It’s not easy to get quality sleep on an overnight flight. But there’s a way to spend the night on a Boeing 747 without wriggling in your seat or reaching for eye masks and ear plugs to achieve a few hours of shut-eye. How so? The answer is surprisingly simple: This plane never leaves the ground. If it sounds intriguing, here’s what you need to know about the unique new hotel where you can actually sleep in a retired jumbo jet.

A New Hotel for Johor Bahru 

Opened in August 2026, the 1975 Avenue & Hotel is located in Johor Bahru, one of the largest cities in Malaysia, situated near the Singapore border. Some of the property’s 38 rooms are what you’d expect of any stylish modern hotel, but there’s a twist. Alongside the standard rooms, two Boeing 747s have been transformed into a series of unique suites. The planes, nicknamed Bove and Bey, were once part of the fleets belonging to Pan Am and Japan Airlines. 

Boeing originally delivered the Pan Am aircraft to the airline in 1970. It flew passengers for over two decades — including a brief spell for American Airlines — before Tower Air converted it into a freight plane in 1992. Later, it flew for Logistic Air before being grounded in 2010. 

The plane formerly operated by Japan Airlines entered service in 1980 and flew for the Japanese carrier until 1998. After being stored for a time in the aircraft boneyards of the Arizona desert, the plane took to the skies for Logistic Air. Like its hotel sister, the aircraft wound up at Johor Bahru’s Senai Airport before reaching its current home.  

What’s It Like To Stay?

To access the quirky plane suites, guests who have booked a stay in Bove or Bey will first cross a jet bridge that links the planes to the main wing of the hotel. The imaginative design team has modified each aircraft to create nine separate bedrooms, with contemporary décor inspired by countries such as Italy, Saudi Arabia, China, Mexico, and, of course, Malaysia. 

The sophisticated palette of many of the airplane suites — led by soft greens and neutrals with gold accents — is a striking contrast to the bold colors of the property’s exterior. The two jumbos sport an orange livery, and the main hotel building with its matching façade helps create an impactful first impression.

Inside, the hotel’s shared spaces evoke a bygone era, with retro styling and vintage pieces that will transport you straight back to 1975. As it turns out, the date is significant: Tiong Nam Logistics, the logistics and warehousing business that owns the hotel, was founded that year.

The going rate for the hotel’s airplane suites is currently set at 1,296 Malaysian ringgits (about $320 USD). However, if you present identification that shows you were born in 1975, you’ll qualify for a 50% discount and breakfast via a special promotion through the end of 2026 — a tempting proposition for any self-respecting aviation geek. 

Where Else Can You Sleep in a Plane Hotel?

The 1975 Avenue & Hotel isn’t the only one in Malaysia to feature converted plane suites, though the aircraft at Twin Jets Resort (which bills itself as the country’s first airplane-themed resort) are both smaller Boeing 727s. You’ll find them further north, surrounded by lush tropical vegetation at Lenggeng in the province of Negeri Sembilan.

If you aren’t planning a trip to Malaysia anytime soon — but don’t want to pass up the chance to sleep in a plane hotel — there’s good news. At Hotel Costa Verde, close to Costa Rica’s Manuel Antonio National Park, you can also book a night in a repurposed Boeing 727. The aircraft served South African Airlines and the Colombian carrier Avianca before being taken out of service and transformed into comfortable accommodation in its new home.

For those traveling to Europe, Sweden’s famed Jumbo Stay Hotel closed permanently in 2025. However, in Aepeldoorn, the Netherlands, you can stay in an unusual aircraft suite that has been converted from a vintage 1960 Ilyushin 18 that used to carry members of the East German government. 

Featured image credit: Image courtesy of 1975 Avenue & Hotel