From Jean-Pierre Blanchard’s 1793 balloon flight over Philadelphia — with
President Washington watching from the crowd — to the world’s longest nonstop commercial flight landing in New York, to the Artemis II going around the moon, the history of American aviation and aerospace is one of the greatest stories ever told.
This interactive timeline spans 250 years and 179+ verified milestones: the first powered flight at Kitty Hawk, the Tuskegee Airmen, Amelia Earhart’s solo Atlantic crossing, the birth of Pan Am and the jet age, the tragedies that forged today’s safety system, the women who broke every barrier, and the cargo pioneers who made overnight delivery possible.
Sourced from the Smithsonian, FAA, NTSB, and the airlines themselves. Browse by era or category, or search any name, year, or event.
This timeline is a living document, updated as American aviation history
continues to unfold. If you’re an airline employee, aviation professional, or
non-rev traveler, bookmark this page and share it with your crew. The story of
American aviation is your story too.
Have a milestone we missed? Contact us at Passrider.com.