SAL is a Boeing 727-300 that spent over a decade carrying heads of state across Africa as a VIP presidential jet. Today she stands in the bushveld at Aerotel in Hoedspruit, South Africa — the only place on the continent where you can sleep inside a genuine presidential aircraft. Booked exclusive-use only, one party at a time, SAL is South Africa's most unusual honeymoon suite, family hideaway, and milestone venue. This is her story, and what staying aboard is actually like.
Diplomatic Service
Before Hoedspruit, this 727 was registered J2-KBA and served as the VIP presidential aircraft of the Djibouti Air Force from 2001 to 2012 — eleven years of carrying presidents, ministers, and diplomatic delegations across the continent. Her earlier career was commercial: she flew passengers for Frontier Airlines and Braniff International in the United States before her conversion to executive configuration.
That history is the whole point of staying aboard. The first-class cabin was preserved, not replaced — the same seats that once held diplomats now hold couples celebrating anniversaries, aviation enthusiasts ticking off bucket lists, and families who want a story no resort can offer.
A 520-Kilometre Rescue
Like most retired airliners, J2-KBA's flying career ended in an aircraft graveyard — the place where airframes wait to be scrapped. Aerotel's mission is to restore dignity to retired aircraft, and in June 2021 SAL became the project's second rescue.
She travelled 520 km by road over five days, through Polokwane, Mokopane, Marble Hall, and Gravelotte, to join the Boeing 737 that had made its own nine-day road journey two years earlier. Together, the two aircraft make Aerotel one of the only properties in the world — and the only one in Africa — where two genuine airliners hold overnight guests.
What Staying Aboard SAL Is Like
SAL operates differently from the rest of the hotel: she is hired exclusive-use only. One booking takes the entire aircraft. Inside the fuselage:
The aircraft sleeps a minimum of four and maximum of six guests across three bedrooms — one queen and two king rooms — with two bathrooms (one en-suite). The original VIP lounge remains the social heart of the aircraft, alongside a kitchen area with mini-bar and coffee station, and a private deck looking out over the bushveld towards the northern Drakensberg.
The rate is R3,250 per person per night and includes dinner — the only Aerotel accommodation where dinner is part of the stay. It is also the only Aerotel accommodation where children are welcome: under-4s stay free, ages 4–12 at half price, with the privacy of exclusive use making it genuinely family-practical.
Days aboard follow the Lowveld rhythm: Kruger's Orpen Gate is 64 km away for morning game drives, the Panorama Route fills a scenic day west, and evenings end with sundowners on the 737's wing at The Runway, a short walk across the apron.
Who Books a Presidential Jet?
Three groups, mostly. Honeymooners and anniversary couples, who book SAL for the combination of privacy, story, and the frankly unbeatable wedding-album line "we honeymooned on a presidential jet." Families and friend groups of four to six, who treat her as a private villa with wings. And aviation enthusiasts, who come for the airframe itself — a 727-300 in executive configuration is a rare survivor anywhere in the world, and rarer still one you can sleep in.
For context on just how rare: fewer than a dozen genuine airplane hotels exist worldwide, and SAL is the only one with presidential provenance. See the full world list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SAL presidential jet at Aerotel? SAL is a Boeing 727-300, formerly registered J2-KBA, that served as the Djibouti Air Force's VIP presidential aircraft from 2001 to 2012. She is now an exclusive-use suite at Aerotel in Hoedspruit, South Africa, sleeping up to six guests.
How much does it cost to stay in the SAL presidential jet? R3,250 per person per night including dinner, with a minimum of four and maximum of six guests. The aircraft is hired exclusive-use — one party at a time.
Can children stay in the SAL jet? Yes — SAL is the only Aerotel accommodation that welcomes children. Under-4s stay free and ages 4–12 pay half price. The Boeing 737 suites are adults-only.
Did the SAL aircraft really carry presidents? Yes. As J2-KBA she served as the VIP presidential aircraft of the Djibouti Air Force for eleven years, carrying heads of state and diplomatic delegations across Africa, after earlier commercial careers with Frontier Airlines and Braniff International.
Is SAL good for a honeymoon? It's built for one: exclusive use of an entire presidential aircraft, a private deck with Drakensberg sunsets, dinner included, and Kruger National Park under an hour away.
Written by the Aerotel team. Aerotel is a 4-star aviation-themed boutique hotel in Hoedspruit, Limpopo — South Africa's only aircraft hotel. Last updated June 2026.
