12/10/1958: First Jet-Powered US Domestic Flight

Today in Aviation, National Airlines operated the US' first jet-powered domestic flight in 1958, beating American Airlines by a month.

Lee

Cross

10/12/23

DALLAS — Today in Aviation, National Airlines (NA) conducted the first domestic US flight operated by a jet airliner in 1958.

National had leased a single Boeing 707 (N710PA) from Pan American (PA) while it awaited the arrival of its jet equipment. It was put to work on the carrier's flagship route between Miami (MIA) and New York (JFK).

Pan American introduced the Boeing 707 on October 26. NA subsequently beat American Airlines (AA) in introducing a jet airliner into regular domestic service. AA put the type to work on its transcontinental service between JFK and Los Angeles (LAX) in January 1959.

However, NA would go on to purchase Boeing's rival, the Douglas DC-8. They followed in the footsteps of Delta Air Lines (DL) and United Airlines (UA), which had put the Douglas jet into service in September 1959.

National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution

National Airlines

National Airlines began operating in 1934, initially providing services within the state of Florida. However, the company quickly expanded its operations across the eastern United States and became the dominant carrier between Florida and New York by the 1950s. Furthermore, National Airlines was granted permission to fly to Havana, Cuba.

In 1961, National Airlines introduced its DC-8 aircraft and used them on transcontinental routes connecting Florida, Los Angeles (LAX), and San Francisco (SFO). By 1968, the airline had retired all of its Lockheed L-188 Electra planes and became an all-jet airline.

Unfortunately, in the late 1970s, National Airlines faced financial difficulties. As a result, on January 7, 1980, Pan Am took over the airline's operations, leading to the disappearance of the National Airlines name from the skies.

National Airlines introduced the Boeing 747 in October 1970 between MIA and JFK. It was retired in 1976. Photo: Jon Proctor (GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2), via Wikimedia Commons

Featured Image: The DC-8 was chosen over the Boeing 707 and NA would go on to operate the -20, -30, -50, and -60 variants. Photo: Steve Fitzgerald GFDL 1.2

Exploring Airline History Volume I

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Subjects A through C are presented in this first of three volumes. Covering topics such as the airlines of Alaska at the time of statehood and Canada's regional airlines of the 1960s, the individual histories of such carriers as Allegheny, American, Braniff, and Continental are also included in Volume One. Get your copy today!

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