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Three years since the service took flight in 1914, the U.S. government decided to transport .

On May 14, 1918, an left Long Island, New York for Washington D.C., with a stop in Philadelphia.

, the Post Office used planes left over from World War I to make the starting leg of the first transcontinental air service, from Chicago to Cleveland.

It wasn’t until that the aircraft managed the difficult challenge of flying past the Rocky Mountains and the route was fully completed. According to Avjobs, by using airplanes, “the Post Office was able to shave 22 hours off coast-to-coast mail deliveries.”

Americans began trying to solve the issue of not being able to fly at night in 1921. That year, the over an 80-mile distance that were visible to pilots to guide them at night.

The Army had originally taken charge of operating the beacons and overall guidance system, but the .

The beacons were first placed between Columbus and Dayton, Ohio, and then in between Chicago and Cheyenne, Wyoming. This new system was at least two days faster than delivering mail by train.

By mid-decade the Post Office was flying per year.

In the first step toward the eventual privatization of the airline industry, the government , which allowed the government to transfer airmail to private companies.

This year President Calvin Coolidge's government worked to develop a national aviation policy, which became the . This allowed the Secretary of Commerce to designate air routes, develop air navigation systems, license pilots and aircraft, and investigate accidents.

On May 20, 1927, , from New York to Paris. It took 33 hours, 29 minutes, and 30 seconds.

Lindbergh’s successful flight sparked excitement about the aviation industry, and in the two years following, .]

The number of air passengers in the country—which were mostly made up of businessmen—grew from a measly .

—known as the Watres Act—that allowed the Post Office to base airmail rates on space or volume instead of weight.

During this period, Postmaster General Walter Brown held meetings about consolidating airmail routes that many because they only invited a few larger airlines, excluding smaller ones.

From 1928 through 1932, the plane used by most U.S. airlines was the , which had .

Until the 1930s, airlines that touted routes solely for passenger travel . But in 1933 the first modern passenger airliner, the 10-passenger Boeing 247, was built.

President Franklin Roosevelt sought to fix conflict among small and larger airlines by turning airmail back over to the Army, but too many accidents by pilots unfamiliar with routes caused the government to rethink this move. sought to return airmail transport to the private sector—but this time with more regulations that forced companies to consider building up the passenger side of their businesses.

was built in what is now New Jersey’s Newark International Airport.

The with American Airlines as the first 21-person aircraft that made passenger air travel profitable. It became the most used plane in the country.]

Pressurized cabins had not yet been developed, so many airlines had to deal with queasy passengers and .

created the government’s Civil Aeronautics Authority, which helped regulate and instill order in the industry, as well as develop it long-term.

When Hitler invaded Poland in 1939, were in the United States. That number exploded throughout the course of World War II to about the creation of 50,000 planes per year.

The development of a few years before the war, and by 1940, radar transceivers along the U.K.’s east coast could detect German aircraft as it took off—from mainland Europe.

By this time, aboard aircraft to determine whether inbound planes were machines of allies or enemies.

British pilot Frank Whittle in 1930 and 12 years later sent the first prototype to General Electric across the Atlantic.

Thanks to Whittle’s design, , the Bell P-59, in 1943.

In December of this year, the landmark by 54 nations in Chicago to continue the development of international air travel safely and orderly. The Chicago Convention also planned establishment of the International Civil Aviation Organization to support a growing global transport network.

Lufthansa, after having been the airline to carry out the by a land-based aircraft in 1938, had its service suspended in 1945 due to the war. But it was given new life in 1953–’54.&�Բ�����;

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 455,515 people

This year, Transcontinental and Western Airlines, known as " from Los Angeles to New York.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 305,827 people

On Sept. 18, 1947, .

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 387,730 people

—about half of them combat aircraft—down from 68,400 aircraft at the end of the war in 1945.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 419,347 people

The United States from two to seven in 1949.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 411,277 people

President Harry S. Truman .

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 788,381 people

The English Electric Canberra made the , taking a mere 4 hours, 37 minutes.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 983,261 people

The British jet “Comet” flying from London to Johannesburg, South Africa.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 977,593 people

The ‘50s were a time in which passengers paid what many would consider exorbitant prices for in-flight luxuries. A one-way flight to Europe was known to be in today's dollars.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 947,918 people

According to the Huffington Post, a “mandated that stewardesses be single, stay under 125 pounds, and maintain ‘high moral standards’ during employment.”

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 959,946 people

Passengers during this time also to fly and could get to the airport before takeoff.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 909,958 people

The rapid boom in the industry led to overcrowded airspace. In fact, in 1956 over the Grand Canyon, killing 128 people.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 919,835 people

Another luxury of ‘50s air travel was space—economy was more like today’s business class, with 3–6 inches more legroom than what passengers get today.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 871,156 people

The number of accidents caused by overcrowdedness led to Congress’s passage of and establishment of the Federal Aviation Agency, a safety regulatory agency.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 840,435 people

A journalist from June of 1959, which stated that the price of a 12-hour trip from Los Angeles to New York cost $168.40—$1,225 when adjusted for inflation.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 814,752 people

In 1960, in the U.S. after winning a discrimination case against Capital Airlines. Ruth Carol Taylor was actually the first African-American flight attendant, which occurred as a response after Banks brought suit against the airline.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 821,151 people

was done by Antulio Ramirez Ortiz using a gun and a steak knife. He rerouted the plane to Key West, Florida, to Havana, Cuba, as he had said that he was trying to warn Cuban President Fidel Castro that he was being targeted for assassination.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 884,025 people

in an aircraft, when a helicopter was shot down by enemy troops in Vietnam.

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 869,431 people

In a plane crash near Camden, Tennessee, , Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins, and one more person were killed.

Average domestic airline fare: $36.66 (inflation-adjusted: $289.36)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 856,798 people

On April 11, 1964, to successfully pilot a plane around the world.

Average domestic airline fare: $36.81 (inflation-adjusted: $285.97)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 824,662 people

On March 18, 1965, took the first space walk.

Average domestic airline fare: $36.81 (inflation-adjusted: $277.17)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 887,353 people

The and could now carry hundreds of people, further revolutionizing mass air transport.

Average domestic airline fare: $36.97 (inflation-adjusted: $270.83)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 897,494 people

In October, on the planet Venus.

Average domestic airline fare: $37.74 (inflation-adjusted: $265.37)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 904,850 people

In December, Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders became the .

Average domestic airline fare: $40.52 (inflation-adjusted: $270.20)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 862,353 people

This year marked the history-altering date when first humans, , landed on the moon.

Number of passengers carried: 163,448,992 people

Average domestic airline fare: $43.77 (inflation-adjusted: $276.06)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 791,349 people

Pan American World Airway’s seated as many as 450 passengers. It was 80% bigger than the largest jet up until that time, called the DC-8.

Number of passengers carried: 174,143,104 people

Average domestic airline fare: $46.87 (inflation-adjusted: $283.16)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 755,300 people

its first transatlantic journey.

Number of passengers carried: 191,325,408 people

Average domestic airline fare: $48.10 (inflation-adjusted: $281.60)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 725,838 people

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, known as for the first time.

Number of passengers carried: 202,309,200 people

Average domestic airline fare: $49.80 (inflation-adjusted: $274.49)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 691,182 people

as the first female pilot hired for a commercial airline—Frontier Airlines.

Number of passengers carried: 207,612,400 people

Average domestic airline fare: $53.98 (inflation-adjusted: $267.93)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 643,970 people

to qualify as a pilot for the U.S. Army.

Number of passengers carried: 204,900,400 people

Average domestic airline fare: $58.78 (inflation-adjusted: $267.33)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 612,751 people

In a show of peace, —known as the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project—took place.

Number of passengers carried: 223,017,296 people

Average domestic airline fare: $63.57 (inflation-adjusted: $273.39)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 585,416 people

In this year alone, —first planet landing—with Viking 1 and 2.

Number of passengers carried: 240,144,992 people

Average domestic airline fare: $67.28 (inflation-adjusted: $271.69)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 570,695 people

A horrific accident between a caused 234 and 317 passenger deaths, respectively, as well as 14 crew members of the KLM plane.

Number of passengers carried: 273,025,504 people

Average domestic airline fare: $70.38 (inflation-adjusted: $264.13)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 569,712 people

With the , Congress ended the government’s regulation of airline prices and routes.

Number of passengers carried: 313,624,000 people

Average domestic airline fare: $76.10 (inflation-adjusted: $256.49)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 559,455 people

Congress passed the , providing resources to assure more safety and quiet flights.

Number of passengers carried: 295,329,088 people

Average domestic airline fare: $105.18 (inflation-adjusted: $312.34)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 557,969 people

The , the Solar Challenger, which was designed by American , flew successfully.

Number of passengers carried: 281,086,400 people

Average domestic airline fare: $132.40 (inflation-adjusted: $356.42)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 570,302 people

The following year, the 163 miles across the English Channel.

Number of passengers carried: 290,992,608 people

Average domestic airline fare: $146.01 (inflation-adjusted: $370.25)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 582,845 people

The was completed by Americans H. Ross Perot Jr. and Jay Coburn.

Number of passengers carried: 315,600,096 people

Average domestic airline fare: $154.36 (inflation-adjusted: $379.25)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 592,044 people

This year was of the aviation industry: Guy Bluford became the first African-American astronaut and Sally Ride became the first American female astronaut.

Number of passengers carried: 340,191,488 people

Average domestic airline fare: $163.64 (inflation-adjusted: $385.41)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 597,125 people

made the solo transatlantic balloon flight, from Carbon, Maine, to Savona, Italy.

Number of passengers carried: 372,059,104 people

Average domestic airline fare: $174.01 (inflation-adjusted: $395.72)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 601,515 people

This year marked the .

Number of passengers carried: 414,554,496 people

Average domestic airline fare: $181.12 (inflation-adjusted: $404.39)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 608,199 people

On Jan. 28, 1986, the killed seven astronauts. Later investigations revealed it wasn't exactly an explosion: "."

Number of passengers carried: 441,832,704 people

Average domestic airline fare: $189.94 (inflation-adjusted: $409.14)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 607,035 people

in February of this year.

Number of passengers carried: 454,202,912 people

Average domestic airline fare: $192.10 (inflation-adjusted: $397.36)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 576,446 people

Despite the harrowing event of the Challenger incident two years prior, made its first flight.

Number of passengers carried: 453,161,504 people

Average domestic airline fare: $203.55 (inflation-adjusted: $401.68)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 570,880 people

The first satellite to measure radiation named Cosmic Background Explorer, was launched.

Number of passengers carried: 464,574,016 people

Average domestic airline fare: $229.54 (inflation-adjusted: $429.74)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 535,233 people

was deployed in April of 1990, which NASA says “.”

Number of passengers carried: 452,015,904 people

Average domestic airline fare: $240.05 (inflation-adjusted: $431.28)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 510,432 people

as the first female crew member of the SR-71 Blackbird.

Number of passengers carried: 466,964,992 people

Average domestic airline fare: $240.05 (inflation-adjusted: $418.68)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 470,315 people

In May, the , allowing the first three-person spacewalk.

Number of passengers carried: 469,926,112 people

Average domestic airline fare: $276.40 (inflation-adjusted: $468.06)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 444,351 people

On April 28, 1993, the U.S. Secretary of Defense were permitted to enter combat.

Number of passengers carried: 514,924,000 people

Average domestic airline fare: $286.92 (inflation-adjusted: $473.75)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 426,327 people

Vicki Van Meter to pilot a transatlantic flight at 12 years old.

Number of passengers carried: 533,512,096 people

Average domestic airline fare: $293.42 (inflation-adjusted: $471.12)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 400,409 people

into service, the longest long-range wide-body twin jets in the world.

Number of passengers carried: 571,072,000 people

Average domestic airline fare: $278.68 (inflation-adjusted: $434.62)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 389,001 people

Astronaut Shannon Lucid for the longest stay in space at more than two years.

Number of passengers carried: 590,571,392 people

Average domestic airline fare: $288.39 (inflation-adjusted: $439.69)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 377,385 people

NASA's Mars Pathfinder and Sojourner Rover for the first time in order to perform geological research.

Number of passengers carried: 588,170,880 people

Average domestic airline fare: $307.77 (inflation-adjusted: $462.03)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 367,468 people

The Hubble Space Telescope, launched eight years before, of a planet outside of Earth’s solar system.

Number of passengers carried: 634,364,608 people

Average domestic airline fare: $325.71 (inflation-adjusted: $478.40)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 360,510 people

The with AirTran Airways, with twin engines and a single aisle.

Number of passengers carried: 665,327,414 people

Average domestic airline fare: $339.62 (inflation-adjusted: $482.60)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 355,601 people

In November 2000, Commander Yuri Gidzenko, Commander Bill Shepherd, and flight engineer Sergei Krikalev became the on the International Space Station.

Number of passengers carried: 622,187,846 people

Average domestic airline fare: $324.20 (inflation-adjusted: $447.94)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 363,692 people

, the International Space Station celebrated its first birthday, and Polly Vacher became the first woman to travel around the world in a small plane via the Pacific Ocean.

Number of passengers carried: 598,410,415 people

Average domestic airline fare: $314.78 (inflation-adjusted: $428.17)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 369,112 people

On Nov. 26, 2002, Commander John B. Herrington became the to take a space walk, thanks to the space shuttle Endeavour.

Number of passengers carried: 588,997,110 people

Average domestic airline fare: $316.21 (inflation-adjusted: $420.52)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 375,859 people

The Concorde made its on Oct. 24, 2003. This year also marked the 100th anniversary of the first controlled flight.

Number of passengers carried: 678,110,608 people

Average domestic airline fare: $308.09 (inflation-adjusted: $399.10)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 376,813 people

shared his vision for the future of NASA and space exploration, which included plans to retire the International Space Station by 2010 and return to the moon by 2020. Ultimately, President Bush said, the next steps would be “human missions to Mars and to worlds beyond.”

Number of passengers carried: 720,547,738 people

Average domestic airline fare: $307.54 (inflation-adjusted: $385.33)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 353,696 people

The world record for the was set by a Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner. It flew from Hong Kong to London in 22 hours and 42 minutes.

Number of passengers carried: 725,530,965 people

Average domestic airline fare: $327.91 (inflation-adjusted: $398.01)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 348,953 people

The International Space Station , Anousheh Ansari, on board for eight days. She was doing human physiology tests for the European Space Agency.

Number of passengers carried: 744,302,310 people

Average domestic airline fare: $324.57 (inflation-adjusted: $383.12)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 333,495 people

for Singapore Airlines as the largest commercial airplane in the world, making its first stops in New York and Los Angeles.

Number of passengers carried: 701,779,551 people

Average domestic airline fare: $343.02 (inflation-adjusted: $389.86)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 327,382 people

This year was . The Expedition 16’s return marked the first time women were the dominant sex on a spacecraft, with Commander Peggy Whitson, flight engineer Yuri Malenchenko, and spaceflight participant So-yeon Yi on board. Whitson was the first female commander of the International Space Station and broke the record for the longest time spent in space for a U.S. astronaut—377 days.

Number of passengers carried: 679,423,408 people

Average domestic airline fare: $311.46 (inflation-adjusted: $355.31)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 333,408 people

the Hubble Space Telescope’s last servicing mission and the last non-International Space Station shuttle flight.

Number of passengers carried: 720,497,000 people

Average domestic airline fare: $334.93 (inflation-adjusted: $375.77)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 334,198 people

and achieved Earth orbit during the summer of 2010, instilling confidence in the future of a privatized aerospace industry.

Number of passengers carried: 730,796,000 people

Average domestic airline fare: $364.41 (inflation-adjusted: $396.49)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 333,162 people

July 8, 2011 saw the final journey of space shuttle Atlantis, marking the .

Number of passengers carried: 736,699,000 people

Average domestic airline fare: $376.62 (inflation-adjusted: $401.39)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 332,834 people

In September 2012, space shuttle Endeavour on top of a Boeing 747 from Florida to Los Angeles, effectively ending the 30-year NASA shuttle program.

Number of passengers carried: 743,171,000 people

Average domestic airline fare: $379.99 (inflation-adjusted: $399.08)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 330,485 people

The Airbus A350 while more than 10,000 spectators watched, ending eight years of service and costing about $15 billion.

Number of passengers carried: 762,710,000 people

Average domestic airline fare: $390.54 (inflation-adjusted: $403.74)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 316,332 people

in 2014 called the New Commercial Spaceflight Initiative. This would allow companies to have more access and use of NASA’s resources in order to further the U.S. aerospace industry and objectives.

Number of passengers carried: 798,222,000 people

Average domestic airline fare: $378.43 (inflation-adjusted: $390.73)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 311,357 people

were taken by New Horizons as it conducted a flyby, revealing that the “planet” was larger than was believed.

Number of passengers carried: 824,039,000 people

Average domestic airline fare: $352.42 (inflation-adjusted: $359.32)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 317,883 people

The United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization in an effort to address climate change. Later in the year, to land a spent rocket booster on a ship at sea after four unsuccessful attempts.

Number of passengers carried: 849,403,000 people

Average domestic airline fare: $347.86 (inflation-adjusted: $347.86)

Strength of U.S. Air Force: 322,787 people

In 2017, consumers used and benefited from air travel more than ever, and spent about 1% of the world gross domestic product on air transport, . In addition, for commercial passenger air travel, with zero accident deaths.