A flight instructor has ingeniously transformed a former DHL jet into a remarkable Airbnb, featuring its own wing deck and a functioning sauna.
While setting up his flight school, Jon Kotwicki envisioned turning an old, disused aircraft into a unique lodging experience for guests.
At 32 years old, Jon discovered two decommissioned planes – a DHL and an Everts Air Cargo – and decided to embark on this ambitious project.
Renovations on the DHL plane are now complete, offering guests a truly one-of-a-kind stay.
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“I wanted to create a destination where people from all over the globe could have a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Jon from Alaska, US, in an interview with Luxury Travel Daily.
“Alaska is a breathtaking place, and seeing it from the air provides an entirely different perspective compared to what the average tourist experiences.
“To enhance this, I aimed to create distinctive accommodations on our private runway, allowing pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and vacationers to enjoy the Alaskan wilderness in comfort.
Plus, they’d still have the convenience of nearby grocery stores, restaurants, attractions, and the option for private tours or flight lessons right from our property.”
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The planes are situated in Wasilla. While the Everts Air Cargo still requires renovation, the DHL is ready for guests.
Known as a DC9, the DHL aircraft, sourced from the local airport, appears ordinary from the outside but boasts a completely transformed interior.
Reflecting its aviation roots, the open-plan living area features a kitchen where passenger seats once were, with original elements such as functional cabin doors, DHL-branded walls, and the preserved cockpit.
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One toilet has been converted into a shower, while the other remains as a standard lavatory. The plane also includes an impressive sauna at the rear, behind steel doors, equipped with a fireplace and bench seating.
The living space benefits from ample natural light, courtesy of 26 windows, overhead compartment lights, and doors leading to the west wing.
This area features an outdoor deck with seating, a BBQ, and decorative fairy lights.
Available at £450 per night, the property can accommodate seven guests, offering three double beds and a sofa.
Jon shared, “Guests often have a hard time picking their favorite feature of the plane! From the aircraft tire repurposed into a coffee table to the beer fridge in the cockpit, and the wing deck with views of the Chugach Mountains. Their reactions are usually of sheer amazement!”
Jon aspires to purchase and renovate two more planes in the future.
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