The history of commercial aviation in the United States from air mail to airlines.
Flying was new and daring in the early years of the 20th century. Traveling by airplane was rare. Airlines, airliners, airports, air routes—none of these existed. But by century's end, you could travel to almost anywhere in America by air in a matter of hours. How did this revolutionary change happen?
Themes in Commercial Aviation
The Start of Commercial Aviation
1914-1941
1941-1958
1958-Now
Feature Pages
Related Collection Objects
The Museum's collection holds a number of objects related to the history of commercial aviation—from boarding tickets to uniforms, full size aircraft and archival photos—together these objects tell the story of commercial aviation in the United States. Explore some of these objects below.
Related Exhibitions
Related Videos and Podcasts
STEM in 30: Could the Wright Brothers Fly Today's Commercial Planes?
The Concorde and the Future of Supersonic Flight
AirSpace Podcast: Me and the Sky
Setting Commercial Air Routes with Charles and Anne Lindbergh
The Slow Entry into the Jet Age
The World's First Jumbo Jet
Hear Perspectives from 9/11
An Animation FAA Closure of US Airspace on 9/11
Educational Resources
STEM in 30: Could the Wright Brothers Fly Today's Commercial Planes?
STEM in 30: Staying Safe is No Accident: The Science of Safety
My Path: Alaskan Pilot Ariel Tweto
Publications
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