The historic 747 was dubbed the ‘Queen of the Skies.’ In production from 1967 to 2023, the 1,574 of these aircraft, “revolutionized air travel as the world’s first twin-aisle airplane and enabled more people to fly farther, faster and more affordably than ever before. Marked by its distinctively recognizable hump, this iconic airplane is a symbol of great engineering, innovation and often noted as an outstanding work of architecture.” (Boeing.com)
However we’re now in an age when sustainability is in and gas guzzling planes are quickly on their way out. So the 747s, as well-loved by passengers as they are, are not-so-slowly being retired. Lufthansa, Asiana, Korean Air and Air China still have 747s flying, but that’s about it.
Fortunately, a handful of 747s, although no longer flying, have been upcycled so they can be enjoyed in other ways:
Area15, U.S.A.
A salvaged Boeing 747 aircraft repurposed as an event space will be one of the attractions of a 20-acre expansion of the Area15 immersive art and entertainment district in Las Vegas.
Winston Fisher, Area15’s CEO, announced the acquisition last year. The plane used to serve as a passenger jet in Brazil. Once decommissioned, it was used for several years as a nightclub and daytime lounge at the Burning Man festival.
When fully assembled on site, the jet will be 150 feet long and 60 feet wide.
Arlanda Airport, Sweden
747-212B was built in 1976 for Singapore Airlines. It later served with Pan Am and was last operated by Transjet (a Swedish airline that went bankrupt in 2002). Decommissioned years ago, it was turned into the Jumbo Stay Hotel on the site of Arlanda Airport, in Stockholm.
JumboStay.com‘s jumbo-jet-turned-hotel has 33 rooms that range from shared dorms to single dorms in the engines. Anecdotally, the best room is said to be the double bed ensuite in the cockpit.
PC: jumbostay.com
There’s also a cafe and bar onboard, as well as a conference lounge and outdoor observation deck.
Cotswold Airport, U.K.
British Airways’ G-CIVB was converted into a “party plane” of sorts. Housed at Cotswold Airport, it’s available for corporate rentals for parties and events. The Negus 747 is also available for tours and filming.
Delta Flight Museum, U.S.A.
Located in Atlanta, GA, the Delta Flight Museum explores the history of Delta and the future of flight with an array of interactive exhibits and rare aviation items. Open since 1995, the museum has allowed visitors from around the world to explore aviation history, celebrate the story and people of Delta, and discover the future of flight.
On site at the museum is a Boeing 747 plane that’s open to visitors. Added to the museum in 2016 and opened in 2017, the Delta 6301 was the first 747-400 ever built. Visitors are able to sit in aircraft seats, check out the upper deck, walk out on a wing, examine what goes on behind the walls of an aircraft, and learn all about the history of the 747 and its role in Delta’s history. The plane is open 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. on days the Museum is open and is included with the cost of Museum admission.
Dunsford Airfield, U.K.
Built by Boeing in 1985 G-BDXA “Spirit of Birmingham” served with British Airways before being purchased by Aviation Filming in 2005. With the availability of 1st class, business class, economy and “new” economy seating, as well as exterior and cockpit, it’s currently used for filming, television, stills and specialist training.
Universal Studios Hollywood, U.S.A.
Universal Studios Hollywood’s theme park includes a ride attraction called The Studio Tour. Showing backstage areas of the working studio, the tour currently includes a huge outdoor scene depicting an airplane crash. The set had been built for Steven Spielberg’s 2005 War of the Worlds movie, which was filmed on the Universal backlot.
From thestudiotour.com:
A commercial 747 aircraft was bought by the production and then chopped into pieces and transported to Universal, where the full set has been left fully dressed as it was during filming. The plane cost $60,000 (quite reasonable for a decommissioned 747) but the real costs were in the transportation to Universal Studios, which used flatbed trucks, a police escort, and a helicopter, and totalled $200,000.
Virgin Orbit, U.K.
Last year Cosmic Girl, a repurposed Boeing 747, was being prepared to assist Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket into space.
The former Queen of the Skies was a former passenger jumbo jet in service with Virgin Atlantic until 2015. It was then modified with the intention of carrying LauncherOne, a California-made rocket, under its left wing. Once the 747 hit 34,000 feet, the rocket would launch.
747 Café, Thailand
Located near Suvarnabuhmi Airport in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district, the 747 Café is the world’s largest airplane eatery. Open since 2020, guests have to buy a “flight ticket” to enter but the (approx.) $3.75 cost per person can be used against patrons’ food and beverage bill.
Open daily from 10am to 7pm local time, the cafe’s menu includes baked goods and drinks.
For home, office and beyond
Not all 747s turn into places to visit. Some are turned into objects for the home (at least one 747 was turned INTO a home, in southern CA), from furniture to key rings to chandeliers to pieces of art. In 2022, a limited edition credit card was made from metal cut from Delta ship 6307.
From Fast Company:
…25-year travel rewards card partnership between American Express and Delta, the limited-edition offering of Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business cards was crafted from metal from the exterior of the plane, which was retired in 2017. The harvested aluminum—which, along with carbon composites, titanium, and steel make up a typical fuselage and wing spars—was affixed to a stainless steel layer to create a strong and durable card. A typical non-airplane American Express metal card is made of stainless steel and polymers.
One other decommissioned 747 will be turned into office space in Seattle. The aircraft’s fuselage will house Westbank’s upcoming Seattle offices, while its tail will provide a pathway to a Live Nation event venue.
PC: Westbank
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