How much fuel does a Boeing 747 consume while in flight?

The Boeing 747 consumes approximately one gallon of fuel per second while flying at cruising altitude. This gives an effective fuel efficiency of roughly 0.2 miles per gallon. The Boeing 747 has a total fuel capacity of 57,285 gallons or nearly 390,000 pounds.

Jet airliners burn the most fuel during takeoff, when the throttle is fully engaged. On short flights, up to 25 percent of the total fuel consumed is used during takeoff. According to Boeing, the 747 consumes roughly 5,700 pounds of fuel while taking off. The required takeoff distance for a Boeing 747 is less than one mile, making fuel efficiency much lower during the initial phase of the flight.