Surreal Places: These are 10 of the largest aircraft graveyards in the world

Have you ever wondered how many years an airplane can fly? According to Aerotime, it's around 25 to 30 years. The aviation platform reports that more than 16,000 passenger and cargo aircraft have been retired worldwide in the last 35 years – and that another 700 or so jets are added annually. But what happens to these aircraft?

They end up in boneyards, as aircraft graveyards are called in English. These are often located in hot regions such as deserts, where the dry climate prevents corrosion and there is plenty of space. For this reason, some of the world's largest aircraft graveyards are located in the USA , including Arizona and California , and in the Australian outback. But there are also some in Europe .

In our WhatsApp channel, you'll find exclusive travel tips, unusual destinations, and affordable travel deals. Want to be notified of important news immediately? Activate the bell in the channel and be notified of new posts.

The term "graveyard" may sound exaggerated. According to the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association, up to 90 percent of a jet can be recycled. This means that engines return to the skies as spare parts, while aluminum is turned into beverage cans or window frames. And sometimes, airplanes are even transformed into accommodations, like at the original Jumbo Stay in Stockholm – where you sleep in an old jumbo jet.

Below, we'll show you some of the world's largest aircraft graveyards. Spoiler alert: Unfortunately, most of them are off-limits. However, some of them are great for taking photos from the outside – and there are some exceptional boneyards that you can actually visit!

The world's allegedly largest aircraft boneyard is located in Tucson, Arizona: The AMARG facility, covering more than 10 square kilometers, houses approximately 4,200 aircraft from all U.S. military services. Officially, the facility is called the "309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group."

But not all of these jets have finally retired: Thanks to the dry desert climate, some of the aircraft remain operational for decades. According to the operator, they are sealed, coated with reflective paint, and partially preserved with nitrogen. 50 to 100 aircraft return to service annually, while spare parts valued at around $500 million are reused.

Unfortunately, you can't visit the area, as it's a military facility and not open to the public. There used to be tours available through the Pima Air and Space Museum , but today, you can only view it from the outside.

Phoenix Goodyear Airport , also in the US state of Arizona, is one of the world's most historic aircraft graveyards. After World War II, up to 5,000 military aircraft were temporarily stored there, many of them retired from active service. The dry air of the Sonoran Desert made the location ideal for long-term preservation—and laid the foundation for its current role as a parking area for civilian aircraft.

Today, Goodyear is primarily used by airlines and leasing companies that temporarily park, sell, or dismantle their aircraft. The long rows are filled with passenger jets of all sizes – from small regional aircraft to wide-body jets. Some aircraft stay only briefly and are resold; others remain here for years and are dismantled piece by piece.

The site is not accessible to the public as it is a working airport. However, those driving along the surrounding access roads often catch a glimpse of the giants parked at the fence.

Roswell, New Mexico, is not only known for UFO legends, but is also considered one of the largest aircraft graveyards in the world. The site was once Walker Air Force Base, the largest base of the Strategic Air Command, until it was closed in 1967. Today, the civilian airport covers approximately 1,860 hectares.

Roswell can accommodate up to 300 aircraft at a time, which are either parked, overhauled, or dismantled. The extremely dry climate with only four to eight Percent humidity makes the location ideal for long-term storage. Airlines such as American, United, UPS, Air Canada, and Scoot regularly use the site, and specialized companies work on maintenance, painting, and parts recovery.

Roswell is an active civilian airport with scheduled flights to Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix. There are no official tours of the Boneyard, but you can easily see the long rows of parked jets while approaching or from the surrounding streets. Also located directly at the airport is the Walker Aviation Museum , which offers fascinating insights into the facility's military history.

Pinal County Airpark near Marana, between Tucson and Phoenix, is considered the world's largest civilian aircraft graveyard. Hundreds of aircraft are stored there on approximately 840 hectares – from Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s to legendary jumbo jets like the Boeing 747. The dry climate of the Sonoran Desert provides perfect conditions for mothballing, dismantling, or converting jets for future use.

Pinal is a place steeped in history: In 2018, Delta Air Lines' last Boeing 747 landed there for its retirement. At one point, more than 30 Delta aircraft were parked there. In addition to airlines from all over the world, leasing companies also use the site when aircraft need to be "parked" between two operators.

Unlike many other boneyards, Pinal is partially open to the public. There's a "landside" area that's freely accessible, where parked aircraft are clearly visible. The "airside" area, where the actual aircraft are parked, can only be accessed with an official tour, which you can request through the administration .

In the 1990s, one of the world's largest parking areas for civil aircraft was built on the site of the former George Air Force Base. Today, the Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA) in Victorville, northeast of Los Angeles, offers space for over 500 aircraft – from retired passenger jets to cargo aircraft. In addition to storage, maintenance, painting, conversions, and dismantling also play a major role.

The infrastructure is impressive: One of the two runways measures 4.6 kilometers and is one of the longest in the USA. This allows even the world's largest aircraft, such as the Boeing 747-8 and the Airbus A380, to land without any problems. Victorville has also established itself as a film and movie location – the endless rows of parked jets are a popular backdrop for Hollywood films, series, and music videos.

Victorville is a civilian airport, but the actual boneyard isn't open to the public. If you're driving around the area, you can still catch a glimpse of the parked aircraft from the access roads and lookout points.

The Mojave Air and Space Port north of Los Angeles is far more than an aircraft graveyard. Founded in 1935 as a small airfield and used by the Marines during World War II, it has since 2004 made a name for itself as the first officially licensed spaceport in the United States. Mojave became famous for the experimental aircraft SpaceShipOne, which made history there.

In addition to futuristic space projects, Mojave also serves as a parking and dismantling site for decommissioned airliners. On the long runways and in the dry desert air, Boeing and Airbus jets line up side by side, some of which are later scrapped, while others are restored for new operators.

There are no regular tours of the Boneyard. However, Mojave regularly opens its doors to the public for "Plane Crazy Saturdays" – an event where visitors can occasionally experience parked airliners up close. Film crews are also drawn there: numerous Hollywood productions have used the spectacular backdrop of these parked steel planes in the desert.

Located in the heart of Aragon, Spain , about 160 kilometers northeast of Valencia, lies Teruel Airport (Plataforma Aeroportuaria – Teruel, PLATA). On the site of a former military airfield, Europe's largest aircraft storage and maintenance facility was built there. The numbers speak for themselves: over 300 hectares of space and space for at least 250 wide-body jets.

The climate is a decisive advantage: With an average of 242 days of sunshine per year and very low humidity, Teruel is perfectly suited for long-term storage. The company is considered a pioneer in sustainable aircraft recycling: Since 2007, it has recycled more than 220 jets, including 75 percent of all Airbus A340s dismantled worldwide. In addition to storage, Tarmac also offers maintenance, recycling, and engine reconditioning.

Teruel is a purely industrial airport with no scheduled flights. Therefore, there is no access to the site for visitors. However, you can catch a glimpse of the parked giants from the surrounding streets – against a dramatic mountain backdrop that makes the place seem even more surreal.

Alice Springs Airport is located in the heart of Australia's red heartland – and since 2014, it has housed the first large aircraft boneyard in the Asia-Pacific region. The location was chosen because of its dry climate: with only around 25 percent humidity, little rainfall, and being outside the cyclone zone, the conditions are ideal for long-term storage.

Initially laid out on ten hectares, the facility was quickly expanded. Today, it accommodates jets of all sizes—from Boeing 737s to the largest passenger aircraft, such as the Boeing 747, 777, and Airbus A380. During the coronavirus pandemic, numerous airlines parked their fleets there.

Alice Springs is an active regional airport with scheduled flights within Australia. The Boneyard area is not open to the public, but the parked jets are clearly visible during approach or from roads surrounding the airport.

Today's Cotswold Airport in western England , located a good 160 kilometers west of London , was an important military airfield until 1993 under the name RAF Kemble. Since then, it has developed into one of Europe's most important and largest centers for aircraft storage and disposal. The site houses both general aviation and business jets, as well as retired airliners, which are temporarily stored or dismantled there. There is space for up to 20 wide-body jets and around 50 narrow-body aircraft.

Cotswold is an active civilian airport with charter and private flights. Visitors can frequently spot parked aircraft from public areas of the airport. Occasionally, there are spotting days or special tours where you can experience the aircraft up close.

Twente Airport near Enschede in the Netherlands , not far from the German border, opened in 1931, was used by the German Air Force during World War II, and later became a Dutch military base. Today, it is a small, mixed-use airport with a three-kilometer runway, specializing primarily in one area: aircraft at the end of their life cycle.

The operator is Aircraft End-of-Life Solutions (AELS), a pioneer in sustainable aircraft recycling. Since its founding, AELS has dismantled over 75 aircraft and returned more than 10,000 certified spare parts to the market. This has made Twente a name for itself among the world's largest aircraft graveyards. During the coronavirus pandemic, up to six Lufthansa Boeing 747s were temporarily brought to Twente – but only for temporary storage, not for dismantling.

The airport itself has limited access. However, parked aircraft can be seen from public areas or during special events—a hidden gem for plane spotters who don't want to travel all the way to the desert!

Looking for more inspiration? Find tips for all the top travel destinations at reisereporter.

travel reporter