Occasionally, airlines do special aircraft liveries. Sometimes, these liveries are fleet wide. Sometimes they merely come into play with one specific aircraft, so which are the best?
17. Icelandair – 757 “Northern Lights”
Icelandair is known for it’s amazing liveries! Previously, Icelandair have operated the amazing Þingvellir (Icelandic flag) and Vatnajökull (glacier) liveries.
In 2015, Icelandair announced it’s newest livery, the Hekla Aurora. Just look at it! It’s gorgeous!
The Hekla Aurora is meant to show the Aurora Borealis, more commonly known as the Northern Lights. And it does that job really well! The livery depicts an Icelandic mountain with the Northern lights overhead.
Just image flying through the actual Northern Lights in this livery! It’d be so cool!
16. Brussels Airlines – A320 “Belgian Icons”
Brussels Airlines have certain taken one of the most innovative paths when discussing special aircraft liveries! Brussels Airlines operates a fleet of A320s that are adorned with one of six special liveries!
They are all fun and child-friendly, including liveries with the Smurfs and Tintin. There is also a football themed livery, which is patriotic for the Belgian national football (soccer) team, known as the Red Devils!
This livery in particular looks extremely cool! The livery is completely red, and is adorned with a dark red trident and a streaky Belgian flag!
15. ANA – 787 “Star Wars”
ANA have released more than its share of special aircraft liveries. Chief among these is its Star Wars line of liveries. As a massive Star Wars fan myself, I have to say, these liveries are simply breathtaking!
These liveries come in four different variations, all based on droids (a type of robot) from the Star Wars saga. These variants include two BB-8 liveries, one R2-D2 livery and one C-3PO livery.
These liveries were first launched in 2016, to celebrate the return of the Star Wars saga after Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012. The liveries all depict the main droids from the first installation of the Sequel Trilogy.
Personally, I think these liveries should never have been retired after the last installment of the Sequel Trilogy. But that is simply my opinion!
14. Kulula – 737-800 “Flying 101”
Kulula have taken a very unique approach to their special aircraft livery. Their livery, which they call “Flying 101” is adorned with markings that tell you everything about the aircraft!
For example, when pointing towards the rear of the aircraft, it’s labelled “black box”. However it also adds the interesting fact that black boxes aren’t black!
Under the cockpit, it points to the two most important crew members! The co-pilot and the “Big cheese” (Captain) as Kulula call them! Truly quite funny all around!
In fact, that’s why it is one of the best special aircraft liveries! It’s just full of genuinely useful, but also highly hilarious facts about the aircraft!
13. British Airways – 777-200 “Fashion”
In 2015, British Airways and Chinese fashion designer Masha Ma came together to collaborate on a project. The 777 was repainted to represent where “East meets west” to quote the livery’s name!
This was done in collaboration for the Festival of Creativity hosted in Shanghai, in conjunction with the VisitBritian.
The picture above actually shows when it was first show to the public. In fact, Masha Ma actually release some of its fashion before the festival! Some of this is shown off by Georgia May Jagger in front of the 777!
12. Virgin Atlantic – 747 “Millennium Falcon”
Virgin Atlantic decided to take note of ANA’s insanely successful Star Wars liveries. So, when Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was released, Virgin Atlantic contacted Lucasfilm.
Again, the resulting aircraft livery was amazing!
This special aircraft livery was used on some of its 747s, operating on select routes. The livery depicted the famous Millennium Falcon, the ship of Han Solo.
Behind the Millennium Falcon was the advertisement for the film, which is blended to look like the hyperspace trails of the Falcon. Absolutely genius!
Several months after the film debuted in cinemas, the livery was pulled from Virgin’s fleets. Such a shame! These 747s were replaced with the standard 747 livery.
11. Westjet – 737 “Frozen”
Canadian airline Westjet teamed up with Disney to promote the release of the first Frozen movie back in 2015! The airline actually garnered much attention from this, after the Frozen film was such a success!
the headrests of the interior featured blue ice blasts sewn into the headrests themselves! The overhead bins and the back of the aircraft were also decorated with Frozen and cold themes, including snow-covered trees!
Even the backs of the seats contained information about the film! However, the in-flight entertainment did not receive Frozen early from Disney.
10. Rossiya Airlines – 747 “Siberian Tiger”
Many tigers are at risk of extinction in the coming years if action isn’t taken now to stop it. Russia is actually surprisingly forward-thinking in this regard.
In fact, Russia has been the first country to outlaw tiger hunting. This has almost entirely saved the Siberian Tiger from going extinct!
As a result, Rossiya decided to have one of the most special aircraft liveries designed! The livery is mostly similar to the standard Rossiya Airlines livery, however, the face of a Siberian Tiger covers the nose and cockpit!
In fact, the livery is so lifelike, that if it wasn’t for the sheer size of the tiger, you’s think it was genuinely alive!
9. Embraer – E190 “Profit Hunter”
The Profit Hunter liveries are some of the most futuristic, yet natural special aircraft liveries currently in service! At the front of each livery, it depicts an animal, either a lion, a shark or a leopard.
However, down the side, there are lines that look as though they belong in a sci-fi movie!
This livery for Embraer is designed to show that they are dedicated to protecting the environment. But also by the same token, protect nature and stay as true to it as possible!
Many of these liveries have featured at airshows as a way to entice airlines to come and buy the E-190! So far, the livery has been successful in this goal!
8. HiFly – A330 “Turn the tide on plastic”
It’s well know that we are in a climate crisis. If we can’t do anything in the next few years, we likely never will solve this crisis. To aid this, Clean seas and HiFly have teamed up to bring a special aircraft livery to the forefront.
This has resulted in the “Turn the tide on plastic” A330s. These aircraft are meant to try to spread the word on how we only have a few years left to stop the climate crisis, and moving away from plastic is only the first step.
However, this livery has been criticized as aircraft are very polluting, which is the entire opposite of what the livery is trying to say! Especially the A330!
7. China Eastern Airlines – A330 “Toy Story”
“To infinity and beyond!” certainly came true in 2018 when China Eastern Airlines announced that they’d be teaming up with Disney. This led to the creation of the Toy Story A330 livery, and the skies are better for it!
The livery sees Buzz Lightyear flying, just as the A330 would be doing in flight. However, Woody is also hanging on with a panicked expression on his face!
The livery was rolled out on all 24 of China Eastern Airlines’ A330 fleet. This resulted in many flying across the globe to parts of Western Europe and even the United States!
The whole point of this livery was to promote the Shanghai Disney Resort and its new Toy Story-themed area within the resort!
6. WestJet – 737 “Disney Magic”
Another similar Westjet 737 from the Frozen one before! After the success of the Frozen movie and the unparalleled news an media attention focused towards Westjet, both Westjet and Disney decided to team up again!
Instead of promoting one singular film from the livery, the livery instead focuses on Disney as an entirety. Mainly Disney’s magic, especially that which is present at Disney World!
This livery became standard on all of Westjet’s 737-800 fleet, both operating domestically and internationally! And the result has been an amazing livery used ever since! (Well discontinued shortly after!)
5. ANA – 747 “Pokémon”
We’ve all heard of Pokémon. The Pokémon craze started in the 1990’s and hasn’t really gone away, at least not truly. Pokémon is a Japanese brand, so who else better to don a Pokémon-related livery than ANA, the Japanese flag carrier?
From 1996 until 2016, ANA operated a fleet of Pokémon-related liveries. Originally this was solely on a few 747s, but once ANA began to retire its fleet of 747s, many 787s began to don Pokémon liveries too!
However, in 2016, ANA phased out all of its Pokémon-related special aircraft liveries. Some went back to donning standard ANA liveries, whilst others where changed in favor of the aforementioned Star Wars liveries!
4. EVA Air – 777 “Hello Kitty”
EVA Air have certainly got the most eye-catching livery. In 2018, they decided to reach out to Saniro, the owners of the Hello Kitty brand about a possible team up.
Negotiations soon concluded and designs for the Hello Kitty themed aircraft began to be designed. This resulted in seven Hello Kitty liveries being produced, the best of which being the Shining Star.
As the name implies, the Shining Star has several stars around the fuselage that are bound to make you look at them! Whether they are in the air or taxiing on the ground! They’re truly eye-catching!
3. United Airlines – 737-800 “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Probably one of the most recent liveries on this list. And also one of my personal favorites! Following the examples of ANA and Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines decided to contact Lucasfilm.
The result was pure genius!
United released two liveries in 2019 to mark the release of the final Star Wars film, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
The design saw the release of one light side and one dark side-themed livery. Both liveries came equipped inside with headrests depicting either the First Order (for the dark side) or the Resistance (for the light side).
Again, these special aircraft liveries are absolutely breathtaking!
2. JetBlue – A330 “Retrojet”
JetBlue hadn’t been established during the 1960’s, during the Golden Age of Aviation. However, that did not deter them from releasing this special aircraft livery that is certainly retro!
JetBlue released the livery to celebrate probably the most prosperous age in aviation history. The livery was also released by JetBlue to “highlight Jet Blue’s innovative style”.
The livery shows a distinct blue and orange, very similar to those worn by BAC One Elevens or de Havilland Comets!
And this is done to such a great effect! Yes, it is designed to look old, but it also looks so new at the time!
1. Qatar Airways- 777 “FC Barcelona”
As an FC Barcelona fan myself, I have to say… I can’t get enough of this livery! From 2013 to 2017, Qatar Airways sponsored FC Barcelona. Usually, this meant having the Qatar Airways logo on the jerseys.
However, Qatar Airways decided to go one extra step further! Instead of just having their logo on Barcelona’s jerseys, they put Barcelona’s logo on one of their aircraft!
This aircraft was used by the first team for a small while as their first team aircraft. However, during non-playing times (such as international breaks and summer breaks) the 777 was configured for passenger flights!
Despite the fact that this livery has now been pulled since Qatar Airways stopped sponsoring FC Barcelona, I felt as though it ought be #1! If not due to my support of FC Barcelona, but because of how unique it is!
Got any other special aircraft liveries you think we missed? tell us in the comments!
Featured image courtesy of Icelandair.