The following is a list of past and present operators of the Douglas DC-8 including those airlines which flew converted Super DC-8-71 and Super DC-8-73 aircraft:^[1]

♠ - Denotes original DC-8 operators

Civil operators

 Austria

• Austrian Airlines

 Belgium

• Belgian International Air Services
• CargoLion
• Delta Air Transport
• Pomair

 Brazil

• BETA Cargo (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Panair do Brasil
• Skymaster Airlines
• Transportes Charter do Brasil
• Varig
• VASP (fleet included former Air Canada Cargo Super DC-8-73 aircraft)

 Canada

• Air Canada^[2] (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft operated by Air Canada Cargo)
• Canadian Pacific Airlines^[3] ♠ (later renamed CP Air)
• Minerve Canada
• Nationair Canada
• Nordair (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 aircraft)
• Points of Call Airlines
• Quebecair
• Swiftair Cargo
• Trans-Canada Airlines ♠ (became Air Canada)
• Worldways Canada

 Cayman Islands

• Cayman Airways

 Central African Republic

• Air Centrafrique

 Ceylon

• Air Ceylon

 Chile

• Fast Air
• LanChile Cargo (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 aircraft)

 Colombia

• Tampa Cargo (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 aircraft)

 Zaire

• Air Zaïre

 Côte d'Ivoire

• Air Afrique ♠

 Cuba

• Cubana

 Cyprus

• Cyprus Airways

 Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Trans Air Cargo Service
• Hewa Bora Airways
• Kinshasa Airways

 Denmark

• Scanair
• Sterling Airways

 Finland

• Finnair
• Kar-Air
• Spear Air

 France

• Aéromaritime
• Air France
• Aire d'Evasions (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Minerve (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Point Air
• Transports Aériens Intercontinentaux (TAI) ♠
• Union Aéromaritime de Transport (UAT) ♠
• UTA ♠

 Germany

• Atlantis ♠
• Condor (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• German Cargo (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Lufthansa
• Lufthansa Cargo (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Südflug

 Ghana

• Airlift International
• Air Charter Express
• Ghana Airways
• Johnsons Air
• Meridian Airways
• MK Airlines

 Iceland

• Icelandair
• Loftleidir (DC-8 aircraft also operated by subsidiary International Air Bahama)

 India

• Air India

 Indonesia

• Garuda Indonesia

 Ireland

• Aer Turas
• Translift Airways (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 aircraft)

 Italy

• Alitalia ♠
• Aeral

 Jamaica

• Air Jamaica

 Japan

• Japan Air Lines ♠
• Japan Asia Airways

 Kenya

• African Safari Airways
• Kenya Airways
• Ribway Cargo Airlines (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)

 Liberia

• Liberia World Airways

 Libya

• United African Airlines

 Luxembourg

• Cargolux

 Maldives

• Maldives Airways

 Mexico

• Aeroleón
• Aeroméxico
• Aerotransportes Mas de Carga, Mas Air
• Aeronaves de Mexico ♠
• Aeropostal Cargo de México
• Mexicana de Aviación
• Transportación Aérea Mexicana (TAM)

 Netherlands

• KLM ♠ (fleet included mixed passenger/freight DC-8 combi aircraft)
• Martinair

 New Zealand

• Air New Zealand ♠
• Southern World Airlines
• TEAL

 Nigeria

• Trans Sahel Airlines

 Pakistan

• Pakistan International Airlines (Fleet included of 1 leased DC-8-21F and 1 leased DC-8-71CF for cargo flights)

 Panama

• Air Panamá Internacional
• Arrow Cargo Panamá
• International Air Panamá (INAIR Panamá)

 Paraguay

• Líneas Aéreas Paraguayas (LAP) (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 aircraft)

 Peru

• Aerolíneas Peruanas (APSA)
• Aeronaves del Perú
• AeroPerú
• APISA Air Cargo
• Faucett

 Philippines

• Philippine Airlines ♠

 Poland

• Lot Polish Airlines (one Super DC-8-62 leased from Arrow Air in 1987-1988 for servicing the transatlantic line after the loss of one Il-62M)

Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden)

• Scandinavian Airlines System ♠

 Singapore

• Saber Air

 South Africa

• African International Airways

 South Korea

• Korean Air

 Spain

• Air Cargo Spain
• Air Spain
• Aviaco
• Cargosur
• Cygnus Air (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Iberia ♠
• Spantax

 Sri Lanka

• Expo Aviation (FitsAir)

 Suriname

• Surinam Airways

 Eswatini

• African International Airlines

 Sweden

• Air Sweden (founded as Time Air Sweden. Fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 and Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Interswede

 Switzerland

• Balair
• SATA Société Anonyme de Transports Aérien Genève
• Swissair ♠
• Brisair

 Thailand

• Air Siam
• Thai Airways

 Turkey

• Birgenair

 United Arab Emirates

• Bravo Cargo Services

 United Kingdom

• British Cargo Airlines
• IAS Cargo Airlines
• Transmeridian Air Cargo

 United States

• ABX Air
• Airborne Express
• Airlift International ♠
• Air Marshall Islands (operated a mixed passenger/freight DC-8-62 combi aircraft)
• American Flyers Airline ♠
• American International Airways
• Arrow Air (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Astar Air Cargo (previously operated as DHL Airways. Fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft flying for DHL)
• Air Transport International (ATI) (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 and Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• BAX Global (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 aircraft)
• Braniff International Airways ♠
• Capitol International Airways ♠
• Challenge Air Cargo (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Delta Air Lines ♠ (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 aircraft)
• Eastern Airlines ♠
• Emery Worldwide (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 and Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Evergreen International Airlines (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft. Evergreen also operated a DC-8-73 for Air India Cargo)
• FedEx Express^[4] (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft formerly operated by Flying Tiger Line)
• Flagship Express (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 aircraft)
• Flying Tiger Line ♠ (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Gulf Air Transport (renamed Trans Ocean Airways. Fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 aircraft)
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Kalitta Air (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• MGM Grand Air
• National Airlines ♠
• National Airlines (N8) (cargo operator. Fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 and Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Northwest Orient Airlines ♠
• Overseas National Airways ♠
• Pacific East Air
• Pan American World Airways ♠
• Pan American-Grace Airways ♠ (also known as Panagra)
• Rich International Airways
• Samaritan's Purse (currently operates a converted DC-8-72CF aircraft)
• Saturn Airways ♠
• Seaboard World Airlines ♠
• Southern Air Transport (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 and Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Skybus Cargo Charters (currently operates converted Super DC-8-72 and Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Trans Caribbean Airways ♠
• Trans Continental
• Trans International Airlines ♠ (also operated as Transamerica Airlines. Fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 and Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• United Air Lines ♠ (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 aircraft)
• UPS Airlines (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 and Super DC-8-73 aircraft)
• Universal Airlines ♠
• Wien Air Alaska (contract cargo operations for UPS)
• World Airways
• Zantop International Airlines

 Uruguay

• PLUNA

 Venezuela

• VIASA ♠

 Zambia

• Zambia Airways (fleet included converted Super DC-8-71 aircraft)

Military and government operators

 Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Congolese Air Force^[5] - One remained in use in late 2016.^[6]

 France

• French Air Force^[7]

 Gabon

• Government of Gabon (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)

 Spain

• Spanish Air Force

 Oman

• Government of Oman (fleet included converted Super DC-8-73 aircraft)

 Peru

• Peruvian Air Force (two DC-8-62-CFs purchased in 1982–83 for the Presidential flight.)^[8]

 Philippines

• Philippine Air Force

 Thailand

• Royal Thai Air Force (two DC-8-62AFs acquired in 1982.)^[9]

 Togo

• Government of Togo (operated by BTL - Base de Transport de Lomé)^[10]

 United States

• NASA (aircraft was a converted DC-8-72)
• United States Navy

Corporate operators

The Douglas DC-8 is and has been operated by corporate operators.

• ORBIS International operated a DC-8 as a flying hospital