# Trump's luxury Boeing 747-8 and the newly upgraded Boeing 777 appear to belong to entirely different operational worlds.

*aerospace · news · 2026-05-05 · Simple Flying*

## Key points

- NASA's Boeing 777-200ER replaces the retired DC-8, offering greater payload and endurance for science missions.
- The Air Force is converting a Qatar-linked luxury Boeing 747-8 as an interim Air Force One platform.
- L3Harris performed major structural conversions on both NASA's 777 and the presidential 747-8 in Waco, Texas.
- The 747-8 retrofit is officially estimated under $400 million, while NASA's 777 cost below $30 million pre-modification.
- Both projects demonstrate accelerated government fleet-modernization by repurposing retired commercial widebody jets.

**Companies:** NASA, L3Harris, Yulista
**Countries:** United States, Qatar, Japan

[Read the full story on Simple Flying](https://simpleflying.com/what-trump-luxury-boeing-747-nasa-newly-upgraded-777-common/)

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