1914: On the morning of January 1, the first scheduled commercial airline flight took to the air. Taking off from St Petersburg, Florida, and flying to Tampa, the Benoist flying boat was piloted by Tony Jannus, with the former mayor of St Petersburg, Abram C Pheil, as the sole passenger.
1914: First scheduled commercial flight —
1914: On the morning of January 1, the first scheduled commercial airline flight took to the air. Taking off from St Petersburg, Florida, and flying to Tampa, the Benoist flying boat was piloted by Tony Jannus, with the former mayor of St Petersburg, Abram C Pheil, as the sole passenger.
1920: KLM operated its first flight, making it the oldest airline still in operation today. The following year it began scheduled flights between Amsterdam and London.
1920: Oldest airline takes to the skies —
1920: KLM operated its first flight, making it the oldest airline still in operation today. The following year it began scheduled flights between Amsterdam and London.
Courtesy J. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images
1935: The first trans-Pacific commercial flight left San Francisco bound for Manila. The Pan Am flight -- on a Martin M-130 China Clipper, like the one pictured -- took one week with numerous stops along the way.
1935: Trans-Pacific flight —
1935: The first trans-Pacific commercial flight left San Francisco bound for Manila. The Pan Am flight -- on a Martin M-130 China Clipper, like the one pictured -- took one week with numerous stops along the way.
courtesy www.panam.org
1936: The Douglas DC-3 entered service with American Airlines with a flight from New York to Chicago. It became known as the "plane that changed the world" with its speed and range better than any other plane of the time. More than 10,000 were built.
1936: Revolution in the air —
1936: The Douglas DC-3 entered service with American Airlines with a flight from New York to Chicago. It became known as the "plane that changed the world" with its speed and range better than any other plane of the time. More than 10,000 were built.
Courtesy FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Image
1938: On August 11, a Lufthansa plane became the first non-stop land-based commercial aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean. It took off from Berlin and landed in Brooklyn, New York.
1938: A transatlantic first —
1938: On August 11, a Lufthansa plane became the first non-stop land-based commercial aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean. It took off from Berlin and landed in Brooklyn, New York.
Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images
1952: The "de Havilland Comet," designed by British aviation pioneer Captain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, was the first commercial jet airliner to go into production and made its commercial debut in 1952.
1952: First commercial jet airliner flight —
1952: The "de Havilland Comet," designed by British aviation pioneer Captain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, was the first commercial jet airliner to go into production and made its commercial debut in 1952.
Courtesy Fox Photos/Getty Images
1959: The first jet bridge was used for passengers to board and disembark planes at San Francisco airport.
1959: Walk this way —
1959: The first jet bridge was used for passengers to board and disembark planes at San Francisco airport.
Courtesy Hulton Archive/Getty Images
1970: The world's first wide-body aircraft, the Boeing 747, entered service with Pan Am on its New York to London route.
1970: Flying goes Jumbo —
1970: The world's first wide-body aircraft, the Boeing 747, entered service with Pan Am on its New York to London route.
Courtesy Keystone/Getty Images
1971: Flyers are used to low-cost carriers today, but Southwest Airlines was the first of its kind that made established legacy carriers improve their competitiveness.
1971: Low-cost flying —
1971: Flyers are used to low-cost carriers today, but Southwest Airlines was the first of its kind that made established legacy carriers improve their competitiveness.
Courtesy Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
1973: Frontier Airlines was the first airline with a female pilot flying a scheduled route on a modern jet airliner -- Emily Howell Warner.
1973: First female pilot —
1973: Frontier Airlines was the first airline with a female pilot flying a scheduled route on a modern jet airliner -- Emily Howell Warner.
Courtesy Kevin Winter/Getty Images
1976: Making its commercial debut in 1976, Concorde, a joint effort between the British and French governments, ushered in an era of supersonic travel, ferrying deep-pocketed passengers from London and Paris to New York (among other destinations) in less than half the time of other commercial aircrafts.
1976: Concorde's first flight —
1976: Making its commercial debut in 1976, Concorde, a joint effort between the British and French governments, ushered in an era of supersonic travel, ferrying deep-pocketed passengers from London and Paris to New York (among other destinations) in less than half the time of other commercial aircrafts.
Courtesy Evening Standard/Getty Images
1981: American Airlines is recognized as being the first airline to offer the industry's first frequent flyer program with AAdvantage.
1981: Loyalty counts —
1981: American Airlines is recognized as being the first airline to offer the industry's first frequent flyer program with AAdvantage.
Courtesy Joe Raedle/Getty Images
1997: The first of the Big Three airline alliances was founded. Star Alliance began with five airlines: Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways, Air Canada and United Airlines. Other alliances, Oneworld and SkyTeam, soon followed.
1997: Strength in numbers —
1997: The first of the Big Three airline alliances was founded. Star Alliance began with five airlines: Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways, Air Canada and United Airlines. Other alliances, Oneworld and SkyTeam, soon followed.
Courtesy HERWIG VERGULT/AFP/Getty Images
1998: Commercial airlines were allowed to operate over the northern polar region. Cathay Pacific was the first to utilize the route flying from Hong Kong to New York non-stop in around 16 hours.
1998: Polar express —
1998: Commercial airlines were allowed to operate over the northern polar region. Cathay Pacific was the first to utilize the route flying from Hong Kong to New York non-stop in around 16 hours.
Courtesy PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/GettyImages
2007: The Airbus A380 "superjumbo" took the place of the Boeing 747 as the world's largest passenger jet, first entering commercial service with Singapore Airlines. With two full decks it can carry 853 passengers, depending on the seating configuration.
2007: Flying goes "super-sized" —
2007: The Airbus A380 "superjumbo" took the place of the Boeing 747 as the world's largest passenger jet, first entering commercial service with Singapore Airlines. With two full decks it can carry 853 passengers, depending on the seating configuration.
Courtesy MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images