Converting a single passenger plane to a cargo jet costs $30,000,000 and this is why
Published on Jan 06, 2026 at 9:01 PM (UTC-5)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Jan 06, 2026 at 9:01 PM (UTC-5)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Converting a single passenger plane into a cargo jet is not a cheap process, and in fact, it can cost up to $30,000,000 to do so.
After serving with airlines for many years, a lot of airliners are then converted into cargo aircraft for a second lease of life.
You might think it simply means ripping out all the seats and that it is relatively inexpensive; however, the process is long, and it costs a lot of money.
CNBC explained a couple of years ago why it costs so much to do so.
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Converting a passenger plane into a cargo jet
One of the first steps is, of course, to strip out the galleys, cabins, and all the seats from the aircraft.
Removing the seats also uncovers any items leftover in the aircraft that have not yet been cleaned up.
That includes food and even kids’ toys!
Bathrooms, galleys, and various luxury features need to be removed, too.
Once all this is done, the floor is then reinforced so the aircraft can handle the large loads of cargo it will now carry.
At the side of the airliner, a cargo door will need to be cut out, as the luggage doors used when it was a passenger aircraft would not suffice for loading and unloading cargo.
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Why are passenger aircraft converted into cargo jets?
Many manufacturers, such as Boeing and Airbus, build bespoke cargo versions of jets like the Boeing 747.
The most famous bespoke cargo aircraft was the giant Antonov An-225, the largest aircraft in the world.
But many airliners, when retired from carrying passengers, still have years of service ahead of them.
So many are sold on to cargo companies, who then convert them to carry their heavy loads.
Sometimes, converting passenger planes into cargo planes is cheaper than building new ones.
However, it is still very expensive.
It can cost up to $30 million for the conversion, and take several months to be completed.
Air freight is also very important, as goods can get around the world faster than by cargo ship.
So there is always a need for more cargo aircraft.
Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a heritage steam railway.
