Were Retired Airplanes Go

This Is Where Airplanes Go When They Retire

Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

ANDREA ROMANO 

Ever wonder where a plane goes once it’s done flying for good?


Boeing 747s in particular are taking their last flights on several airlines such as Delta and United, but that doesn't mean they'll just disappear forever.

About 90 miles east of Los Angeles International Airport there is a tiny desert town called Victorville, which is the home of Southern California Logistics Airport, and, as it so happens, the Boeing 747 “airplane graveyard.” It’s also lovingly known as the “boneyard.”

Don’t worry, it’s not as spooky as it sounds.

Planes from various airlines, including United, British Airways, Monarch, and even shipping planes from FedEx are housed in Victorville, living a quiet life on the ground with no passengers or cargo to carry.


Mike Fiala/Getty Images

Unfortunately, you can’t tour the grounds of Southern California Logistics Airport, but Zach Honig of The Points Guy did take a helicopter tour to see what it looks like. He found all the planes neatly parked in rows.

And it’s not just the recently retired 747s in the airfield. Southwest’s retired Boeing 737s also take up a fair amount of space. As well as DC/MD-10 and MD-11 freighters, Airbus A300 and A310 freighters, 727 cargo planes, 757-200s and 767s, according to Business Insider.

Of course, the planes don’t simply sit at the airport forever. Some may get a second chance flying with other airlines while others are scrapped for parts. It may sound sad, but it’s just the circle of life.