An airline’s livery forms a key part of its overall brand identity, and having a memorable and instantly recognizable livery can be a great marketing tool. Some of the most recognizable airline liveries in the world today include:
- American Airlines
- Emirates
- Qantas
- Singapore Airlines.
However, every now and again, an airline will unveil a one-off livery to mark a special occasion or to promote a partnership with another organization or brand. Aviation enthusiasts (also known as avgeeks) will often travel from far and wide to take a trip on an aircraft with one of these limited-edition liveries.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
For example, Malaysia Airlines first unveiled its Negaraku livery on one of its Boeing 737-800s in 2017, celebrating the 60th anniversary of Malaysian independence. The livery proved so popular that it was extended to other aircraft in the carrier’s fleet, including two Airbus A350-900s. At the time of its launch, the Chairman of Malaysia Airlines, Nor Yusof, said,
“The Negaraku livery embraces the spirit of nationalism, carrying with it the essence of the unique Malaysian values across the world. It is also an important symbol of the good progress seen in the turnaround plan, as the national carrier rebuilds itself, whilst flying the flag across the skies as it works to become the pride of the nation again.”
Let’s look at some other unique liveries from the world of commercial aviation that are worth traveling the extra mile for.
1
Hawaiian Airlines
Moana 2
In late 2024, Hawaiian Airlines unveiled three special liveries celebrating the launch of the hit Disney film Moana 2. The liveries adorned one of the carrier’s three aircraft types – the Airbus A330-200, A321neo, and Boeing 717. Passengers on each of the first flights received special commemorative gifts, as well as the opportunity to win 500,000 HawaiianMiles through the carrier’s loyalty program.
Hawaiian Airlines’ three Moana 2-inspired liveries each have a different name with a special meaning, linking to the theme of travel:
- Hōkūleʻa (Airbus A330-200) – refers to the traditional Hawaiian canoe
- Koa (Airbus A321neo) – refers to the Acacia Koa, which is the wood used to build traditional Hawaiian canoes
- Elepaio (Boeing 717) – refers to the native Hawaiian bird that is considered to be the guardian of canoe builders.
This is not the first time that Hawaiian Airlines has promoted the Moana series of films. Back in 2016, the carrier unveiled its first Moana-inspired aircraft, an Airbus A330-200, to mark the launch of the first film.
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2
EVA Air
Hello Kitty
The partnership between EVA Air and the creator of Hello Kitty, Sanrio, dates back almost 20 years. The Taiwanese carrier currently has four Hello Kitty-inspired aircraft in its fleet, including two widebody Boeing 777-300ERs, the first of which was registered as B-16740 and named “Lolly Jet.”
In August 2024, EVA Air went on to unveil its latest Hello Kitty-themed Boeing 777-300ER, named “Besties Jet.” Once onboard, the Hello Kitty experience continues for passengers, with the theme also integrated into the headrests, safety cards, place settings, children’s meals, and even the slippers for first and business class passengers.
Currently deploys its Hello Kitty-inspired Boeing 777-300ERs on two key long-haul routes in the carrier’s network from its hub at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE). These are:
Aircraft name |
Aircraft registration |
Flight number(s) |
Destination |
Frequency |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lolly Jet |
B-16740 |
BR87 / BR 88 |
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) |
3 x week (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday departures from Taipei) |
Besties Jet |
B-16722 |
BR55 / BR56 |
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) |
3 x week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday departures from Taipei) |
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3
All Nippon Airways
Star Wars
All Nippon Airways currently operates two aircraft with Star Wars-themed liveries – a Boeing 787-9 with an R2-D2 livery (registered as JA873A), and a Boeing 777-200 with a C-3PO livery (registered as JA743A).
The Star Alliance carrier has deployed the Boeing 787-9 on various international routes from its hubs at Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND). These include to Los Angeles (LAX), Munich (MUC), Paris (CDG), Hanoi (HAN), Guangzhou (CAN), and Washington, DC (IAD).
Photo: Suparat Chairatprasert | Shutterstock
When it comes to the Boeing 777-200, it is a little more difficult to plan when and where the aircraft will be flying, with All Nippon Airways saying,
“The C-3PO ANA JET will fly mainly on domestic flights to and from Haneda. The routes are subject to change depending on the situation of daily operations. Please kindly note that we are unable to inform you in advance.”
All Nippon Airways also previously operated a third Star Wars-themed aircraft – a Boeing 777-300 registered as JA789A. However, this aircraft was retired in March 2022, and as such, it is no longer possible to see the livery in the skies today.
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4
All Nippon Airways
Flying Honu
Sticking with All Nippon Airways, the Japanese carrier also operates a fleet of three Airbus A380 that each sport a distinctive Flying Honu livery. The liveries represent distinctive turtle species found in the seas around Hawaii, with the word ‘Honu’ meaning sea turtle in the Hawaiian language.
All Nippon Airways introduced the Flying Honu Airbus A380s in 2019, proving immensely popular with travelers. The three colors each have different meanings:
- Blue – represents Hawaii’s blue skies
- Green – represents the crystal clear waters of the Pacific Ocean
- Orange – represents the beautiful sunsets often seen in Hawaii.
Photo: viper-zero | Shutterstock
The Flying Honu Airbus A380s are currently deployed on All Nippon Airways’ route between its Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) hub and Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL). The carrier competes with Japan Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines on what is the busiest international route out of Hawaii—in 2023, 874,000 passengers flew from Honolulu to one of Tokyo’s two primary airports.
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5
Emirates
United for Wildlife
Animal lovers will undoubtedly want to travel on one of Emirates’ eye-catching Airbus A380s, which feature a special livery promoting the carrier’s partnership with United for Wildlife. Emirates is the world’s largest operator of the Airbus A380 and regularly deploys the superjumbo to destinations across the world, including London Heathrow (LHR), Los Angeles (LAX), Mauritius (MRU), and Sydney (SYD).
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
United for Wildlife is a global collaboration uniting the world’s leading wildlife charities in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade. At the time of the livery’s launch in 2015, the President of Emirates, Tim Clark, explained their importance, saying,
“The world is in a global poaching crisis, and everyone has to do their part to stop this, before it is too late. Emirates believes that the global transport industry, including airlines, can play a significant role to break the supply chain of illegal wildlife trade.”
More recently, Emirates has partnered with United for Wildlife one step further by launching a range of onboard economy class and premium economy amenity kits that highlight eight of the planet’s most endangered species. These include the African elephant, blue macaw, gorilla, hammerhead shark, black rhino, and green sea turtle.
Photo: Emirates
The United for Wildlife amenity kits are reusable and sustainably sourced, and the organization’s Co-Chair, David Fein, said,
“The illegal wildlife trade is international organized crime that is driving many iconic species around the world towards extinction at an alarming rate. Airlines and other transport operators have a huge role to play in disrupting the traffickers’ supply chains. Emirates has consistently demonstrated leadership and commitment in tackling this global threat. We are delighted to see the new amenity kits from Emirates now onboard and hope that passengers find them informative and inspiring.”
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