Rare Boeing 747 Returns Back To Its Home 26 Years Later

On March 12th, 2025, a rather sleepy Wednesday morning in Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old Boeing 747-400 took off from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). The aircraft, which was a charter-configured variant operated by Atlas Air, is one of many Boeing 747-400 jets still operated by the carrier. While the vast majority of commercial airlines retired their Boeing 747-400 jets over a decade ago, charter airlines like Atlas Air have continued to keep the jet flying, citing demand for high-capacity aircraft within the private charter market.