National Airlines (1934–1980)

National Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
NA NAL NATIONAL
FoundedAugust 2, 1934 (1934-08-02)
signed post office contract
Commenced operationsOctober 15, 1934 (1934-10-15)
Ceased operationsJanuary 7, 1980 (1980-01-07)
(acquired by Pan Am)
HubsMiami
Focus cities
Parent companyPan Am Corporation
HeadquartersMiami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Key peopleLouis "Bud" Maytag
(CEO, 1962–1980)
FounderGeorge T. Baker
(CEO, 1934–1962)

National Airlines was a trunk carrier, a scheduled airline in the United States that operated from 1934 until it merged with Pan Am in 1980. For most of its existence the company was headquartered at Miami International Airport, Florida. At its height, National Airlines had a network of "Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast" flights, linking Florida and Gulf Coast destinations such as New Orleans and Houston with cities along the East Coast as far north as Boston as well as with large cities on the West Coast including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. From 1970 to 1978, National, Braniff International Airways, Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) and Trans World Airlines (TWA) were the only U.S. airlines permitted to operate scheduled passenger flights to Europe.