Calling all aviation enthusiasts : ever wished you could take a plane off the runway and make it your four walls? Now, a flight instructor has done just that, having purchased two decommissioned aircraft and transformed them into a swanky £450-a-night Airbnb (complete with a sauna and wing deck, no less). Jon Kotwicki was in the process of creating his own flight school when he was inspired to buy an old, disused plane and refurbish it for visitors to stay in. Sourcing both a DHL and an Everts Air Cargo, he’s now finished renovations on the first one – and guests are officially invited to place their bookings.
‘I wanted to create a place where people could come from around the world to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience,’ 32-year-old Jon, who is from Alaska, told Luxury Travel Daily. ‘Alaska is an amazing place but to visit and see it by air is a whole other experience from what your average tourist gets to see on holiday.’ As such, Jon wanted to tailor the properties to plane enthusiasts specifically, investing in stand-out details that would excite them – including the option to go on a private tour or even a flight lesson.
‘To make it even more special, I wanted to create unique accommodations here on our private runway where pilots, aviation enthusiasts and regular holidaymakers could enjoy the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness in comfort,’ he added, noting that he still wanted them to have ‘the convenience’ of being able to drive to a supermarket, restaurants and suchlike. Interested? Both of the planes are based in Wasilla, Alaska – and while the Everts Air Cargo still needs work, the DHL is ready to take visitors under its wing, accommodating seven guests across three double beds and one sofa. Specifically known as a DC9, Jon sourced it from his local airport.
Nodding to its days as a working vehicle, there’s an open-plan living space (including a kitchen) where the seats once stood, and the operational cabin doors, DHL-branded walls and cockpit all remain. Since it’s still fitted with 26 windows, there’s plenty of natural light – but the original overhead compartment lights are still in place for an artificial top-up. That’s not the only impressive feat, either: Jon has fitted a sauna behind the steel doors at the back of the plane, finished with a fireplace and benched seating.
There’s also an aircraft tyre converted into a coffee table, a beer fridge in the cockpit, and a wing deck overlooking the Chugach Mountains. More Trending Nearly a third of London Tube lines hit by suspensions and delays Drivers stuck in five-mile tailback after huge crash on major motorway I loved the 'Maldives of Europe' – but a shadow looms over it The UK town that 'oozes class' and has a beach that's like 'heaven on Earth' And outside, there’s more relaxation on offer with a decked seating area, BBQ and decorative fairy lights. ‘I think most guests have trouble choosing their absolute favourite feature from the plane,’ Jon adds.
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