Did you know that up to 700 jets reach retirement every year? In fact, around 16,000 jets have been retired in the past three-and-a-half decades, and, of course, a great many of them are Boeing aircraft. But what happens to old planes after retirement? Do they move to Florida, like a lot of other retirees?
Actually, there is a whole industry built around managing the decommissioning of old airplanes. There has to be -- just imagine the environmental impact of leaving tens of thousands of planes to rot
and rust in massive junkyards. Fortunately, old Boeing aircraft and other planes are useful long after they are retired by their respective airlines.
The uses for retired Boeing planes vary widely, from spare parts to serving as unconventional restaurants. Many of these old planes are even kept flying after their initial retirement. Sometimes, an old Boeing will even show up in a museum. The good news is that the vast majority of an airplane's body is either recyclable or reusable.
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Old Planes May Keep Flying Or Be Recycled
When an airline retires one of its passenger jets, it doesn't necessarily mean that the plane gets put out to pasture, so to speak. Many of these jets find a second life as cargo planes, and the Boeing 777 and 767 have been especially popular for this purpose. The large 747 is well-suited for carrying cargo, though some modifications first have to be made to the passenger version of this jet, like adding large doors on the side. Some of the old planes don't have to be converted at all to keep flying; many of them are sold to smaller airlines and stay in the air as commercial jets.
But what happens to old planes that don't get to keep flying? Often, they are stored in a place with an arid climate, like the Mojave Desert, until they can be scrapped for parts. Engines, instrumentation, landing gear, and other components are removed to be used in other planes, while cockpits are sometimes turned into flight simulators. The first-class seats are often bought by smaller airlines or even personal collectors. Emirates has a team of tailors who turn the soft materials in the interior of old planes into bags, wallets, and suitcases, then sell these items for charity. They're even considering turning escape slides into umbrellas.
The frame and skin of the planes are made of high-quality aluminum alloy, which is melted down and turned into things like new airplane parts and soda cans. It's estimated that over 90 percent by weight of a typical retired plane is reusable or recyclable. The notable exception is the one part of the plane that nobody wants, not even after the plane has retired -- the economy seats. Those seats, unfortunately, typically end up in landfills.
Some Old Boeing Jets Become Restaurants, Hotels, And Cozy Homes
Next to Arlanda Airport in Stockholm, Sweden, stands the "Jumbo Stay" hotel. It has 33 rooms and can accommodate 76 guests, but what stands out about this hotel is what it used to be: a Boeing 747-212B Jumbo jet. Unfortunately, the Jumbo Stay hotel has closed recently due to bankruptcy, but in the Costa Rican jungle, you can stay in a 1965 Boeing 727 fuselage that's been converted into a two-bedroom suite for just over $600 per night, depending on the season.
Old Boeing jets don't just make interesting hotels; some have also been converted into restaurants and cafés. At the 747 Café in Bangkok, Thailand, diners can enjoy a meal in a converted 747, while some can even be seated in the cockpit and be served by the headwaiter, who wears a pilot's uniform. The Airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs, Colorado, was converted from a 1953 Boeing KC-97 and features an air-travel-themed menu. And in mid-2025, AREA15 in Las Vegas announced that a 747 will be turned into a nightlife destination.
You'll have to go underwater to see at least one converted Boeing aircraft. The Kingdom of Bahrain sank a 747 to turn it into an artificial reef, as part of an underwater theme park, which was opened to the public in September 2019. So, being grounded doesn't mean the end of an old Boeing jet. Businesses have found plenty of inventive uses for these old airplanes. And, who knows, you just may find yourself dining in one someday.
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