Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways and more commonly known as Pan Am, was an airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States for much of the 20th century. It was the first airline to fly worldwide and pioneered numerous innovations of the modern airline industry, such as jumbo jets and computerized reservation systems. Until its dissolution on December 4, 1991, Pan Am "epitomized the luxury and glamour of intercontinental travel", and it remains a cultural icon of the 20th century, identified by its blue globe logo, the use of the word "Clipper" in its aircraft names and call signs, and the white uniform caps of its pilots.
Flown cover autographed by pilot Cy Caldwell and carried from Key West, Florida, to Havana, Cuba, on the first contract airmail flight operated by Pan American Airways, October 19, 1927
"Birthplace of Pan American World Airways", Key West, Florida
1941 advertising mailer for Pan Am's "Flying Clipper Cruises" to South America
PAA's China Clipper service cut the time of a transpacific crossing from as much as six weeks by sea to just six days by air.
An airline is a company that provides air transport services for traveling passengers and/or freight. Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements, in which they both offer and operate the same flight. Generally, airline companies are recognized with an air operating certificate or license issued by a governmental aviation body. Airlines may be scheduled or charter operators.
1930s German poster advertising a weekly airmail service from Deutsche Lufthansa, Syndicato Condor and Deutsche Zeppelin Reederei
A 1919 advertisement for the Dutch airline KLM, founded on October 7, 1919, the oldest running airline still operating under its original name
The Handley Page W.8b was used by Handley Page Transport, an early British airline established in 1919.
Junkers F.13 D-190 of Junkers Luftverkehr