A Rare Luxury Jet Donated by John Travolta Finally Arrives in Australia After 2 Months at Sea
A Rare Luxury Jet Donated by John Travolta Finally Arrives in Australia After 2 Months at Sea
Gina KalsiWed, May 13, 2026 at 4:32 PM UTC
0
John Travolta in April 2024; and his Boeing 707-138
Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty; ABC News (Australia)/YouTube
-
John Travolta donated a rare Boeing 707-138, once owned by Frank Sinatra, to Australia's Historical Aircraft Restoration Society
The plane, which was dismantled due to flight restrictions, finally arrived in Australia after two months at sea
The actor's former luxury jet will be rebuilt by the society and put on display at Shellharbour Airport
A rare luxury jet owned by John Travolta has finally arrived in Australia after two months at sea.
In 2017, the longtime actor, 72, donated his Boeing 707-138 to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS), which is based in New South Wales, where the aircraft is now set to be rebuilt and put on display, according to Australia's ABC News and CBS News.
A pilot and aviation enthusiast, the Grease star outfitted the aircraft, which previously belonged to Frank Sinatra, with two bedrooms, a bathroom and entertaining areas, per ABC News, making it "prized cargo" for the museum. CBS News added that "it is considered one of the last of a special series known as hot rods, originally built for the Australian airline Qantas."
John Travolta's Qantas Boeing 707-138
Credit: James D. Morgan/Getty
— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Despite the plane being considered in good condition, restrictions meant it could not be flown to its final destination at Shellharbour Airport. Instead, it had to be dismantled and sent by ship, traveling from Georgia, per ABC News.
According to the outlet, the plane's engines and small parts had already been sent to the museum, while the long-awaited fuselage, wings and tail arrived at Port Kembla at around noon local time on Wednesday, May 13.
Advertisement
"It's so exciting because we've waited so many years for this to happen, and to have it here on Australian soil is such a thrill," Maureen Massey, vice president of HARS, told ABC News.
The plane’s long-awaited fuselage arrived on May 13
Credit: ABC News (Australia)/YouTube
It will take a minimum of six months for experts to rebuild the plane before it will be put on display at the museum at the Shellharbour Airport.
On April 8, the Georgia Ports Authority posted pictures of Travolta's plane Facebook, writing, “Celebrity cargo moved through the Port of Brunswick as a Boeing 707-138 once owned by John Travolta and Frank Sinatra makes its way to Australia.”
The agency added, “The 62-year-old jet is headed to an aircraft restoration museum to display for aviation fans."
Travolta is a keen pilot and recently shared a video Instagram taken during his training to fly the Bombardier Global Express, an ultra-long-range private jet. In the footage, the Pulp Fiction star showed himself in a classroom surrounded by screens that replicated all of the instruments in the aircraft's flight deck.
This came after he gained his license to fly Global Express jets in February. Travolta has become qualified to pilot a variety of different planes, including the Boeing 747, 707 and 737, since obtaining a pilot license at age 22.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
