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Flagships: Double-Deckers & Supersonic
The A380, 747 family and Concorde in Tailwinds: seats, range, lease cost and economics of the game’s biggest and fastest aircraft — and when they actually pay.
These are the trophy aircraft of Tailwinds — the double-deck giants and the supersonic Concorde. Every player wants to fly them. Most players lose money the first time they try. This page is about flying them profitably.
Double-deckers live or die on one question: can the route fill 400–550 seats week after week? That only happens on the world's great trunk routes, usually between mega-hubs with strong feed on both ends. When it works, per-seat costs are excellent. When it doesn't, the weekly lease alone erases the profit of half your network.
Concorde is its own economy. Its fuel burn is extraordinary, but supersonic prestige commands a large ticket premium in-game, and on the right premium transatlantic-style pairing it can work as a halo aircraft — brand first, margin second.
How to choose
Honestly? Wait. Flagships belong in a mature network with established mega-hubs, deep cash reserves, and proven trunk routes bursting past the capacity of your largest twins. Then, and only then, they are glorious.
All 8 aircraft at a glance
Figures are the game's actual values. Fuel cost assumes the base fuel price of $1.20/litre — the live market price in your save drifts between roughly half and nearly double that, which is why fuel hedging matters.
| Aircraft | Seats | Range | Lease/wk | Price | Fuel/100km | Fuel/seat-km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concorde | 128 | 7,250 km | $402K | $190M | 1491 L | 13.97¢ |
| Boeing 747SP | 400 | 15,400 km | $38K | $22M | 1338 L | 4.01¢ |
| Boeing 747-200B | 550 | 12,700 km | $35K | $20M | 1725 L | 3.76¢ |
| Boeing 747-100 | 550 | 9,800 km | $28K | $16M | 1819 L | 3.97¢ |
| Boeing 747-8I | 605 | 14,816 km | $402K | $190M | 987 L | 1.96¢ |
| Boeing 747-400 | 660 | 13,445 km | $95K | $55M | 1608 L | 2.92¢ |
| Boeing 747-300 | 660 | 11,700 km | $56K | $32M | 1776 L | 3.23¢ |
| Airbus A380 | 853 | 15,200 km | $318K | $150M | 1197 L | 1.68¢ |
Type-by-type notes
Concorde
The supersonic icon. Mach 2 transatlantic crossing in under 3.5 hours. Ticket premiums of 2.5× partially offset the extraordinary fuel burn — prestige over profit.
Fuel efficiency: #8 of 8 in its class (13.97¢ per seat-km at base fuel price) — toward the thirstier end per seat. Weekly lease works out to $3,141 per seat.
Boeing 747SP
The shortened long-ranger. Fewer seats than a standard 747 but extraordinary range. The first aircraft to operate true nonstop ultra-long-haul polar routes.
Fuel efficiency: #7 of 8 in its class (4.01¢ per seat-km at base fuel price) — toward the thirstier end per seat. Weekly lease works out to $95 per seat.
Boeing 747-200B
Classic first-generation jumbo. Very cheap to buy but extremely thirsty.
Fuel efficiency: #5 of 8 in its class (3.76¢ per seat-km at base fuel price) — mid-pack on per-seat fuel efficiency. Weekly lease works out to $63 per seat.
Boeing 747-100
The original Jumbo Jet that democratized long-haul travel in 1970.
Fuel efficiency: #6 of 8 in its class (3.97¢ per seat-km at base fuel price) — toward the thirstier end per seat. Weekly lease works out to $50 per seat.
Boeing 747-8I
Latest and largest 747. More efficient than the -400 with intercontinental range.
Fuel efficiency: #2 of 8 in its class (1.96¢ per seat-km at base fuel price) — among the most fuel-efficient per seat. Weekly lease works out to $664 per seat.
Boeing 747-400
The Queen of the Skies. Iconic four-engine jumbo on high-density trunk routes.
Fuel efficiency: #3 of 8 in its class (2.92¢ per seat-km at base fuel price) — mid-pack on per-seat fuel efficiency. Weekly lease works out to $144 per seat.
Boeing 747-300
Stretched-upper-deck Jumbo bridging the -200 and the definitive -400.
Fuel efficiency: #4 of 8 in its class (3.23¢ per seat-km at base fuel price) — mid-pack on per-seat fuel efficiency. Weekly lease works out to $84 per seat.
Airbus A380
The double-decker superjumbo. Unmatched capacity on ultra-high-demand routes.
Fuel efficiency: #1 of 8 in its class (1.68¢ per seat-km at base fuel price) — among the most fuel-efficient per seat. Weekly lease works out to $372 per seat.