United Airlines to fly final 747 flight Tuesday

Nov. 7 (UPI) -- United Airlines will retire its final Boeing 747 on Tuesday after its flight from San Francisco to Hawaii.

It will be the final flight by United for the iconic jumbo jet. Newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft have been developed since the 747 began commercial operations in 1970. The plane is being replaced, in fleets around the world, with the Boeing 777 and similar planes.

Boeing manufactured over 1,500 747s, in a variety of models, since Pan Am flew the first.

The plane brought the term "jumbo jet" into the popular lexicon. Its upper and lower decks, with a spiral staircase in most models, and its unmistakable fuselage hump made it an iconic example of 20th century flight. With a capacity of about 500 passengers, it revolutionized plane travel and made tourism less expensive. As a cargo plane, it could carry large amounts of material and was partly responsible for efficient package deliveries by Amazon.com and other parcel shippers.

Delta Air Lines will end its use of the 747 soon, and a number of foreign airlines will continue to use the plane through at least 2020.

United Airlines said the final flight Tuesday will have a throwback theme, with the crew wearing 1970s-era uniforms and a "1970s-inspired" menu.

Celebrations are scheduled at the points of departure and arrival. United's first commercial flight of a 747 also traveled from San Francisco to Honolulu.