Top 10 Aircraft Storage Facilities for Airliners (2026)
Ranked: the top aircraft storage facilities for airliners in 2026, from Roswell, Victorville and Marana to Teruel and Alice Springs. Compare capacity, climate, widebody capability and what owners should check before parking an aircraft.
Where Lessors Park Idle Airliners: The 10 Leading Long-Term Storage Sites
Every airliner eventually needs somewhere to wait. Between leases, during an airline restructuring, after a repossession or ahead of a teardown, lessors and operators need a site that can park the aircraft safely, preserve it to the manufacturer's programme and return it to service without surprises. In 2026, with lease transitions, airline failures and part-outs all keeping storage busy, the right site can protect millions in asset value.
Climate is the starting point. Dry, low-humidity locations slow corrosion, which is why the largest storage sites sit in the deserts of the American Southwest, the Spanish plateau and central Australia. But climate alone does not make a good storage provider. Hangar access, engine run capability, maintenance approvals, records control and the ability to take widebodies all matter just as much.
This ranking covers the leading long-term storage sites and operators for commercial aircraft in 2026. They were assessed on capacity, climate, widebody capability, on-site maintenance and return-to-service support, and how often lessors and airlines use them.
The leading long-term aircraft storage facilities
AerSale
AerSale operates one of the largest commercial storage sites in the United States. Its Roswell facility can store about 500 aircraft on paved surfaces in a high, dry desert climate, backed by more than 100,000 square feet of hangar space. Its Goodyear site in Arizona adds 360,000 square feet of hangars on 40 acres.
The advantage for owners is optionality. The same provider can preserve an aircraft, perform heavy maintenance for return to service, or tear it down for parts, so an owner does not have to commit to an outcome when the aircraft is parked.
ComAv at Southern California Logistics Airport
Victorville, on a former US Air Force base in the Mojave Desert, is one of the busiest airliner storage sites in the world. In 2021, ComAv, the only storage provider on the airport, said it had parked 470 aircraft at the pandemic peak and had capacity for more than 500.
It was also the only US site handling the Airbus A380 at the time, with ten parked on site. Its soil-cement surfaces are rated for widebodies, which makes it a natural home for 777s, 747s and A380s.
Ascent Aviation Services
Ascent operates at Pinal Airpark, formerly home to Marana Aerospace Solutions, where the airpark offers more than 600 acres of secured ramp and storage. It provides storage, heavy maintenance, component MRO and reclamation for widebody, narrowbody and regional aircraft as an FAA Part 145 repair station.
The site is growing. In March 2024, Ascent broke ground on two widebody hangars in a $55 million investment, adding 180,000 square feet of hangar space and two IAI 777-300ER freighter conversion lines.
TARMAC Aerosave
TARMAC Aerosave is Europe's leading storage specialist. Its Teruel site, on a cold, dry plain about 1,000 metres above sea level, is often described as Europe's largest aircraft storage facility, designed for around 250 large aircraft.
TARMAC has also invested in hangars at Teruel that can take the A380, and its French sites add storage, maintenance and lease transition work close to Airbus in Toulouse.
Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage (APAS)
APAS is the main dedicated storage site in the Asia-Pacific region. Its Alice Springs facility has hardstand for about 250 to 300 aircraft, depending on the mix, with room to expand beyond 500, and average humidity of around 25%.
Beyond parking, APAS offers maintenance, engine run bays, landing gear retraction testing, engine stand leasing, part-out and end-of-life services, and it can handle aircraft up to the A380.
eCube Solutions
eCube offers storage on both sides of the Atlantic. Its St Athan base in Wales can park up to 40 aircraft, while Castellón in Spain and Coolidge in Arizona add warmer, drier locations.
Its combination of storage, maintenance and end-of-life services makes it a practical choice for lessors managing aircraft in both Europe and the US with one provider.
Kingman Airline Services
Kingman has a long history as an airliner storage site and remains a regular destination for US carriers parking surplus aircraft. Kingman Airline Services operates storage within a 4,000-acre industrial park at the airport.
Its high desert location suits medium- and long-term preservation, and its proximity to other Arizona MRO and teardown sites gives owners options when an aircraft leaves storage.
Air Salvage International
Air Salvage International is best known for teardown, but its Cotswold Airport base also offers storage, with parking for more than 20 widebody and up to 50 narrowbody aircraft.
For UK and European owners, it is a convenient place to park aircraft that are likely to be sold or parted out, as the move from storage to disassembly can happen on the same site.
EirTrade Aviation
EirTrade offers storage and end-of-life services at Ireland West Airport, close to the many lessors headquartered in Ireland. That location makes it a practical option for Irish lessors parking mid-life aircraft between leases or ahead of a part-out decision.
Its in-house teardown and engine disassembly capability means stored aircraft can move straight to harvesting if remarketing does not work out.
Mojave Air & Space Port
Mojave is one of the best-known airliner storage locations in the world, with rows of parked aircraft visible from the desert highway. Several companies handle storage and reclamation on the field, and its dry climate has made it a long-standing choice for carriers parking aircraft during downturns.
Mojave is a flexible overflow option, particularly for owners already using West Coast MROs and storage providers.
Aircraft storage facilities compared
| Provider / site | Location | Capacity indication | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| AerSale | Roswell / Goodyear, US | About 500 aircraft at Roswell | Storage, MRO and teardown in one network |
| ComAv (SCLA) | Victorville, US | 500+ aircraft (2021) | Widebody and A380 storage |
| Ascent Aviation Services | Marana, US | 600+ acres of ramp at Pinal Airpark | Heavy maintenance and new widebody hangars |
| TARMAC Aerosave | Teruel, Spain / France | About 250 large aircraft at Teruel | EASA storage, maintenance and transition |
| APAS | Alice Springs, Australia | 250 to 300 aircraft | Asia-Pacific storage up to A380 |
| eCube Solutions | Wales / Spain / Arizona | Up to 40 aircraft at St Athan | Transatlantic coverage |
| Kingman Airline Services | Kingman, US | Within a 4,000-acre industrial park | Long-term desert parking |
| Air Salvage International | Cotswold, UK | 20+ widebody or up to 50 narrowbody | Storage and teardown on one site |
| EirTrade Aviation | Ireland West Airport | Not published | Close to Irish lessors |
| Mojave Air & Space Port | Mojave, US | Not published | Established desert overflow site |
Which aircraft end up in long-term storage?
Storage demand follows the leasing cycle and airline health. The type of aircraft shapes which site makes sense, because not every facility can take widebodies or reactivate them.
For aircraft leaving storage, see ACMIWorld's guide to aircraft remarketing companies and our ranking of aircraft asset management companies. Business aviation owners should read our separate ranking of FBO hangar and aircraft storage providers.
What owners should check before parking an aircraft
The daily parking rate is only one part of the decision. A credible comparison should cover how the aircraft will be preserved and how quickly it can return to service.
- Preservation programme: confirm the site follows the manufacturer's storage and preservation procedures for the expected storage period.
- Climate: low humidity reduces corrosion risk, especially for storage beyond a few months.
- Engine care: agree how engines will be preserved, run or removed, and whether they will be leased out while the airframe is parked.
- Records control: every preservation task should be recorded so the aircraft can be reactivated or transferred without records gaps.
- Maintenance approvals: check the site's EASA, FAA or local approvals, and whether it can carry out return-to-service checks.
- Widebody capability: confirm surface ratings, runway length and hangar access for larger aircraft.
- Security and insurance: agree responsibility for damage, wildlife, weather events and ground insurance while parked.
- Exit options: check whether the site can also handle lease transitions, part-outs or ferry preparation.
ACMIWorld's guides to redelivery records lessors review and aircraft redelivery conditions cover what happens when a stored aircraft moves to its next operator.
How aircraft storage pricing works
Storage providers usually charge a daily or monthly parking fee, with preservation work, engine runs, inspections and records management charged separately or bundled into a package. Larger aircraft, hangar storage and more intensive preservation programmes cost more.
The bigger costs often come at the end. Reactivating an aircraft after long storage can require significant maintenance, so owners should agree the reactivation process and pricing upfront. Ferry costs to and from the site, insurance and any parts removed during storage also add to the total.
Why storage demand stays high
Aircraft go into storage for many reasons: lease returns, airline failures, fleet changes, conversion queues and teardown planning. The 2026 market has all of these at once, with lessors repossessing aircraft from failed carriers and owners parking mid-life aircraft while they decide between re-lease, freighter conversion and part-out.
Engine shortages also play a role. Some airframes are parked because their engines are worth more on lease to other operators, leaving the aircraft waiting for powerplants.
For a wider view of the end-of-life market, see ACMIWorld's ranking of used serviceable engine material suppliers and our guide to P2F conversion economics.
Final view
AerSale, ComAv at Victorville and Ascent at Marana anchor the US desert storage market, each combining large parking areas with maintenance capability. TARMAC Aerosave leads in Europe, and APAS is the main dedicated option in the Asia-Pacific region.
eCube, Kingman Airline Services, Air Salvage International, EirTrade and Mojave give owners further choice, especially for aircraft likely to be sold or parted out.
For owners, the key question is not which site has the most space. It is which provider can preserve the aircraft properly, keep its records clean and return it to service, or move it on to its next stage, quickly when the time comes.
Looking to place a stored aircraft?
Parked aircraft need to be matched against live lease demand, operator requirements and expected utilization. For aircraft leasing and sales enquiries, visit Blue Cube Aviation.
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