The Miami Dolphins just managed to make me interested in football for a brief moment… by telling me about their travel logistics.
In this post:
How the Miami Dolphins fly to away games
NFL teams play a lot of away games each season, and the logistics of transporting 150+ people and tons of cargo is no small task.
The Miami Dolphins have just put out a nearly five minute video about their travel logistics for away games, which I found to be particularly interesting as an avgeek.
Specifically, the Miami Dolphins partner with Atlas Air, which is a massive cargo and charter airline, and the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 747. While Atlas Air has nearly 100 cargo jets, the airline also has 11 passenger charter jets, including five Boeing 747s and six Boeing 767s.
For four years now, the Miami Dolphins have exclusively used an Atlas Air Boeing 747-400 for their away games. Specifically, the airline uses a VIP configured 747, featuring just 189 seats. This includes:
- 10 first class seats, in the nose of the 747
- 143 business class seats, in a 2-3-2 configuration on the main deck, and in a 2-2 configuration on the upper deck
- 26 economy class seats, in the very back of the lower deck
Here are some of the interesting things covered in the video:
- When the schedule for the season comes out, the Miami Dolphins immediately shares those dates with Atlas Air, so the aircraft can be reserved
- The team travels with around 180 people, including 69 players, 30 coaches, 70 support staff, and 10 media
- The aircraft typically departs from Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL), and the team equipment is loaded onto the plane before the team even gets there, with an average of around 10,000 pounds of cargo per flight
- There are 16 flight attendants, and the team requests that it’s the same crew every time, as they’re familiar with the team’s needs
- A variety of snacks are available upon boarding (fresh fruit, candy bars, chips, etc.), and then during the flight there’s a full meal service, with a choice of four main courses, designed in cooperation with the team nutritionist
You can watch the video for yourself below.
How other NFL teams travel to away games
I have to say, the Miami Dolphins seem to have one of the swankiest setups of any NFL team when it comes to travel. They’re one of the only teams to fly in a Boeing 747, and on top of that it’s in a VIP configuration, so that everyone is comfortable. Outside of Atlas Air, I don’t know of any other airline having such a spaciously configured 747.
How does this compare to how other NFL teams travel? A couple of teams have acquired their own planes, as they found that it was more cost effective and reliable than just constantly chartering aircraft. For example, the Arizona Cardinals acquired a former Delta Boeing 777, while the New England Patriots acquired two former American Boeing 767s.
Obviously it’s nice for a team to have its own plane, though neither aircraft is as spacious as the Atlas Air Boeing 747.
Other teams generally try to charter planes from airlines or other charter operators. This has become increasingly complicated and costly over the years, as many airlines simply don’t have enough planes available to be able to offer these kinds of charters at a reasonable cost. That issue is what caused some teams to acquire their own aircraft.
In a vast majority of these charter situations, many team members end up in economy seating, which can’t be very comfortable, given how big many NFL players are.
Bottom line
The Miami Dolphins travel to away games on a VIP configured Atlas Air Boeing 747. The jet features just 189 seats, with most being first or business class. The team and the charter company have had an agreement for four years, and this seems like a pretty comfortable way to travel between Florida and their away games.
What do you make of the Miami Dolphins’ Atlas Air 747 charter?
Am I right to say that it appears those businesses seats are only angle flat, rather than lie flat?
Surprised that the airlines do not have a contract for this. For example they do with the olympics or the ski team, etc.
Some do. Hawaiian has flown the Raiders for years. I believe Delta handles the NBA in specially configured 757s that are owned by the league and teams jointly and operated and maintained by Delta under contract. The Dodgers fly on a United 757.
Atlas Air needs to do an "Extra Ordinary Rendition" on Russell Wilson via Atlas Air. (Atlas Air being famous for sending many innocent people to Torture Chambers around the world).
Wow! Great job touching grass.....
Next the history of the original Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner and how his cheapness threatened the lives of his players back in the late 1970's to 1980's. What is it with
Florida and cheap attention seeking mega megalomaniac? Not you Ben.....
You should cover Taylor Swifts Era Tour next.
It's a perfect mirror to class and economic policy in America.....
Ben, the New England Patriots flying documentary is much more compelling.
Nice of you to "touch grass" though.....
Oh Ben, you slay me!
LOL
As a Miami dolphins fan since 1970s damn, nice, let's go fins!
Around 10 away games is not that much . An NHL or NBA team has over 50 in a season . Much more rigorous travel schedule as they will have up to 4 cities in 1 week , playoffs are even worse.
The teams are much smaller though, so the logistics are easier.
This waz very interesting and I've often wondered!!
back in the day teams flew commercial. First class seats went by seniority. My dad use to fly alot in first class often a basketball team was on the same flight. If he had an aisle seat and the player had a window seat, he would almost always switch seats. He said that some of the taller players were squashed even in first. Pity the rookies in coach.
What an interesting video ! Love stuff like this. Thanks Ben !
I wonder if that's an ex-Thai Airways 744 - the first class seats certainly are!
Cool post, thanks Ben!
It was purchased and designed for Son Air of Angola for the Houston Express 12 yes ago. Same layout. I worked this very aircraft for Atlas 12 yes ago.
It's called a 747-400.
Show it some proper respect.....
Hey Ben, if you liked that video then I think you'll love this one about the traveling for the NFL's first ever game in Germany last year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFsCt5h2XJQ
United & Delta Airlines mainly chartered NFL Teams
For Delta planes it’s usually A330’s & B764’s
For United they mainly use B777-200ER
AA mainly flew LA Rams & Dallas Cowboys & Philadelphia Eagles that’s usually a B789 or B777-200ER
The Arizona Cardinals took N322SG (Atlas 747) as their primary mode of transportation, until they purchased the used Delta jet. Jacksonville and Arizona were the first teams to charter with Atlas.
Guangzhou Evergrande First Squad + Core Staffs(Coaches on the court) often use their boss, Xu Jia Ying's private jet when travelling around Asia for Asian World Championship and sometimes domestically after an important game back in the old prime days.
Aww, nobody cares.
Yet you took the time to read their post and reply.
The former Crystal cruise operator, in one of their many poor decisions, bought a used 777-200LR to operate "Crystal AirCruises" and outfitted it in a very spacious configuration Which flopped in spectacular fashion; however, they were able to mitigate some of their loss by using it as a charter aircraft for sports teams. It only seated 88 passengers all in biz class staggered 2x2x2 configuration with a dining/bar area. My understanding is that NBA teams...
The former Crystal cruise operator, in one of their many poor decisions, bought a used 777-200LR to operate "Crystal AirCruises" and outfitted it in a very spacious configuration Which flopped in spectacular fashion; however, they were able to mitigate some of their loss by using it as a charter aircraft for sports teams. It only seated 88 passengers all in biz class staggered 2x2x2 configuration with a dining/bar area. My understanding is that NBA teams were the biggest users of the aircraft with their much smaller roster of players/support staff and gear.
Man, some of these 'athletes' do not look the slightest bit athletic.
Thanks for sharing the video, though!
The Baltimore Ravens use an Atlas Air 747 charter to fly to their road games for the most part (have taken Amtrak in the past to games in NYC, unsure about Philadelphia).
Man look at all that space for Russell Wilson to do some high knees
Close the comments, winner right here
“NFL teams play a lot of away games each season”
11 away games is “a lot”?
Only compared to zero. What professional sports team has zero away games?
They are not 11 away games
Gerald, a team may not have 11 road games every year, but 9-11 is the range every year, including preseason. This is before you factor in the playoff games that are possible. A team could end up with 14-15 road games a year if they make the playoffs as a low seed and make a run to the Super Bowl.
Yo Scudder!
So what! Who cares! I'd feel it to be a privilege to play in the NFL!
Booyah
For people who are interested, Wendover has a pretty good documentary about NFL logistics on youtube.
NFL takes great care of their current players, but once they've served their use, are discarded to a life of suffering the TBI inflicted for the profit of a few very-rich billionaires.
Come on Ben, American football is always fun to watch. Just put the game on in the back ground while you work (during the season) . I’ve been a Miami Dolphins fan since the early 70s!
I feel bad for you.
Where is the confected outrage? When everyday folks travel on a fully loaded 737 its an environmental problem. But when one football team with hangers-on travel on jumbo jet.....crickets.
They take this plane 10, max 12 times a year. The outrage is in your own head.
Hey friend,
Looks like you've found your way to this great travel and aviation blog. Here, we're travel and aviation enthusiasts.
Happy commenting!
Well they need to fly 180 people so it's not bad at all. The outrage is usually towards individuals or couples flying gulfstreams that have a fuel burn of 300 gallons per hour. A 747 burns around 3600 gallons per hour.
So a CEO travelling alone on a gulfstream - 300 gallons per hour
A miami dolphin staff/player travelling as a group on a 747 - 15 gallons per hour
Now let's compare this...
Well they need to fly 180 people so it's not bad at all. The outrage is usually towards individuals or couples flying gulfstreams that have a fuel burn of 300 gallons per hour. A 747 burns around 3600 gallons per hour.
So a CEO travelling alone on a gulfstream - 300 gallons per hour
A miami dolphin staff/player travelling as a group on a 747 - 15 gallons per hour
Now let's compare this with a commercial united jet that could carry 180 people i.e. a 767-300. The miami dolphin player/staff - 7 gallons per hour.
So although it's more it is not too bad when you consider how many people are flying. And 20x less than what people are usually outraged at.
I don't think anyone is arguing that all 3 of the above contribute to CO2 emissions. I also don't think there is much outrage about passengers flying on fully loaded commercial 737s.
That’s a good point. Measuring environmental footprint requires a lot of variables. The original poster falls onto the trap that it a binary question
Yep. There will be silence on this site for obvious reasons. ;-)
I remember back in the 80s before travel by sports teams got fancy, there was an Alaska plane the Seattle Seahawks used that was a standard commercial plane other than the bulkhead and other locations had pictures of the football team instead of regular Alaska Airlines images. During the week it just flew regular routes.
I wonder how they choose who gets the 10 first class seats?
Was wondering the same thing. Is it players or coaches?
Their wives.
Depends on the contract, for example, some players would have obligation to travel in First Class.
Players, coaches and support staff are in business class seats. The executive team is in the front.
Probably ownership/front office people
Seems like this is the same configuration Sonair’s Houston Express used to fly between Houston and Angola.
Correct. Atlas repainted the sonair jets to their livery and now use them for VIP charters.
You should absolutely watch Kelsey's video. He's a 747 pilot for Atlas Air and covered flying sport teams charters in a recent video - much more interesting for us AvGeeks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W23mBMb9Jk