17 Iconic Retro Airline Liveries to Remember

During a United Airlines event at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, I saw an Airbus A320 painted in the carrier’s Friendship livery, used in the 1970s. I’ve always been a fan of the old-school liveries, which is why I created my Pinterest board, Retro Airline Liveries. The board has photos of airline paint jobs from the past, and below are 17 examples.

United Airlines

Speaking of United Airlines’ Friendship livery, here’s an example of it on a Boeing 747 parked at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

American Airlines

This is the American Airlines Astrojet livery painted on a Boeing 737. The livery was used by the Fort Worth-based carrier in the 1960s.

Continental Airlines

This logo was famously designed by graphic designer Saul Bass, who has worked on numerous renowned projects.

Northwest Orient Airlines

Here is a Northwest Orient Boeing 747 parked at London Gatwick Airport in 1983.

Delta Air Lines

A Lockheed L-1011 takes off at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The Widget logo was initially introduced in 1962 to signify the airline’s entrance into the jet age.

Air France

French flag carrier Air France painted an Airbus A320 in a livery it introduced in 1946.

Finnair

This Airbus A319 is adorned with a livery reminiscent of the 1950s, commemorating the airline’s long history.

British Airways

The London-based carrier unveiled this livery in 1984, incorporating elements of the Union Jack.

Cathay Pacific

Hong Kong’s flag carrier adopted this particular livery with the Union Jack in the 1960s.

Lufthansa

This Boeing 747-8i was painted as part of a celebration for its 60th anniversary in 2016, showcasing the airline’s design evolution.

KLM

The Dutch flag carrier pays homage to its history with this retro design, celebrating its legacy in aviation.

Swissair

Swiss Air Lines celebrated its 50th anniversary of trans-Atlantic flights that began in 1947 with this Douglas DC-4 plane.

America West

After the 2005 merger, US Airways created a series of retro jets reflecting the legacy of America West.

Allegheny Airlines

Allegheny Airlines was a precursor to US Airways, showcasing evolution in airline branding and operations.

Air Canada

The country’s flag carrier displayed this Boeing 747 livery from 1965 to 1988, symbolizing a key era in Canadian aviation history.

Hawaiian Airlines

This historic aircraft represents the charm of Hawaiian Airlines in the early 1970s.

TWA

This aircraft flew for TWA in the 1940s and 1950s and was restored for display at the Pima Air Museum.