Egypt’s new ‘Air Force One’ Boeing 747-8 arrives in Cairo after years in storage

Yesterday, the Egyptian government finally took delivery of its 14-year-old, but also brand-new Boeing 747-8. The aircraft (registered SU-EGY) was built in 2011 for Lufthansa but was not taken up. The aircraft had remained with Boeing ever since, that is, until yesterday.

After more than four years of Lufthansa Technik overhauling and fitting the cabin, a newish Boeing 747-8 has finally been delivered to the Egyptian government.

Data from FlightRadar24 shows it has conducted five flights from Germany’s Hamburg in 2025, returning to the same airport every time. These flights varied between just over one and almost eight hours long. With every flight, it had the callsign EGY1.

Then on 11th December, the aircraft, with the callsign EGY2, flew from Hamburg to Cairo, touching down at 16:57 local time.

The Jumbo business jet is designed to transport high-ranking Egyptian figures, including President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. The aircraft reportedly cost $500 million and has been upgraded with military upgrades (like communication and defence systems).