Located just outside the Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN), the iconic Jumbo Stay 747 hotel closed its doors on March 17, 2025 after the owner was forced to declare bankruptcy.
The aircraft frame will also be scrapped for its aluminium metal and sold to cover some of the company’s debts unless another a buyer is found.
The hotel which opened in 2009 under the name Jumbo Hostel, used the frame of a Boeing 747-200B to offer guests airplane-styled accommodations. The aircraft was first delivered to Singapore Airlines in March 1976, and changed many hands over its lifetime. It also flew for carriers including Pan Am, Cathay Pacific, Tower Air, Nationair, Transjet Airways, and North East Airlines before being retired in January 2004.
In 2007, Oscar Diös, the founder and owner of Jumbo Stay, learned that a 747 was being retired at Arlanda Airport. After purchasing the aircraft for $3 million, he acquired his builder’s license to covert the airframe into a one-of-a-kind hotel located at the entrance of Arlanda Airport.
The boutique hotel opened in 2009 offering 33 rooms and 76 beds. There were three room types including dorms, standard rooms, and suites. One of the most popular was the “Double Bed Ensuite Cockpit” option, offering visitors a chance to sleep in, you guessed it, the flight deck.
Swedish newspaper Upsala Nya Tidning has reported that following the pandemic, Jumbo Stay faced an uphill financial battle and was forced to declare bankruptcy on March 17, 2025. This also resulted in more than 800 booking being canceled.
According to Diös, there were a few factors impacting the company’s profitability. With more hotels popping up near the airport, Jumbo Stay faced increased competition. They also noted that there was a general decline in interesting in staying at the uniquely-design property.
Credit: JumboStayBesides bookings, they also generated substantial revenue from offering advertising space. However, as they were leasing space from the airport, Swedavia AB took control of the advertising rights about five years ago, resulting in a significant drop in earnings.
As a result, Jumbo Stay went from earning 8 million SEK (~ $791,750) per year in 2019, to just 4 million SEK (~ $395,900) per year by the end of 2023.
The owner has no plans of re-opening the hotel, and is looking for a buyer. Bankruptcy trustee Daniel Svensson said, “it is quite sad that a hotel as special as this, which has gained global recognition, is now coming to an end”, but noted the potential sale is complicated as the airport will not lease the land to a new operator.
Sadly, it looks like this unique structure will end up being scrapped, with the metal being sold to cover bankruptcy-related expenses.
