Specifications
- Manufacturer
- Airbus
- ICAO / IATA code
- A388 / 388
- First flight
- 27 April 2005
- Entered service
- 25 October 2007, with Singapore Airlines
- Status
- Out of production
- Engines
- 4 × Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP7200
- Thrust per engine
- 334 kN
- Range
- 15,000 km (8,099 nmi)
- Cruise speed
- Mach 0.85
- Length
- 72.73 m
- Wingspan
- 79.75 m
- Height
- 24.1 m
- Cabin width
- 6.5 m
- Max take-off weight
- 575 t
Seats and cabin layout
Airbus quotes 545–555 seats in a typical 3–4 class layout. The type certificate allows at most 868 passengers — the exit limit, which no airline with a premium cabin comes near.
Airbus’s reference layout
Drawn by Orbit from the figures in Airbus A380 Aircraft Characteristics – Airport and Maintenance Planning (Dec 2023), §2-1-1, §2-4-0 (standard configuration, 555 seats) and §2-5-0 (typical cross-sections). Typical, not any airline’s seat map — your flight may differ. Nose on the left.
- Business
- Economy
- First
Where the source gives no seat pitch, rows are drawn at a typical spacing for the class.
What the biggest operators fit
| Airline | Cabins | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Emirates | 14 first · 76 business · 56 premium economy · 338 economy | 484 |
| British Airways | 12 first · 106 business · 84 premium economy · 215 economy | 417 |
| Singapore Airlines | 6 first · 78 business · 44 premium economy · 343 economy | 471 |
| Qantas | 14 first · 70 business · 60 premium economy · 341 economy | 485 |
| Etihad Airways | 10 first · 70 business · 405 economy | 485 |
From each airline’s own seat or fleet page. Airlines often fly more than one version of a type; this is the one they publish.
Which airlines fly the A380-800
The largest fleets of this variant. Counts move as aircraft are delivered and retired, so each carries the date it describes.
Safety record
No A380-800 had been written off or involved in a fatal accident as of 6 October 2026. The complete record, minor incidents included, is kept by the Aviation Safety Network.
Asked and answered
How many seats does the Airbus A380-800 have?
Airbus quotes a typical layout of about 545 seats in four classes, and its airport-planning reference cabin has 555 seats across both decks. Airline layouts vary widely, from roughly 470 to 615 seats, and the type is certified for up to 868 passengers.
Which airlines fly the A380-800?
Emirates operates by far the largest fleet, well over 100 aircraft. British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Etihad are among the other main operators.
Is the A380 safe?
No A380 has been lost in an accident and there have been no passenger fatalities in its service history. Its best-known incident, an uncontained engine failure on Qantas flight 32 in 2010, ended with a safe landing and no injuries.
How far can the A380-800 fly?
Airbus gives a range of about 15,000 km (8,000 nautical miles) with a full four-class load, enough for non-stop flights of around 17 hours.
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