What Happens To Passenger Jets After They're Retired From Airline Service?

Commercial aircraft can't fly forever — they usually retire after 20 to 30 years of flying (although there are some old aircraft still in service). Over the past 36 years, more than 15,000 commercial aircraft have been retired, with approximately 700 to 900 retiring each year. But where do all these planes go? Is there really a graveyard with thousands of decommissioned planes? 

With commercial airplanes costing tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, planes can't be simply dumped somewhere and forgotten. Instead, retired planes are either sold to a new owner, stored for future use, or scrapped for parts. This stage in a plane's life is often referred to as "aircraft transition," and there are a handful of companies that specialize in this period. For example, European company TARMAC Aerosave can store retired planes, prepare them for an airline switch, and recycle and sell parts of planes that won't see the skies again. There are airplane boneyards like these all over the world, often located in the desert or at larger airports.

When retired planes are scrapped, most of the parts don't end up in landfills. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization, 85-90% of the weight content of a retired aircraft is re-used or recycled, with about 50% heading back to the parts distribution pipeline. About 800 to 1,000 parts of a retired plane are considered recyclable. Materials are sent back to the supply chain, like stainless steel and aluminum alloys. This leaves about 10% of the airplane to be seen as waste. 

The global commercial aircraft disassembly and recycling market is estimated to rise in value to $14.72 billion by 2033, with North America taking the lead in this market. Companies that disassemble and dismantle planes remove and then identify and categorize each component. Between 400 and 450 planes are dismantled and recycled every year and $2.5 billion worth of secondhand plane parts have entered the market between 2009 and 2011 alone. In many cases, aircraft components are worth more separately than selling an old aircraft as a whole. 

Not every retired airplane is scrapped for parts, however. There is currently a pretty big market for used aircraft. In fact, many U.S. airlines prefer to purchase older, used planes to save a bit of money. These older jets may be sufficient for shorter routes that don't require as many new features. One airline that has really leaned into this strategy is Southwest, which recently acquired 83 used planes from airlines around the world, utilizing improved maintenance practices to keep these planes in the air longer rather than purchasing entirely new ones. This way, Southwest saved money while being able to retire its older aircraft. 

Companies like TARMAC Aerosave have services dedicated to transitioning old aircraft from one airline to another. This process requires maintenance checks as well as redesigning the cabin and painting the exterior to match its new branding. In 2024, 150 planes went through this process. Whether it's recycled or repurchased, repurposing a retired plane can help give it new life.