Xi Jinping India visit: What we know about China’s Boeing 747-8I used for transporting its top leader

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday for a one-day visit to attend the BRICS Summit, his first trip to India in seven years. The visit comes as India-China ties have seen a series of high-level engagements in recent months.

Xi is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bilateral talks on Saturday evening, with trade and investment ties expected to feature prominently in the discussions. He is accompanied by a high-level delegation of senior government officials and business leaders.

China’s arrangements for transporting its top political leadership are considerably less familiar internationally than the United States’ highly recognisable Air Force One system. Yet Beijing also relies on a specially configured version of the Boeing 747 for long-distance travel by its most senior leaders, with the aircraft operating under Air China branding rather than a separate presidential identity.



Air travel for China’s top leadership is handled by the 34th Division of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force. Its fleet includes six Boeing 737-300s, two Boeing 737-700s, four Boeing 737-800s, three Airbus A319s and 10 Bombardier Challenger 800s.

China’s regulations also place restrictions on who can use dedicated presidential aircraft for international journeys. Such aircraft are reserved for the President and the State Council Premier when travelling abroad. Other senior state leaders are required to use chartered aircraft instead.

Xi Jinping’s Boeing 747-8I remains largely unseen

For President Xi Jinping’s long-haul international travel, China has used a specially converted Boeing 747-8I. The aircraft carries Air China branding and the registration B-2479 and is understood to have undergone conversion and testing around 2016-2017 for exclusive use by the head of state.

Unlike the United States’ Air Force One, there are no official photographs showing the interior of Xi’s aircraft. However, the aircraft is widely believed to contain facilities suited to long-range presidential travel, including conference tables, private bedrooms and office suites.

China has also previously relied on converted commercial Air China Boeing 747-400s for international travel when necessary. Three such aircraft have carried the registrations B-2445, B-2447 and B-2472.

Why the Boeing 747-8I is suited to VIP travel

The Boeing 747-8 forms the centrepiece of this long-range aircraft story. It is the final and largest version of the 747 family ever produced, stretching to 250 feet and becoming the longest airliner in commercial service.

The aircraft incorporates several changes aimed at improving range and efficiency. Its wing is deeper and thicker than earlier versions, allowing greater fuel capacity, while larger raked wingtips improve aerodynamic performance. The aircraft is powered by more efficient GEnx engines derived from technology used on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Those changes also contribute to the 747-8’s enormous size and weight. Its maximum takeoff weight approaches 975,000 pounds, making it the heaviest Boeing airliner.

China is among several nations using VIP 747-8Is

China is not the only country to have selected the 747-8I for high-level VIP duties. Countries including Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Brunei, Morocco, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have also acquired VIP-configured versions of the aircraft.

Saudi Arabia’s VIP 747-8I is used by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, adding another prominent example of the aircraft’s role in transporting senior national leadership.

The United States has also recently turned to a version of the same aircraft. Its VC-25B Bridge is a stopgap presidential transport based on a former Qatari VIP aircraft that was gifted to Washington in 2025. The aircraft is now being used by President Donald Trump while the definitive replacements for the existing VC-25A fleet remain under development.

India and other countries use Boeing 777 variants

Several other countries have opted for the more modern Boeing 777 family for their top-level VIP and government transport requirements. India, Japan, Israel, Indonesia, Singapore, Bangladesh and South Africa are among the countries using variants of the aircraft.

India’s government acquired Boeing 777 aircraft from Air India after the airline was divested by the government. The Indian Air Force also acquired six Airbus A321 aircraft from Air India. These aircraft are planned for conversion into Airborne Early Warning and Control platforms, giving them a role beyond conventional passenger and VIP transportation.