Summary
For fans of classic airliners, few hotel rooms can have a better view than the inside of a Boeing 747.
A remarkable new aviation-themed hotel in Malaysia has opened with two genuine former passenger Boeing 747s converted into luxury accommodation, allowing guests to spend the night inside aircraft which once flew for Pan Am and Japan Airlines.
The 1975 Avenue & Hotel is located in Johor Bahru in southern Malaysia, not far from the border with Singapore, and began welcoming guests in August 2026.
Its two unmistakable centrepieces are a former Pan Am Boeing 747-100 and Japan Airlines Boeing 747SR, which have been preserved and incorporated into the hotel complex.
Between them they represent two very different chapters in the history of the Jumbo Jet – and both have fascinating histories.
Two Boeing 747s Turned Into Hotel Rooms
The two aircraft are known by the hotel as Bove and Bey and sit either side of the main hotel building.
Rather than simply displaying the aircraft as static exhibits, the developers have converted their interiors into luxury accommodation.
Each Boeing 747 contains nine individually themed suites, giving 18 aircraft suites in total. Another 20 rooms are located within the main hotel building, giving the property 38 rooms altogether.
The aircraft suites are divided into Premium, Business, Captain and Signature categories, with designs inspired by destinations around the world.
Some are particularly impressive. The Premium Suites extend across two floors, incorporating a bedroom and separate living space, while amenities available in the aircraft accommodation include freestanding baths, rain showers, smart TVs, minibars and high-speed Wi-Fi.
The result is very different from sleeping in an airline seat.
These may be genuine Boeing 747 fuselages, but the interiors have been transformed into something much closer to a boutique luxury hotel.
For aviation enthusiasts, however, knowing the history behind the walls makes the experience particularly special.
One of the Earliest Boeing 747s Ever Built
N743PA with Pan Am. Photo: Aero Icarus
The older of the two aircraft is an especially important survivor.
It was built as a Boeing 747-121, construction number 19650 and line number 24.
That means it was only the 24th Boeing 747 built.
The aircraft first flew in March 1970 – the same year that the Boeing 747 entered commercial passenger service – and was delivered as N743PA to Pan American World Airways.
There was an interesting twist at the very beginning of its career.
Although owned by Pan Am, N743PA was initially leased to American Airlines, which briefly operated early 747s while awaiting its own aircraft.
It returned to Pan Am later in 1970 and subsequently became part of the airline’s iconic Jumbo Jet fleet.
During its career it carried the names Clipper Derby and later Clipper Black Sea.
For anyone who remembers the golden age of Pan Am, this alone makes the aircraft a significant survivor.
Few airlines are as closely associated with the Boeing 747 as Pan Am. The carrier was instrumental in the aircraft’s creation and famously launched 747 passenger services in January 1970.
N743PA therefore dates from the very beginning of the Jumbo Jet era.
From Pan Am Passenger Jet to Freighter
In service with Tower Air Cargo. Photo: Aero Icarus
N743PA remained with Pan Am until the early 1990s. But its flying career wasn’t finished when its passenger days ended.
The aircraft was converted into a freighter in 1992 and subsequently passed through several owners and operators.
It eventually became N617FF with Tower Air in 1995, later operating with Logistic Air before being re-registered S2-AFA.
By 2010, around four decades after it had first flown, the aircraft had finally reached the end of its operational career. It subsequently found its way to Malaysia.
Instead of suffering the fate of most early Boeing 747s and being dismantled for scrap, this historically important airframe has survived.
More than 56 years after it was built, you can now sleep inside it.
The Former Japan Airlines 747 Is Equally Interesting
The second aircraft is around a decade younger, but arguably even more unusual.
This is former Japan Airlines JA8143, construction number 22067 and line number 427.
It was delivered to JAL in February 1980 as a Boeing 747SR-146B.
The letters SR stood for Short Range.
That might sound like a strange description for a Boeing 747, an aircraft created to transform long-distance international travel.
But Japan had a very different requirement.
Domestic routes linking cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Sapporo carried enormous numbers of passengers, creating demand for aircraft capable of moving hundreds of people on relatively short sectors.
Boeing therefore developed special short-range versions of the 747 for Japanese airlines.
The aircraft were strengthened to cope with the much greater number of takeoffs, landings and pressurisation cycles they would experience compared with a conventional long-haul Jumbo.
And they could carry an extraordinary number of people.
JA8143 was configured by Japan Airlines with 533 seats – 22 premium and 511 economy.
Imagine more than 500 passengers boarding a Boeing 747 for what could be a relatively short domestic flight.
It was a remarkable period in Japanese aviation.
What Happened to JA8143?
JA8143 spent around 18 years flying with Japan Airlines before leaving the carrier in 1998.
It then began a much more complicated second career.
The aircraft became N553SW and passed to Jumbo Jet Leasing before subsequently joining Logistic Air.
In 2003 it became PK-IAU with Indonesian Airlines, before returning to Logistic Air and eventually being re-registered 5U-ACG in 2007.
By 2009 the aircraft had been stored at Johor Bahru’s Senai International Airport.
There it might easily have been broken up.
Instead, the 747 survived.
It was eventually dismantled sufficiently to be transported away from the airport, with the airframe moved to the future hotel site in 2019.
After years of work, its new career has finally begun.
What Is the 1975 Avenue & Hotel Like?
The 747s are the obvious stars, but the project is considerably larger than simply two old aircraft sitting beside a hotel.
1975 Avenue & Hotel occupies a 14.9-acre site in Kempas, Johor Bahru and was developed by Tiong Nam Hospitality Group as an aviation-themed lifestyle destination.
The two orange-painted Boeing 747s dominate the site, positioned alongside the main hotel building and recreational areas.
There is a man-made beach pool, a rooftop pool and sunken Jacuzzi, water-play facilities, gym, steam room and spa, alongside dining facilities and event spaces.
One of the most striking sights is simply relaxing beside the pool with the enormous tail and fuselage of a Boeing 747 towering above you.
For enthusiasts, however, the aircraft themselves will inevitably be the main attraction.
And because there are only 18 suites inside the two 747s, you’ll want to make sure you specifically book aircraft accommodation rather than one of the rooms in the conventional hotel building.
Where Is the Boeing 747 Hotel?
1975 Avenue & Hotel is located in Kempas, Johor Bahru, in the far south of Malaysia:
No. 1, Jalan Kempas Lama / Jalan Kempas Lama 2
81300 Johor Bahru
Johor, Malaysia
It is around 20 minutes by car from Senai International Airport, depending on traffic, and around 40 minutes from central Johor Bahru.
But for international aviation enthusiasts, another important consideration is its proximity to Singapore.
Johor Bahru sits immediately across the border from Singapore, making the hotel relatively easy to incorporate into a Singapore trip. Once across the Causeway into Malaysia, the hotel is around a 20-minute taxi or car journey from the Johor Bahru checkpoint, depending on traffic.
That opens up the possibility of a particularly appealing aviation-themed trip. Enthusiasts could fly into Singapore Changi Airport, spend some time spotting its enormous variety of international traffic, and then cross into Malaysia to spend a night inside one of the historic Boeing 747s.
Singapore Changi is around an hour away by road in favourable conditions, although border queues and traffic can add significantly to journey times, so allow plenty of extra time when travelling between Singapore and Johor Bahru.
Alternatively, those travelling within Malaysia can fly directly into Senai International Airport (JHB), which is the closest airport to the hotel.
With Changi, Senai and the two preserved 747s all relatively close together, the 1975 Avenue & Hotel could easily form part of a wider aviation enthusiast trip to southern Malaysia and Singapore.
How Do You Book a 747 Room?
Reservations can be made directly through the 1975 Avenue & Hotel website.
When booking, look specifically for the Aircraft – Bove & Bey accommodation rather than the rooms within the main hotel building.
The aircraft suites come in four broad categories:
- Premium Suite
- Business Suite
- Captain Suite
- Signature Suite
Availability and prices vary according to dates and room type, so it’s worth checking the hotel’s booking system directly.
Given the novelty of sleeping inside a genuine Boeing 747 – and the fact that only 18 aircraft suites are available – booking well ahead would seem sensible, particularly if you’re travelling a long distance specifically for the experience.
Can You Visit Without Staying?
Even if you don’t spend the night, the hotel is still an interesting destination for aviation enthusiasts visiting Malaysia.
The Boeing 747s are impossible to miss and make excellent subjects for photography from around the complex.
The wider development includes dining and leisure facilities rather than operating purely as an accommodation property, so it can also work as a stop on a Johor Bahru visit rather than requiring an overnight stay. The hotel’s facilities include public-access attractions such as its Playscape Water Park, although access to particular hotel and aircraft areas may naturally depend on guest or visitor arrangements.
If your primary aim is to photograph the aircraft rather than stay inside them, we’d recommend contacting the hotel beforehand to check what areas are accessible to non-residents.
Find Every Surviving Boeing 747
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