Which Airlines Still Fly Passenger Boeing 727s?

The Boeing 727 was a mainstay of many airlines in the 1970s and 1980s. Before the 737 family, the 727 was the US manufacturer’s first super-selling hit, totaling 1,832 examples made between 1962 and 1984. Now, almost 40 years after the production end, only a handful of these aircraft remain in the air, mostly flying for cargo operators and military air forces throughout the world. Interestingly enough, there are more 727s currently in museums displaying their history than in the air.

Few chances for passengers to fly on a Boeing 727

According to ch-aviation, a total of 40 Boeing 727s are currently active, flying with 27 operators globally. ATDB.aero database has 48 active aircraft, but also flying with 27 different companies and air forces. Overall, this is just a tiny fraction of the almost 2,000 ever built, and the number keeps winding down.

Read more: Why Boeing built the 727?

Per ch-aviation, only five 727s remain as aircraft apt for passenger service. Two of these are owned by the Mexican Guardia National, meaning they are used by the military. These planes see use across diverse military missions, including evacuating people from disaster zones. Starling Aviation, Towards Air, and Vallejo Company employ the remaining passenger 727s. These three companies are private charters based in the Cayman Islands (Starling Aviation) and the United States.

Therefore, the possibility of flying on a scheduled passenger flight onboard a 727 is now nonexistent. The last commercial service onboard a 727 took place in 2019, when Iran Aseman Airlines flew between Zahedan and Tehran on January 13.

An aircraft used by the military

Once upon a time, the only trijet aircraft to be produced by Boeing was a highly successful plane seen everywhere in the world. Now, military air forces of several countries still operate the aircraft, becoming their main customer. The air forces of Burkina Faso, Congo, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Mali still use the model, per ch-aviation.

Cargo carriers keep the Boeing 727 in the air

Many remaining 727s operate cargo flights for a variety of carriers. Some companies flying the 727 as a cargo plane include Aerolínesa Estelar, AeroSucre (both in Colombia), Air Class Líneas Aéreas, Astral Aviation, Everts Air Alaska, Kalitta Charters II, Safe Air, Serve Air Cargo, Total Linhas Aéreas, USA Jet Airlines, and Waypoint Airways.

Where can you see a 727 still flying?

The 727 is still flying in 15 countries worldwide. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the United States still has the largest amount of 727s still active, with 11. These are operated by Everts Air Alaska (one), Gulf & Caribbean Cargo (one), Interjet West (one), Kalitta Charters II (two), Malibu Consulting (one), RTX Corporation (one, owned by Masschussets-based Raytheon Technologies and used as a test aircraft), Towards Air (one), USA Jet Airlines (two), and Vallejo Company (one).

Surprisingly, the second country with the largest 727 fleet is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are six operated by the Air Force (two) and Serve Air Cargo (four). The aircraft is still widely used in South America, with Colombia having four active (AeroSucre, two, the Fuerza Aérea Colombiana, one, and SELVA – Servicios Aéreos del Vaupes, one), Mexico with three (all with the Guardia Nacional), Brazil with three (Total Linhas Aéreas), Ecuador with one (the air force), Panama with one (Uniworld Air Cargo), Uruguay with one (Air Class Líneas Aéreas), and Venezuela with one (Aerolíneas Estelar).

The only European airline still flying the 727 is 2Excel Aviation in the UK. It has two 727-200Fs. Finally, you can also find the 727 in Burkina Faso (Air Force, one), the Cayman Islands (Starling Aviation, one), Kenya (Astral Aviation, one, and Safe Air, two), Mali (Air Force, one), and Tajikistan (Waypoint Airways, one).

Museums

The 727 has become a highly popular choice to be displayed in museums or used for other activities. For instance, there is a 727 in Bristol that is used as an office, having an office and events space, a dining area, and a sleeping cabin onboard.

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock.

There are several 727s across Mexico currently being used as libraries. According to ATDB.aero, 115 Boeing 727s are displayed globally.

Did you ever have the chance to fly onboard a Boeing 727? Let us know your experience in the comments below.

Source: ch-aviation, ATDB. aero.