Big Wings of Airbus 380 vs Boeing 747

 

Look at the wings first. In this one photo, the Airbus A380 almost looks like it’s wearing a giant set of shoulder pads next to the Boeing 747. That extra wing isn’t just for show, it’s the quiet engineering that makes a two deck, super heavy jet feel surprisingly calm on takeoff and landing.

The numbers: Airbus lists the A380 wing area at about 9,100 square feet (845 square meters). The Boeing 747 400 is about 5,825 square feet (541.2 square meters). That’s roughly a 56% bigger wing on the A380, and you can literally see it swallowing the ramp space in this shot.

More wing area means more lift at lower speeds, which helps a massive airplane get off the ground and come back down without needing crazy speeds. The tradeoff is on the ground, that bigger wing footprint needs more room around gates and taxiways, which is one reason the A380 is such a special guest when it shows up at an airport.

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