Where Airbus & Boeing Fly Their BelugaXL & Dreamlifter Heavy Freighters

Unique and unconventional aircraft types are common on planespotter bucket lists. Although stunning liveries and ever-biased favorite aircraft top planespotting charts, distinctive military or even special freighters like the Airbus Beluga XL and Boeing Dreamlifter are, visually, something else entirely.

Since these unique freighters are mainly dedicated to carrying oversized plane components to each aircraft manufacturer’s facilities, they aren’t flown on typical commercial cargo routes and don’t always have a fixed schedule, making spotting them relatively challenging. But if you’re up for the challenge, here’s where you will likely have the most luck finding one of these aircraft.

Where does the Airbus BelugaXL fly to?

Dubbed as the super transporter supporting the Airbus A350 (among other aircraft) production, with the capacity to carry two A350XWB wings at a maximum range of 4,000 kilometers (2,200 nautical miles), the Airbus BelugaXL operates across 11 destinations in Europe to strengthen the manufacturer’s industrial capabilities. Of these 11, the top four common points are:

Toulouse

Given how the aircraft manufacturer’s primary headquarters and production facilities are located in this French city, the Airbus BelugaXL is a regular sight at Toulouse Blagnac Airport. Often beginning the flight journey here, the super transporter will depart from Toulouse to other Airbus production facilities across Europe. Although slightly more rare, the freighter also departs from this airport to operate transatlantic flights to Airbus’ facility sites in the US.

Photo: Eurospot

Hamburg

Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport is another regular destination for the Airbus BelugaXL. The German site serves as the headquarters for Airbus Commercial Aircraft activities within the country and plays a crucial role in developing several Airbus types. Amongst other aircraft, this industrial facility contributes significantly to the A330 and A350 programs by producing and equipping the aircraft forward and rear fuselage sections.

Chester

Considering it houses the main center of wing production for all models of Airbus commercial aircraft – especially the A350 in the UK, Chester Hawarden Airport often welcomes the Airbus BelugaXL. Once the wings are partially equipped in the UK, the majority of them will be flown back to Toulouse by the super transporter for final assembly.

Nantes Atlantique Airport

While Airbus Atlantic is already producing the Centre Wing Box for the passenger Airbus A350s, the team in Nantes has also been making modified Centre Wing Boxes for the freighter version – the A350F. With these simultaneous productions, the Airbus BelugaXL has been flying more often to Nantes Atlantique Airport.

Photo: Airbus

What about the Boeing Dreamlifter?

While the Airbus BelugaXL has a more adorable appearance, the Boeing Dreamlifter is slightly more visually striking. This mammoth was designed to primarily transport components required for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (hence, the name) from various worldwide suppliers to the aircraft manufacturer’s factories across the United States. That said, one of the Dreamlifter’s most common destinations is in Europe rather than one of Boeing’s facilities on its side of the pond. Here are the top four:

Charleston

Known as the home of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner productions, Charleston International Airport is undoubtedly the top destination to spot the Boeing Dreamlifter. The freighter often comes and goes from the airport to various destinations while ferrying different aircraft parts, and there’s even a Dreamlifter Operations Center close to the facility.

Photo: Ian Dewar Photography | Shutterstock

Everett

Everett Paine Field houses Boeing’s most prominent aircraft assembly plant for models like the 767, 777, 787, and, before production stopped, the iconic 747. This area also houses the primary base for the Boeing Dreamlifter. Although Charleston is the primary Boeing 787 Dreamliner production site, the dedicated freighter also ferries plenty of partially equipped aircraft components to Everrett, allowing Boeing to distribute the production workload.

Wichita

One of Boeing’s significant suppliers, Spirit AeroSystems, manufacturers the forward fuselage of the 787 Dreamliner at its Wichita facility – which explains why Wichita McConnell Air Force Base is a relatively common destination that the Boeing Dreamlifter flies to from Charleston or Everett.

Taranto

Another critical supplier of Boeing is Alenia Aermacchi, formerly Alenia Aeronautica, which has a massive production plant at Monteiasi-Grottaglie and produces the fuselage barrels for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. This means the Boeing Dreamlifter is undoubtedly a well-known, frequent visitor to Taranto Grottaglie Airport in Italy.

Have you spotted these unique freighters before? Please share with us in the comments below.