Two retired Boeing 747s have found an unlikely second life in Malaysia, where they have been transformed from long-haul airliners into lavish hotel suites. The former Pan Am and Japan Airlines aircraft now sit at the 1975 Avenue & Hotel in Johor Bahru, offering guests the chance to spend the night inside a genuine jumbo jet without ever leaving the ground. It is not the first time a retired 747 has been given a spectacular new purpose. A woman in England bought an entire Boeing 747 for the price of a Pringles can and transformed the jumbo into one of the most Instagrammable wedding venues ever.
The idea sounds simple, but converting an aircraft roughly 231 feet long, with a 195-foot wingspan, into a functioning hotel is anything but. The project involved dismantling at least the former JAL aircraft for its move from Senai Airport, partially reassembling the airframe and rebuilding the interiors with bathrooms, plumbing, electrical systems, climate control and modern hotel technology. The aircraft had been at the site for years before finally opening to paying guests earlier this month.
From jumbo jets to nine-room hotels
The two aircraft, named Bove and Bey, now contain nine suites each, giving the property 18 aircraft suites alongside 20 conventional hotel rooms. Four categories are available: Premium, Business, Captain and Signature, and some suites can accommodate up to three guests.
Hotel Association – Mybha Johor Chapter
The transformation is particularly striking in the case of the former Japan Airlines 747. The high-density 747SR once carried as many as 533 passengers. Today, that same aircraft contains just nine suites, an extraordinary 98.3 percent reduction in capacity.
The interiors retain the aircraft’s curved fuselage and original windows, but guests will not find faithful recreations of Pan Am or JAL cabins. Instead, the rooms have been redesigned around international themes. Bove draws on Malaysia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, Thailand, Egypt, Monaco and Saudi Arabia, while Bey features China, the Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
The Premium suites span two levels and feature a king-size bed, freestanding bathtub, rain shower and separate living area. Room amenities include 55-inch smart TVs, Wi-Fi, minibars, safes, working desks, smart sensors, branded toiletries, plush linens and 24-hour housekeeping and in-room dining. Guests can also access a refurbished cockpit lounge with recreated flight instruments.
There is an amusing trade-off to the novelty. Aircraft suites range from about 34 to 91 square meters, while conventional rooms range from 45 to 89 square meters. The smallest aircraft suite is actually smaller than the smallest room in the main hotel, yet guests are paying for something a standard room cannot provide: a night inside a real Boeing 747.
More than a hotel with two jumbo jets
The aircraft are only part of the sprawling development. The property includes a man-made beach pool, rooftop cantilever pool, sunken jacuzzi, steam room, 24-hour gym, spa, observation lounge, VIP dining areas, family playground and Playscape Water Park. The water park costs RM38 for the public but is free for hotel guests.
Dining includes Hanareya @ 1975, which serves Japanese specialties including sashimi and wagyu beef. The hotel also promotes weddings beneath the aircraft, turning the parked jumbos into an event backdrop. A 12,000-square-foot aviation-themed children’s attraction called Kidz Republic 1975 is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026, with outdoor water play beneath the 747s and a parents’ lounge. The wider complex also contains 44 commercial units, two retail bungalows, a banquet hall and restaurants with ceilings reaching seven meters.
The aircraft themselves have remarkably long histories. The JAL 747, registered JA8143, entered service in 1980 and remained with the airline until 1998 before passing through other owners and eventually being stored at Senai Airport. The former Pan Am 747-100, N743PA, was delivered in 1970, briefly flew for American Airlines, became a freighter in 1992 and later operated for Tower Air and Logistic Air before retirement in 2010.
The conversion was first announced publicly in 2022, with completion initially expected in 2023. For September 2026, the pricing of the aircraft-suite ranges from about RM1,706 to RM2,786 ($400 to $660) per night. For aviation enthusiasts, the price buys more than a bed. It buys a chance to step inside two former workhorses of the jet age and sleep where hundreds of passengers once flew across the world.