ATLANTA — Delta Air Lines is bidding farewell to the last of its iconic Boeing 747 jets.
Delta, the last U.S. airline to operate the plane, flies the Boeing 747-400 on daily scheduled service between Detroit and Seoul-Incheon.
The 747 is a throwback to an earlier — and more luxurious — era of travel. The plane was developed in the 1960s when air travel was increasing and replacing rail travel.
Delta will take the 747 on an employee farewell tour from Detroit to Seattle on Dec. 18, Seattle to Atlanta on Dec. 19 and Atlanta to Minneapolis-St. Paul on Dec. 20. Customers can bid for a spot on these farewell flights via SkyMiles Experiences.
The 747, which Delta acquired with it merged with Northwest Airlines in 2008, will fly a handful of sports team and charter flights through the end of the year. The Atlanta-based airline said it will fly the plane to Arizona in early January for retirement.
Delta is replacing the 747 on the Detroit-to-Seoul route with Airbus A350 aircraft, USA Today reported.
Earlier this year, the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta added a Boeing 747-400 to its fleet of display aircraft. The addition is the centerpiece of the “747 Experience” and highlights the history of the specific plane on display, Ship 6301, and the 747 aircraft.