? 🙁 That is really flying the “friendly sky”. Very nice and shine shoes they wore.
When I was a kid took one of these from Hawaii in First in 1980 and remember the upstairs being a lounge, although I don’t remember it that funky nor the wood trim (probably faux). The Captain hosted a plane-wide contest of guessing the exact half-way time between HNL and LAX. The winner won a bottle of wine.
Ha! I remember that exact same thing! Ours was half-way from LAX-HNL. We won. Though maybe they fudged a bit as it was our honeymoon flight. 🙂
Thats the “spear” livery not Friend Ship. Friend Ship would said “747 Friend Ship” and has 4 stars at the bottom of the tail
I can’t believe passengers wore tiaras and gowns when flying… That’s much nicer than hazmat suits.
My dad was an Executive Producer for the ad agency on the United Airlines TV campaign.
I remember when he went to Boeing, in Seattle, to film air to air footage of UAL’s new aircraft.
Thanks for the memories
One of the most thrilling moments of my life was pressing the button to send a service cart down to the lower galley on a United 747-200 from Chicago to Washington DC. It was the realization of a dream of many years. I will never forget the flight attendants cheering for me as the elevator went down.
Wow, your uncle didn’t change a bit. Where’d you get the vintage pictures? They’re wonderful.
These inaugural flights generated much excitement, invariably covered on tv news services. Thousands of people turned up to watch them come and go. There was some apprehension as well: many people believed they were too big to fly…and likely to fall out of the sky. The publicity was as intense as for the first Concorde flight.
The inflight entertainment generated great excitement: a projector screen in each cabin showing movies at set times.
Now we just have boring clones ( 787/350)
The clothes and decor were hideous, but at least people were still making themselves presentable back then.
Flew several UA 747s ORD-HNL-ORD back in the 70’s and had to dress up as a nonrev “brat”. I’m sure my clothes were just as awful.
Fist 747 flight was LAX-HNL for my honeymoon 1979. Flew upfront. Went upstairs and there was just a lounge and not much else.
It’s great you have the two photos of you and your uncle! Thanks for sharing them with us.
The kitschy upper deck wood railing with its sharp corners makes me cringe. How did United ever get that approved? And how many passengers and flight attendant were painfully slammed into one of those waist-high corners during sudden turbulence?
Love the pics! I flew a lot of -400s on United from ORD to HKG, Beijing, and Shanghai around 2005. Did any of the -100s have that many windows on the upper deck (as pictured above)? Or was that a different variant?
As a United employee, I have a love for this aircraft that I cannot even describe. Hired in 1991, I worked every type of 747, even the 747SP! I went to read your wonderful article about the farewell flight with your uncle to Hawaii. What a beautiful story with loving memories that will last a lifetime with your Uncle. I look forward to meeting you in person one day here at the Friendly Skies. Thanks for all you do.
Peter Santiago
Thanks Peter! I look forward to meeting you as well.
To fly back in those days… my goodness.
ABC Radio Australia, The Science Show, today’s episode featured Boeing history ( in recognition of end of 747 flights by QANTAS, as well as the centenary of passenger services). Features Mike Lombardi, Boeing company historian.
Starts 12.28.
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9ybi9wb2RjYXN0L2ZlZWRzL3NjaWVuY2UueG1s/episode/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9yYWRpb25hdGlvbmFsL3Byb2dyYW1zL3NjaWVuY2VzaG93L3RoZS1oaXN0b3J5LW9mLWJvZWluZy1hbmQtdGhlLWZ1dHVyZS1vZi1wYXNzZW5nZXItZmxpZ2h0LzEyNDg5MTAy?hl=en-AU&ved=2ahUKEwjG6oaLl-jqAhWbX30KHSBXAjMQieUEegQIChAE&ep=6
Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful pics of you and your uncle. So great to have someone you enjoy traveling with.
I took that plane in 1978 and we sat in first and got to go the upstairs lounge. Fancy service with salad bowl, carved prime rib and ice cream sundae -using carts and fresh flowers for each guest. those were the good ol days of air travel – I was a teenager or less and went with my family. flight attendants wore long Mumu dresses . Those trips were so enjoyable. And yes they had a half way to Hawaii guessing game.