Rare Old American Airlines Map of the USA, 1947: Airplane Routes

The "American Airlines System Map" from 1947, crafted by American Airlines Inc., is a captivating snapshot of post-World War II aviation history. This pictorial map vividly illustrates the burgeoning network of American Airlines and its connecting routes, extending across the United States and reaching into Mexico, Cuba, the Bahamas, and southern Canada. The map is a testament to the era's rapid expansion of commercial air travel, showcasing the airline's commitment to connecting major cities and remote regions alike, symbolized by the crisscrossing red and green lines representing various routes.

This map is not just a tool for navigation but a piece of art, adorned with detailed illustrations of landmarks and points of interest. From the Statue of Liberty in New York to the Alamo in Texas, these artistic depictions offer a visual tour of the nation's cultural and historical treasures. The relief shown by hachures and spot heights adds a layer of geographical context, highlighting the diverse terrain that these early flights traversed, from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Plains.

The mapmaker, American Airlines Inc., was a pioneer in the aviation industry, having been established in 1930. By 1947, the airline had significantly contributed to the development of commercial aviation, making air travel more accessible and efficient. This map serves as a historical artifact, reflecting the airline's strategic expansion and the broader post-war optimism that characterized the era. The intricate design and comprehensive coverage of routes underscore American Airlines' role in shaping modern air travel.

In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the map provides valuable insights into the interconnectedness of North American cities and regions during the late 1940s. Major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago are prominently featured, along with numerous smaller towns, emphasizing the extensive reach of American Airlines' network. The inclusion of international connections to Mexico, Cuba, the Bahamas, and Canada highlights the airline's ambition to foster cross-border travel and commerce.

The "American Airlines System Map" is a remarkable blend of artistry and functionality, capturing a pivotal moment in aviation history. It offers a unique perspective on the geographical and cultural landscape of North America in the mid-20th century, making it a prized possession for collectors and history enthusiasts alike. This map is more than just a representation of flight routes; it is a window into an era of innovation and exploration, where the skies were the new frontier.

Cities and towns on this map

• New York City
• Los Angeles
• Chicago
• Houston
• Philadelphia
• Phoenix
• San Antonio
• San Diego
• Dallas
• San Jose
• Austin
• Jacksonville
• Fort Worth
• Columbus
• San Francisco
• Charlotte
• Indianapolis
• Seattle
• Denver
• Washington, D.C.
• Boston
• El Paso
• Detroit
• Nashville
• Portland
• Memphis
• Oklahoma City
• Las Vegas
• Louisville
• Baltimore
• Milwaukee
• Albuquerque
• Tucson
• Fresno
• Sacramento
• Kansas City
• Mesa
• Atlanta
• Omaha
• Colorado Springs
• Raleigh
• Miami
• Long Beach
• Virginia Beach
• Oakland
• Minneapolis
• Tulsa
• Arlington
• New Orleans
• Wichita
• Cleveland
• Tampa
• Bakersfield
• Aurora
• Honolulu
• Anaheim
• Santa Ana
• Corpus Christi
• Riverside
• Lexington
• Stockton
• Henderson
• St. Paul
• St. Louis
• Cincinnati
• Pittsburgh
• Greensboro
• Anchorage
• Plano
• Lincoln
• Orlando
• Irvine
• Newark
• Toledo
• Durham
• Chula Vista
• Fort Wayne
• Jersey City
• St. Petersburg
• Laredo
• Madison
• Chandler
• Buffalo
• Lubbock
• Scottsdale
• Reno
• Glendale
• Gilbert
• Winston-Salem
• North Las Vegas
• Norfolk
• Chesapeake
• Garland
• Irving
• Hialeah
• Fremont
• Boise
• Richmond
• Baton Rouge
• Spokane
• Des Moines
• Tacoma
• San Bernardino
• Modesto
• Fontana
• Santa Clarita
• Birmingham
• Oxnard
• Fayetteville
• Moreno Valley
• Rochester
• Glendale
• Huntington Beach
• Salt Lake City
• Grand Rapids
• Amarillo
• Yonkers
• Aurora
• Montgomery
• Akron
• Little Rock
• Huntsville
• Augusta
• Mobile
• Grand Prairie
• Overland Park
• Knoxville
• Port St. Lucie
• Worcester
• Brownsville
• Tempe
• Santa Rosa
• Newport News
• Cape Coral
• Providence
• Fort Lauderdale
• Chattanooga
• Rancho Cucamonga
• Oceanside
• Santa Clarita
• Garden Grove
• Vancouver
• Sioux Falls
• Peoria
• Ontario
• Jackson
• Elk Grove
• Springfield
• Pembroke Pines
• Salem
• Corona
• Eugene
• McKinney
• Fort Collins
• Lancaster
• Cary
• Palmdale
• Hayward
• Salinas
• Frisco
• Springfield
• Pasadena
• Macon
• Pomona
• Alexandria
• Escondido
• Sunnyvale
• Lakewood
• Hollywood
• Kansas City
• Clarksville
• Torrance
• Rockford
• Joliet
• Paterson
• Bridgeport
• Naperville
• Savannah
• Mesquite
• Syracuse
• McAllen
• Pasadena
• Bellevue
• Fullerton
• Orange
• Dayton
• Miramar
• Thornton
• West Valley City
• Olathe
• Hampton
• Warren
• Midland
• Waco
• Charleston
• Columbia
• Denton
• Carrollton
• Surprise
• Roseville
• Sterling Heights
• Murfreesboro
• Gainesville
• Cedar Rapids
• Visalia
• Coral Springs
• New Haven
• Stamford
• Thousand Oaks
• Concord
• Elizabeth
• Lafayette
• Kent
• Topeka
• Simi Valley
• Santa Clara
• Athens
• Hartford
• Victorville
• Abilene
• Norman
• Vallejo
• Berkeley
• Round Rock
• Ann Arbor
• Fargo
• Columbia
• Allentown
• Evansville
• Beaumont
• Odessa
• Wilmington
• Arvada
• Independence
• Provo
• Lansing
• El Monte
• Springfield
• Fairfield
• Clearwater
• Peoria
• West Jordan
• Richardson
• Downey
• Miami Gardens
• Temecula
• Costa Mesa
• College Station
• Elgin
• Murrieta
• Gresham
• High Point
• Antioch
• Inglewood
• Cambridge
• Lowell
• Manchester
• Billings
• Pueblo
• Palm Bay
• Centennial
• Richmond
• Ventura
• Pompano Beach
• North Charleston
• Everett
• Waterbury
• West Palm Beach
• Boulder
• West Covina
• Broken Arrow
• Clovis
• Daly City
• Lakeland
• Santa Maria
• Norwalk
• Sandy Springs
• Hillsboro
• Green Bay
• Tyler
• Wichita Falls
• Lewisville
• Burbank
• Greeley
• San Mateo
• El Cajon
• Jurupa Valley
• Rialto
• Davenport
• League City
• Edison
• Davie
• Las Cruces
• South Bend
• Vista
• Woodbridge
• Renton
• Lakewood
• San Angelo
• Clinton
• Edinburg
• Roanoke
• Kenosha
• Vacaville

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Illustrations:
• Various landmarks and points of interest across the United States, Mexico, Cuba, the Bahamas, and southern Canada.
• Landmarks:
• Illustrations of notable landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, and the Alamo.
• Bodies of water:
• Atlantic Ocean
• Pacific Ocean
• Gulf of Mexico
• Great Lakes
• Borders:
• Borders between the United States, Mexico, and Canada are indicated.
• Mountains:
• Various mountain ranges are illustrated, including the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains.
• Other notable features:
• Airline routes are prominently displayed with different colored lines.
• Decorative elements such as a compass rose and a legend explaining the map symbols.

Historical and design context

• Relief shown: Relief is indicated by hachures and spot heights.
• Map type: Pictorial map showing routes of American and other connecting airlines, points of interest, etc.
• Connections: Includes connections to Mexico, Cuba, the Bahamas, and southern Canada.
• Creation date: 1947
• Mapmaker/Publisher: American Airlines Inc.
• Context about the mapmaker: American Airlines is a major American airline, established in 1930, which has played a significant role in the development of commercial aviation.
• Topics and themes:
• Airline routes: The map shows the network of American Airlines and connecting airlines.
• Points of interest: Various landmarks and points of interest are illustrated.
• Design and style:
• Pictorial elements: The map includes illustrations of landmarks and points of interest.
• Color coding: Different colors are used to indicate various airline routes.
• Historical significance:
• Post-WWII era: The map reflects the expansion of commercial aviation in the post-World War II era.
• Growth of air travel: Demonstrates the importance of air travel in connecting various regions of North America and the Caribbean.

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

Please note: the labels on this map are hard to read if you order a map that is 20in (50cm) or smaller. The map is still very attractive, but if you would like to read the map easily, please buy a larger size.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

For most orders, delivery time is about 3 working days. Personalised and custom made maps take longer, as I have to do the personalisation and send it to you for approval, which usually takes a day or two.

Please note that for larger framed orders (over 40in/100cm), and some other framed sizes, the delivery time will be closer to 7-10 days.

If you need your order to arrive by a certain date, please contact me before you order so that we can find the best way of making sure you get your order in time.

I print and frame maps in 22 countries around the world. This means your map will be made locally, which cuts down on delivery time and reduces the chance of your map being damaged during delivery. There won't be any extra taxes or duties to pay, and we'll put less CO2 into the air.

All of my maps are well packaged and sent in a rugged tube if unframed, or surrounded by foam if framed.

I try to send out all maps within 1 or 2 days of receiving your order, though some products (like face masks or mugs) can take longer to make.

If you select Express Delivery at checkout your order we will prioritise your order and send it out by 1-day courier (Fedex, DHL, UPS, Parcelforce).

We can sometimes do next-day delivery if you order before 10am. But usually it's best to contact me first before you order.

Read my full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps are also available as a framed canvas. The map is printed on matte (not shiny) canvas, stretched over a box frame, and then 'floated' within a simple wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing in front of your map.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map yourself, please read my map size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

If you are not happy with your unique map for any reason, contact me for a no-quibble refund.

I am very confident you will like your old map. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and have over 4,000 real 5-star reviews.

I use a unique process to restore my maps that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore the maps. As a result, I guarantee my maps are a cut above the rest - that's why I can offer a no-quibble refund.

Almost all of my maps look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.