The United States' Oldest Airlines Still Flying Under Their Original Names

In an extremely competitive world of US commercial aviation, where mergers, bankruptcies, and rebrands have wiped out once solid brand names like Pan Am, Eastern, and TWA, a handful of carriers have quietly stood the test of time. These airlines began flying in aviation’s earliest commercial era and, remarkably, continue to operate today under recognizable original identities. Their centennial and near-centennial stories are about constant reinvention. They embody the turbulent history of flight in America, spanning innovations, war, deregulation, and exponential growth in global connectivity.

We will explore airlines whose names still appear on the sides of passenger jets nearly a century after their founding. We’ll venture from the South’s crop-dusting fields to Hawaii's island airstrips, tracing decades of fleet evolution and cultural change. You’ll gain fresh insight into how these carriers adapted their aircraft, structures, and strategies over time, and how their brand continuity became an asset in an industry dominated by consolidation.

Delta Air Lines — From Cotton Fields To Sky Networks

Delta Air Lines holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating US airline brand. Its story begins very far from airport terminals and corporate headquarters. The airline was born in the cotton fields of the rural South. Founded in 1925 as Huff Daland Dusters Inc., the company pioneered aerial crop dusting to combat pests ravaging agricultural fields. That humble beginning gave rise to a literal airborne business model before Delta even dreamed of passengers.

By 1928, C.E. Woolman and local investors reorganized the operation as Delta Air Service, named after the Mississippi Delta region the airline initially served. The first passenger flights took to the skies in 1929, slightly before the Great Depression began, connecting Dallas and Jackson with stops in Shreveport and Monroe. From these modest routes, Delta expanded into the Southeast and Midwest. However, a lost airmail contract temporarily halted passenger service, only for Woolman and partners to reclaim assets and resume operations as Delta Air Corporation by 1930.

Meanwhile, Delta’s fleet evolution tells the story of aviation’s technological leaps. In the pre-war era, Delta embraced the Douglas DC-2 and DC-3: both were rugged, dependable aircraft that ushered in a new era of reliable passenger service. After World War II, jets replaced props, and in 1959, Delta became the first US airline to fly the Douglas DC-8, a true leap forward in speed and comfort. A year later, it introduced Convair 880 jets, and in 1965, the McDonnell Douglas DC-9. By 1970, Delta’s fleet was 100% jet, a remarkable transformation from the crop dusters of its origins, achieved in less than 50 years.

Mergers and acquisitions added depth and complexity to the fleet. Delta’s 2008 merger with Northwest Airlines brought Airbus aircraft and expanded widebody long-haul capabilities. This change diversified Delta’s roster, which today includes over 950 aircraft, a mix of Airbus and Boeing narrowbodies and widebodies such as the A220, A320, A330, A350, 717, 737, 757, and 767, deployed globally. The airline continues to refresh its fleet with newer, more fuel-efficient jets, including large A350s and new Dreamliners it has recently ordered.

Delta’s century-long narrative, from humble agrarian roots to one of the world’s leading networks, reflects not just growth but also deep adaptation. Its fleet evolution, strategic partnerships, and operational innovations make it a cornerstone of commercial aviation history.

American Airlines — Building A National System Piece By Piece

While Delta started small in agricultural service, American Airlines grew through the consolidation of several air transport companies in the early 1930s. Back then, dozens of small mail and passenger carriers competed for a piece of the nascent aviation market. In 1934, new congressional guidelines forced many of these carriers to reorganize, prompting a group of smaller operators to unify under the American Airways banner, which soon became American Airlines. Under Cyrus Rowlett Smith, who led the airline for decades, American pioneered systems and services that shaped modern flight.

In American’s early years, leveraging mail contracts, then a major source of revenue, facilitated route expansion. Smith’s leadership also saw the airline introduce the Air Travel Card in the 30s, the industry’s first airline-specific credit card, an early innovation in customer loyalty and marketing. As the airline entered the jet age, it embraced aircraft such as the Boeing 707 and 727, and later the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Boeing wide-bodies, which enabled domestic and international expansion.

Fleet strategy became especially important in the last decade. By 2025, American operated about 1,017 aircraft, making it the world’s second-largest airline fleet and the largest by seat capacity. The company has simplified its aircraft types to improve efficiency, retiring older models such as the MD-80 and wide-body jets in favor of the modern Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A321neo. It also finalized a major order in 2024 for 260 new jets spanning Boeing, Airbus, and Embraer models.

American’s fleet modernization reflects broader strategic shifts in airline competition, passenger expectations, and fuel efficiency, all while maintaining its original brand identity through almost a century of operations. Even the livery remained largely unchanged, with gray as the primary color and the American Airlines blue-and-red brand logo.

United Airlines — A Web Of Early Air Transport Roots

Unlike Delta’s singular origin or American’s consolidation, United Airlines grew from a mosaic of early air transport ventures. In 1931, William E. Boeing and partners formed United Aircraft Transport Corporation, an umbrella entity that included Boeing Air Transport, National Air Transport, Pacific Air Transport, and Varney Air Lines — each holding vital airmail routes. This collective became United Airlines, headquartered in Chicago.

In 1934, regulatory shifts required aircraft manufacturers and airlines to separate operations, solidifying United as an independent carrier. Its early network spanned from New York to San Francisco and served as the backbone of transcontinental US service. United pioneered the use of flight attendants (initially stewardesses) on its coast-to-coast flights, shaping early service standards. After World War II, the airline continued to expand its domestic and international routes.

United’s fleet has always mirrored its growth ambitions. Historically, the airline operated classic aircraft such as the Boeing 247 (one of the first modern airliners of the 1930s) and, later, the Boeing 747 for long-haul international service. At the start of the 21st century and into the 2020s, United undertook a significant modernization push. Under the “United Next” plan, the airline ordered new Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A321neos to reduce fleet age and improve the passenger experience on both domestic and international routes.

Today, United operates 1,084 aircraft, the largest fleet of any airline in the world. It blends Airbus and Boeing models in its narrowbody lineup and relies on Boeing aircraft for most long-haul widebody services, illustrating its historical ties and operational scale.

Despite multiple economic cycles, regulatory upheavals, and a major merger with Continental Airlines in 2010, United preserved its original name and brand footprint, offering continuity that traces back to the pioneering era of US airmail and early passenger flight.

Hawaiian Airlines — A Pacific Story Of Culture And Connectivity

Hawaiian Airlines began life on January 30, 1929, as Inter-Island Airways, connecting two of Hawaii’s most iconic destinations — Honolulu and Hilo. Its founding heralded the birth of commercial flight in the islands, long before Hawaii was a US state, and set a precedent for aviation service defined by both culture and utility.

The airline grew as a vital link among the Hawaiian Islands, operating reliable interisland flights that surpassed sea travel in speed and comfort. Over the decades, it expanded to US mainland gateways and international destinations in the Pacific, becoming the largest carrier to and from the Hawaii Islands.

This story originally appeared on Simple Flying.