Top 17+ Airlines That No Longer Exist but Made History

Aviation has always been a cutthroat business. Carriers soar to incredible heights, then crash spectacularly when market forces shift or competition intensifies. Today’s airline landscape looks nothing like it did decades ago — mega-carriers and budget airlines dominate routes that were once served by dozens of smaller, more colorful competitors.

These forgotten airlines didn’t just move passengers from point A to point B. They pioneered routes that seemed impossible, introduced aircraft that changed everything, and created the very foundation of modern air travel before economic realities forced them into history books. Here are 17 airlines that no longer exist but made history.

Pan American World Airways

Pan Am wasn’t merely an airline — it represented America’s wings to the world. This aviation powerhouse launched in 1927 and quickly became the unofficial flag carrier, though it never held that official designation.

Pan Am’s pilots were the first to navigate scheduled transatlantic routes commercially, while the company’s bold decision to launch the Boeing 747 jumbo jet transformed how people thought about air travel. The airline’s blue globe logo became as recognizable as Coca-Cola’s script, yet financial turbulence grounded this giant permanently in 1991.

Eastern Air Lines

Eastern’s polished aluminum fleet earned the nickname ‘The Great Silver Fleet’ — and for good reason. Founded in 1926, this carrier dominated East Coast aviation for over 60 years. Eastern connected every major city from Maine to Miami, later expanding into the Caribbean and South America with the same efficiency that made it a domestic powerhouse.

The airline pioneered passenger amenities and was among the first to operate jets on domestic routes, though labor disputes and mounting debt forced closure in 1991.

Braniff International Airways

Few airlines brought as much style and personality to aviation as Braniff did. What started as a modest Texas operation in 1928 transformed into a fashion-forward carrier that treated aircraft like mobile art galleries.

Under Harding Lawrence’s leadership during the 1960s and 70s, Braniff commissioned Emilio Pucci to design vibrant uniforms while painting planes in colors so bold they earned the fleet its ‘Rainbow’ nickname. Aggressive expansion during deregulation proved costly — bankruptcy arrived in 1982.

Piedmont Airlines

Piedmont understood something many airlines missed: smaller cities needed reliable air service too. The carrier launched in 1948 and built an impressive network throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Friendly service and punctual operations made Piedmont popular with business travelers, while its Charlotte-based hub-and-spoke system became a model for regional operations. US Airways acquired Piedmont in 1989, though the name survives today with a different regional carrier operating under American Eagle.

National Airlines

National Airlines marketed itself as ‘The Star of the System’ — a slogan that reflected four decades of Florida-based operations from 1934 to 1980. Miami served as National’s headquarters, from which the carrier connected Florida with the rest of America while pioneering Caribbean and Latin American routes.

The airline gained notoriety for its attractive flight attendants and provocative advertising campaigns, including the famous ‘Fly Me’ series that defined 1970s airline marketing. Pan Am acquired National in 1980 seeking stronger domestic routes.

Hughes Airwest

Howard Hughes’ brief ownership gave this carrier its name, but Hughes Airwest’s distinctive yellow and orange livery made it memorable throughout the 1970s. The airline emerged from a 1968 merger of several smaller Western carriers and dominated regional flying along the West Coast.

Dozens of smaller California, Nevada, and Southwest cities depended on Hughes Airwest for connections to major hubs. Republic Airlines acquired the carrier in 1980 before Northwest eventually absorbed those routes.

Ozark Air Lines

Ozark served America’s heartland with the dedication of a hometown airline, which it essentially was for three decades. Founded in 1950 with St. Louis as its base, Ozark connected smaller Midwest cities that major carriers found unprofitable.

Business travelers and families throughout Missouri, Illinois, and surrounding states developed fierce loyalty to Ozark’s reliable service and efficient operations using appropriately-sized aircraft. TWA’s 1986 acquisition eliminated a beloved regional competitor while expanding TWA’s domestic reach.

Mohawk Airlines

Mohawk connected upstate New York and New England for nearly three decades, building a reputation for dependable service despite challenging winter flying conditions. Founded in 1945, the airline served smaller Northeast communities that major carriers considered unprofitable.

Mohawk pioneered several regional aircraft types while maintaining impressive safety standards in difficult weather that often grounded other airlines. Allegheny Airlines acquired Mohawk in 1972, expanding what would eventually become US Airways’ Northeast network.

Texas International Airlines

Texas International started small in 1947 as an intrastate carrier but grew significantly under Frank Lorenzo’s aggressive leadership. The airline served destinations throughout the Southwest and Mexico while pioneering no-frills service and competitive pricing that foreshadowed the low-cost revolution.

Texas International’s business model influenced deregulation-era competition strategies and spawned several other carriers that Lorenzo would later control. Continental Airlines absorbed Texas International in 1982 during Lorenzo’s airline empire expansion.

PSA (Pacific Southwest Airlines)

PSA proved that flying could be both affordable and enjoyable when the airline began operations within California in 1949. The carrier’s low fares revolutionized West Coast travel, while its smile-painted aircraft and humorous flight attendants made flying fun again.

PSA’s advertising emphasized the pleasure of air travel rather than just transportation efficiency, influencing how airlines market themselves today. US Airways acquired PSA in 1988, ending nearly four decades of innovative service that inspired countless low-cost carriers.

People Express

People Express embodied everything exciting and terrifying about airline deregulation during its brief existence from 1981 to 1987. Based at Newark Airport, the carrier offered incredibly low fares by charging separately for services that other airlines included in ticket prices.

People Express grew rapidly by undercutting established carriers, but operational challenges and quality problems accompanied rapid expansion. Continental Airlines acquired the struggling upstart in 1987, integrating its routes while learning valuable lessons about sustainable growth.

Where Innovation Took Flight

These vanished carriers shaped modern aviation in ways that extend far beyond their operational years. Route planning innovations, customer service standards, and aircraft operational procedures developed by these airlines became industry benchmarks that survive today.

Their spectacular failures taught equally valuable lessons about sustainable growth, operational excellence, and the unforgiving nature of airline economics that continue influencing aviation decisions worldwide.