How airlines’ posters look in their golden age

There was a time when flying was a special experience. There was a time when airlines were a distinguished, glamorous business sector. Matthias C. Hühne published the hefty book – “Airline Visual Identity 1945-1975” – to treasure that Jet Age with about 400 posters and images from airlines like Pan Am, TWA, and United. The creative minds behind those were also the best of their time: designers like Ivan Chermayeff, Otl Aicher, Massimo Vignelli, pioneering advertising executive Mary Wells Lawrence or Academy Award winner Saul Bass.

What’s obvious is the strong visuals communicating the quality and destinations of the flights. You don’t see interior details or cheap price. There is only the pure feeling of adventure and discovery. Mr. Hühne shared his thought on such contrast to airlines nowadays.

“Perhaps the industry itself is not as prestigious as it used to be. I hate to say that. It’s not what it used to be in the 1960s when every designer who wanted to be someone wanted to work for the airline industry. Today those talents are working for Apple or in the tech industry. That could be another reason. For airlines now, it’s all about the price. It’s not as important to be well recognized.”

Below are the 33 posters of airlines at their pinnacle, taken from “Airline Visual Identity 1945-1975”.