Step into Boeing's next-gen 747-8 Intercontinental (photos)

Boeing shows off an interior mock-up of its new 747-8 Intercontinental passenger plan in advance of its Sunday unveiling.

Daniel Terdiman

Feb. 12, 2011 5:35 p.m. PT

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747-8 Intercontinental

TUKWILA, Wash.--Boeing on Sunday plans to formally unveil its long-awaited 747-8 Intercontinental, a plane that it says will be the most fuel-efficient in the world. But while much of the attention surrounding the plane has focused on its new wings, its next-generation General Electric engines, and its industry-best cost per seat mile, it is also getting a major reboot of its interior.

After giving the aviation press a rare look at the final assembly of the 747-8 at the giant Boeing plant in Everett, Wash., the company escorted the media to its Customer Experience Center, where reporters were given a chance to see the latest iteration of the interior mock-up of the 747-8 Intercontinental.

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Suite

Located in the upper deck of the newly designed 747-8 Intercontinental, this is a suite, featuring a fully-flat bed, a comfortable armchair, a personal TV screen and a degree of privacy.

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Suite with screen

This is the upper deck suite, as seen from the chair, showing the fully flat bed and the TV screen.

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Stairway up

A view up the stairway that will go up to the 747-8 Intercontinental's upper deck.

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Main lounge area

Inside the interior mock-up of the 747-8 Intercontinental, this is a lounge area inside the main cabin area, just adjacent to the stairway.

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Looking down the stairs

A view down the stairway from the upper deck of the interior mock-up of the 747-8 Intercontinental.

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Upstairs lounge bench

Inside the 747-8 Intercontinental interior mock-up, Boeing has configured the upper deck to be like it would be on a VIP version of the plane. This is a lounge bench, complete with cushions and pillows, and it faces a pair of armchairs.

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Lounge chairs

Inside the 747-8 Intercontinental interior mock-up, Boeing has configured the upper deck to be like it would be on a VIP version of the plane. This is a pair of armchairs with a small table facing a lounge bench, complete with cushions and pillows.

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Wine bar

First-class passengers aboard the 747-8 Intercontinental could have access to a selection of wines, as displayed here.

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Wine bar

First-class passengers aboard the 747-8 Intercontinental could have access to a selection of wines, as displayed here in this wine bar.

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Front of plane

This is the front of the 747-8 Intercontinental, in the nose of the airplane. In this configuration, it is a first-class section.

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Fold-out bed

First-class passengers aboard the 747-8 Intercontinental will likely be able to lay down in this bed, as seen aboard the interior mock-up of the plane at Boeing's Customer Experience Center.

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First-class seating

This is a first-class seat in the front of the plane's nose section, as seen in the interior mock-up.

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Business class bed

The interior mock-up of the 747-8 Intercontinental shows several different kinds of business class seating. This is the narrowest of the options showed, but shown folded out so that passengers can stretch out.

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Smaller business class seats

These are the narrower business-class seats shown in the interior mock-up of the 747-8 Intercontinental.

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Upper deck

This is a view of business-class seating in the upper deck of the 747-8 Intercontinental's interior mock-up at Boeing's Customer Experience Center.

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Business class close-up

This is a close-up of business class seating in the upper deck of the 747-8 Intercontinental interior mock-up.

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Wider business class seating

These are wider business-class seats as shown in the lower deck of the 747-8 Intercontinental interior mock-up.

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Luggage bins

Boeing designed the 747-8 Intercontinental to have the same kind of luggage bins as its 787 Dreamliner. The idea is that there should be enough space for everyone's bags.

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Main cabin luggage bins

A view of the luggage bins in the middle of the plane, as seen in the interior mock-up of the 747-8 Intercontinental.

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Business class seats back

The back of business-class seats as seen in the interior mock-up of the 747-8 Intercontinental.

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Nose section windows

These are windows in the front, first-class, nose section of the 747-8 Intercontinental's interior mock-up.

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Ceiling

Though the 747-8 Intercontinental is the same width as the current-generation 747-400, it has used design elements--including special LED lighting that can provide a sense that the ceiling looks like the sky--to make people believe that the plane is wider and taller.