While each airline has a distinct livery, most of the plane is almost always white. This can sometimes mean that certain carriers' paint schemes seem to have similar templates to one another, with the only difference being the colors used on the non-white sections. But why are most aircraft painted white? Let's take a look.

White paint saves money

Paint on a plane adds anywhere from 600 to 1,200 pounds (272 - 544 kg) to the aircraft's weight. This extra weight increases the amount of fuel a plane burns, and can ultimately be equivalent to carrying as many as eight additional passengers. Removing this unnecessary weight makes the flights cheaper to operate.

The paint also costs money, both for the initial paint job and for repaints when the color begins to dull. It's been proven that the color white does not fade as fast as other colors, meaning that the aircraft has to be repainted less frequently.

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On larger aircraft like the Boeing 747, the right choice of paint can save a lot of weight. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

A typical Boeing 747 paint job uses around 120 gallons (545.53 liters), while a 767 uses approximately 90 gallons (409.15 liters). All told, painting a commercial airliner can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $200,000.

Of course, there is also a benefit to having mainly white planes when it comes to ownership changes. Many airlines and lessors sell or lease their planes to other carriers, and, by keeping them white, it is cheaper to alter the livery.

White keeps the plane cooler

When we say it makes the plane cooler, we don't mean in the hip sense, but the amount of heat an aircraft absorbs from the sun. Think of it like your wardrobe, and why lighter clothes dominate what we wear in the summer.

Painting an aircraft white helps to reflect the sunlight, and minimize the amount of energy needed to keep the plane comfortable. Modern airplanes that are made from composite materials need even more protection from the sun as they can be damaged by UV radiation, which is another reason why white paint is used.

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Photo: Getty Images

Concorde was an interesting example in this regard. Specifically, the Mach 2-capable jet was painted with highly-reflective white paint to withstand the heat it produced during supersonic flight. Both the nose and leading edges of the British–French delta-winged plane could reach temperatures as hot as 127°C ( 260.6°F).

For two weeks in 1996, an Air France Concorde was painted rather differently, in a predominantly blue livery, as part of an advertising deal with soft drinks giant Pepsi. However, this paint didn't have the reflective qualities of the original white livery, meaning that the aircraft in question could only cruise at Mach 2 for 20 minutes at a time. Any longer, and the jet would risk overheating.

Safety and maintenance

By painting an aircraft white, it is much easier for the maintenance crews to spot any damage. This allows oil spills/leaks, cracks, and other faults to be identified and fixed promptly. Painting the plane white also helps avoid bird strikes allowing waterfowl and other birds to see the aircraft and avoid hitting it.

Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at gate
Photo: Getty Images

Painting in the plane in darker colors would make it blend in with the ground and decrease a bird's ability to see it. The same can be said for search and rescue, as a white fuselage helps rescuers spot a crash site much more easily.

Certain exceptions

There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. A notable one is Air New Zealand, which has painted some of its aircraft black as part of a $13.3 million marketing partnership with Tourism New Zealand. It recently made history by taking delivery of the first all-black jet with Star Alliance branding, in the form of an Airbus A321neo.

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easyJet's 200th Airbus jet broke the mold with a special all-orange livery. Photo: Getty Images

Elsewhere in the world, low-cost carriers often favor more colorful paint schemes. As seen above, easyJet is one such example, although its all-orange jet was a one-off. Meanwhile, non-white designs are the standard at the likes of PLAY, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Wizz Air, and, historically speaking, Iceland's Wow Air.

What do you make of present livery trends? Do you prefer colorful aircraft or the simple beauty of a mainly white design? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!