Once planes have flown one too many miles, they are retired and sent to the aircraft graveyard. Yet some savvy souls spotted the potential in these spacious, durable and self-contained vehicles, rescuing them from the scrapheap and transforming them into incredible residences.

From a historic helicopter that makes for a cosy micro apartment, to a luxurious Boeing 737 home, perched on a clifftop in Bali, grab your passport and let's step aboard the coolest converted aircraft homes in the world.

Click or scroll through and get ready to take to the skies...

This bedroom suite might be small, but it certainly has plenty of character. The tiny holiday home can be found in Barjac, in the Gard department of France, and sits inside an old Cessna plane.

The plane itself is just big enough for a cosy couple or two children, but it's located right next to its former control tower, which provides extra space for more guests.

We don't know exactly how old the Cessna plane is, but the first one took to the skies in August 1927. Painted in bold orange and green paint, the petite vehicle still boasts its original wings, propeller and wheels.

The original plane door opens into the small interior space, where a bed can be found. The inside is just big enough for the bed and the plane's authentic mechanisms, which decorate the front of the space.

This image shows the cockpit in its full glory. We can just imagine excitable children tucking themselves up for the night and dreaming of taking to the sky in this historic aircraft.

Cosy and compact, the plane suite has handmade curtains on each window, to allow for privacy and to block out the early morning sun.

In the original control tower, guests will find a living space, kitchen and an upstairs bedroom, with a glass roof that allows the lucky occupant to observe the stars.

There's also an outdoor bathroom, so those staying in the plane can spend a penny in the middle of the night. Fancy staying here? The plane is bookable via Airbnb.

If you'd rather stay in a helicopter, then how about this 1982 Westland Lynx XZ676? Parked up in Ream Hills Holiday Park in Preston, Lancashire, the unusual property is ideal for lovers of British military history, since the toy would once have been utilised by the Army Air Corps (AAC).

It might look like it's just landed on the ground, but the helicopter has been professionally transformed into overnight accommodation and safety positioned on the ground, with a small exterior terrace providing access to the plane's 'front door'.

Inside, the unique tiny home provides just about enough space for a living area, kitchenette, sink and double bed. There's a mini fridge and microwave, as well as a plinth heater, TV and LED lighting to keep guests warm and comfortable.

The former cockpit has been turned into a meal prep area, while its windshield acts as the ultimate window, allowing for fantastic views of the surrounding countryside.

Though simple in its design, the helicopter certainly has all the creature comforts you could need for a unique overnight stay.

In the tail of the helicopter you'll find a custom-made sleeping space for up to two people. Guests must bring their own sleeping bags or bedding, adding to the authentic glamping experience, while an outdoor bathroom provides all the necessary facilities for a night away. 

After moving from Florida to Alaska, flight instructor Jon Kotwicki decided to create the ultimate flight school – inside a converted cargo plane! In 2022, his dream became a reality when he bought an old Douglas DC-6, dating back to 1956. Jon’s original plan sounded simple enough.

He wanted to start his own flight school, where his students could learn to fly during the day and stay in on-site lodges at night. “I wanted to have a proper runway and cabins for them to live in, but I didn't want to stop there,” Jon told Business Insider. “I started thinking, instead of cabins, what if my students could live in an airplane? I knew that would be much cooler.” And he wasn't wrong! 

Jon also knew that when school wasn’t in session, the plane would make for a really unique Airbnb. So, in 2022 he began searching for a plane – which wasn't a simple task. “Usually, old airplanes are sold off to scrap companies for recycling. They're then crushed into beer cans,” he explains.

It took six months to find the 1950s Douglas DC-6, which had originally been used for hauling cargo and fuel around Alaska. To Jon, it was perfect. The next hurdle was figuring out how to transport it home – and at 104 feet (32m) long and 117 feet (36m) wide, that was a daunting prospect. 

To move it, Jon, his girlfriend and a friend travelled to Fairbanks, Alaska, where the plane was located, and began to disassemble it. It took them four days, working 16-hour shifts, to remove every bolt and cut off the wings to make it smaller to transport. 

Using cranes and forklifts, the parts were placed onto trailers, before the trio drove them 350 miles (563km) to Jon's property in Wasilla, Alaska. Once there, it was time to reverse the process and put everything back together, piece by piece. Between buying and transporting the plane, Jon spent just over £78,200 ($100k).

Of course, the hard work wasn’t over. Next came the actual conversion – another process that wasn’t quick or simple. “Before I started the conversion process, I thought it would be easy because the plane already had walls and was completely enclosed like a house,” Jon says. “But it wasn't easy. It took me five months to finish.”

Since they were working with an aluminium frame, Jon and his partner, Stephanie Blanchard, needed to find ways to insulate it, ensure there was good airflow and manage moisture and condensation levels. A heat source was also needed.

Jon admits the conversion required “a lot of trial and error”. Endless waste materials had to be cleared and thrown away and many of the plane’s elements had to be rebuilt. As well as installing an oil boiler in the tail area, to heat the interior during the colder months, Jon also connected the plane to its own water source and septic system. 

The plane was also given its own pressure tank, allowing guests to take normal showers. A long and difficult process, the plane conversion was a big challenge for Jon and Stephanie, but they’re thrilled with the outcome. “Our plane came out better than I ever could have imagined,” he says.

Inside, there’s around 650 square feet (60.4sqm) of space, with a living area, a full kitchen, two cosy bedrooms, a spacious bathroom and even a BBQ grill on the wing deck! Despite its compact size, the plane can sleep six. You can take the full tour, thanks to Jon's YouTube channel.

When British entrepreneur Steven Northam stumbled upon the front section of an old Boeing 737 on eBay, he jumped at the chance to buy it.

A self-confessed "big kid" who loves quirky projects and upcycling schemes, the plane offered Northam the ultimate opportunity for getting creative.

He paid a mere £5,000 ($6.4k) for the plane, which dates back to the 1960s and spent three months transforming it into the ultimate upcycled tiny home, as documented on Channel 4's TV show, George Clarke's Amazing Spaces.

The 29-foot-long (8.8m) plane previously belonged to Chichester College in West Sussex and was used for training aircrew, via its built-in flight simulator. The renovation cost Steven £15,000 ($19k), including £3,000 ($3.8k) on transporting the vehicle 50 miles (80.5km) to its new home in Hampshire.

This image shows how the aircraft looked before any work was undertaken. During the project, Steven found old passenger tickets tucked behind the seats, which revealed the Boeing had once been part of the Tunisair fleet.

Keen to create a unique interior space, Steven retained much of the original plane, including some passenger seats, signage and overhead lockers.

He removed some seating in order to make way for beds and even installed Wi-Fi, heating, a shower and an entertainment zone, so those lucky enough to climb aboard can watch an in-flight movie – but do remember to fasten your seat belt!

Other original features include the compact onboard washroom, which still retains its authentic toilet, sink and signage. Over in the cockpit, you'll find a flight simulator with a four-foot (49-inch) curved 4K screen, so guests can play pilot. 

Designed for four people, the converted plane even boasts a cool and cosy master bedroom in the cargo hold. Outside, there's a barbecue and seating area, as well as a custom-made hot tub in an old jet engine cowling. How's that for cool?

This Boeing 747 jumbo jet can be found right next to Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, but it's no longer used to transport passengers to new climes.

The model 747-212B plane was produced in 1976 and was last operated by Transjet, a Swedish airline that went bankrupt in 2002. Hotelier Oscar Diös spotted a unique business opportunity when he found the jumbo sat unused and abandoned at Arlanda...

Oscar was looking to expand his hotel business when he heard about the old wreck. He immediately purchased the vehicle, realising it could be transformed into a quirky airport hotel – the ultimate place for a stopover. 

In December 2007, Oscar received a building permit for the ultra-cool hotel and started the transformation by dismantling the plane's old interior, removing its 450 seats before fully sanitising it.

He then installed 33 rooms across the plane's spacious internal floorplan, which created space for 76 beds, according to the hotel website.

In the summer of 2008, the completed plane hotel was towed to its final destination at Arlanda, where it was placed on concrete foundations with the landing gear secured by two steel cradles.

As well as many guest suites, the aircraft also comes with a communal breakfast room, a kitchenette and numerous bathrooms for guests to share. Everywhere you look you'll spot original and unique design details, including cabin windows and emergency escape hatches.

Yet the hotel's best asset has to be the Cockpit Suite. This sell-out room gives lucky guests the chance to sleep in the original flight deck, which comes complete with the original switches, panels and screens from when the aircraft was still an airworthy vessel. Now that's what we call an amazing bedroom!

You can book your stay at this amazing converted plane, via Host Unusual. 

If you’re keen to enjoy a holiday in France and fancy staying somewhere just a little bit different, then don’t miss the opportunity to spend the night in a converted micro plane.

This impressive property lies in Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef, a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department of France and has been meticulously redesigned to accommodate four people.

Thanks to a purpose-built deck, guests can easily step aboard, where they’ll find a compact but well-equipped interior that’s light, fresh and cosy.

The main section of the plane now features a snug living room and dining zone, kitted out with authentic touches such as plane seats and exit signs.

There’s a master bedroom with a double bed and two single beds can be found the living room. We love the clever use of space, built-in storage and porthole windows.

The original entrance now leads to a small but functional kitchenette, so guests can whip up a hot meal or morning coffee, before taking to the deck outside to soak up the scenery.

Yet the plane’s most incredible feature has to be its bathroom. Located in the original cockpit, one of the former pilot seats has been replaced by a toilet – allowing guests to pretend to be flying the vehicle while they spend a penny! 

This incredible retired aircraft is the full-time home of former electrical engineer Bruce Campbell, who undertook a sensitive renovation to transform the vehicle into a unique liveable space.

Most aircraft are destroyed when they're retired, but Bruce saw this as a huge missed opportunity. He pictured the interior without seats or people and realised how much space it could offer. In fact, a Boeing 727 measures 1,066 square feet (99sqm). So, he decided to show others that vehicles like this could make amazing homes.

Bruce bought the plane in 1999, from an "airplane graveyard" close to Hillsboro Airport in Oregon, paying just £78,300 ($100k) for it. He then spent a further £94,000 ($120k) moving the plane into position.

It sits on concrete plinths, designed to allow the aircraft to move freely during any sudden environmental disasters, which is handy since Portland is prone to earthquakes. 

Only minor modifications were needed inside, since the aircraft already had connection ports for water and sewage, so Bruce simply plugged them in and was fully connected. He also added polyethylene water lines and plumbing components in order to clean his clothes and enjoy hot, powerful showers.

Plus, the structure features an electronics bay, a water tank and climate control ducts. And since the plane is basically a pressure canister, it stays clean, warm and insect-free all year round. 

Bruce can access his home via the original, retractable staircase that lies beneath the plane, which can be raised or dropped whenever needed. As for the interior, he kept much of it relatively intact, allowing the history of the vehicle to do all the talking.

The home's bathroom, kitchen and living space – which doubles as a bedroom at night – are finished with original windows, seats and light fixtures. However, Bruce did switch out the floors for transparent acrylic panels, to expose the aft cargo compartment below.

The flight deck was lovingly repaired, too. The plane's panels and controls had previously been stripped, so he sourced replacement parts and recreated the original set-up as closely as he could.

"It's a great toy. Trick doors, trick floors. Hatches here, latches there, clever gadgets everywhere... It's a constant exploratory adventure, ever entertaining, providing fundamental sustenance for an old technology nerd like me," he told us when giving us a full tour. 

A holiday home like no other, the 727 Fuselage Suite is part of the Costa Verde Hotel in Costa Rica.

The luxury guest room is hidden inside a 1965 Boeing 727 and can be found perched on a 50-foot-high (15m) stone pedestal that cantilevers the plane out over the rainforest floor. 

The quirky hotel room was custom-built from the body of a former Colombian Avianca Airlines aircraft and meticulously assembled on-site.

The old Boeing 727 was salvaged from San Jose Mineta International Airport and transported to the edge of the Manuel Antonio National Park, before it was converted into the world's most unusual guest retreat.

The unique hideaway comes with its very own wooden observation deck, built on top of the plane’s right wing – it's the perfect spot for enjoying an evening drink while you sit back and take in the monkeys, lizards, toucans and sloths that inhabit this lush natural habitat. 

Inside, the two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite is decorated with traditional carved wooden panelling that was sourced from tropical hardwood trees.

The space offers a living area, a kitchenette, a dining space and a 360-degree ocean-view terrace with unbeatable views.

Guests can enjoy a cosy and tranquil night in the main bedroom, which benefits from original cabin windows, a rotund ceiling and plenty of warm wood tones. Plus, the bathroom is located in the cockpit and comes decorated with original seats and mechanisms.

The suite also comes with access to the hotel's three swimming pools and numerous restaurants, including a converted antique rail car known as El Wagon. If you've fallen in love, then you can spend the night here whenever you like.

Perched on an incredible oceanfront plot on the glistening island of Bali, Indonesia, this retired Boeing 737 might look like it's just touched down to drop off some passengers, but it was actually transported to this location to be transformed into a luxurious "private jet villa", costing around £3,900 ($5k) a night.

After a lengthy conversion process, the project is now complete and the plane is ready to welcome its (very) lucky guests, via Airbnb.

The clifftop residence was once part of Mandala Airlines’ fleet, an Indonesian firm that ceased operation in 2014. But when Russian developer Felix Demin heard it was up for grabs, he bought the plane, seeing an opportunity to turn the shell of the vehicle into an ultra-unique hotel.

Demin told Business Insider that the vehicle was carefully dismantled “like Lego”, before being transported to Bali and rebuilt from scratch.

The impressive conversion project is nestled on a clifftop in the Bukit Peninsula, close to iconic Uluwatu Temple. Thanks to its dedicated Instagram account, the property has attracted plenty of attention from around the world.

As well as sharing updates about the progress of the renovation, Demin also teased his followers with amazing CGI images of how the property would look when it was complete. Now, we can actually see the end result – and it's even better than we expected. 

Stylish, modern and luxuriously decorated, the plane villa comes complete with a kitchen and living area, with access to an incredible terrace built directly on one of the plane's wings.

There are also two lavish bedrooms, one with its own in-room tub and aircraft door that opens to a viewing net, where guests can hang directly over the water. As for design, the property boasts statement furnishings and mother-of-pearl details that catch the light, thanks to the restored cabin windows. 

The hotel also benefits from an infinity pool with amazing views of the ocean, a helipad and an outdoor living area with a firepit, where guests can unwind and soak up their surroundings.

Lucky visitors can also stand on the plane's wings to catch incredible sunset vistas and a selfie or two. If this is plane living, then we're totally on board!

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