Can I buy a 747? Scrap value of a time expired Boeing 747–100/200 is about US$5m. Of course the older the aircraft the more maintenance headaches you will get. Some people have purchased them to use as novelty hotels, homes, or backpacker hostels in which case the only real cost is that of getting them to location.

A "junk" or "end-of-life" Boeing 747 has a value that is almost entirely dependent on its salvageable parts rather than its weight in scrap metal. In 2026, a decommissioned 747-400 can be worth anywhere from $500,000 to $5 million in the secondhand market. The vast majority of this value—often over 90%—comes from the engines and avionics. A single working engine from a wide-body jet can be sold for over $2 million for refurbishment and reuse in active fleets. Once the high-value components, including the landing gear and auxiliary power unit (APU), have been removed, the remaining "hulk" or aluminum shell is worth significantly less. The aluminum airframe, which can weigh around 150,000 to 200,000 pounds, might only fetch $50,000 to $100,000 as raw scrap metal at current market rates. Some "junk" planes find a unique third life as themed hotels, restaurants, or training facilities for emergency responders, in which case the price is negotiated based on the cost of transporting and reassembling the massive structure rather than its metallurgical value.