About Our Vintage Airline Posters

The Art and History of Vintage Aviation Travel Posters
Besides advertising in magazines and newspapers, vintage airline posters were the major form of promotion when Pan American Airways started in the late 1920s during the pre-TV, early years of commercial aviation. Despite the growth of radio and television advertising, vintage airline posters endured throughout Pan Am’s entire commercial life, playing a prominent role in capturing the glamour and excitement of air travel to far-off destinations.

Pan Am’s vintage airline posters tell the story of Pan American Airways / Pan American World Airways (1927-1991) from the 1920s to the 1980s. Through these posters, one sees the effort to pioneer commercial aviation, with Pan Am driving innovation from the 1920s into the 1970s. First with the flying "Clipper Ships" from the time before airstrips were common, which gave way to the DC-2 & DC-3 into the 1940s before WW2. Following WW2, the Stratocruiser led the way for Pan Am from 1949 through the 1950s, until the start of the jet age in 1958 with the development and launch of the 707. Pan Am's drive for innovation ultimately produced the 747 and 'democratization' of air travel when the 747 launched in 1970. Ironically, the massive investment in the 747 coupled with the oil crisis of the early 1970s and lack of a US feeder network to help fill the 747s set the stage for the beginning of the end of Pan Am.

Through Pan Am's vintage airline posters, one can follow the opening of air travel around the world, first with the Caribbean and South America in the late 1920s and 1930s, then across the Pacific in the late 1930s, then Europe, Africa, and the Middle East just before and after World War II. These posters also showcase Pan Am's role in opening previously closed countries and markets, like Russia and China. A bilateral route between New York and Moscow was established in the late 1960s, and a route to Beijing was opened in 1981 after nearly a decade of discussion, an early step toward opening China to the outside world. Finally, through these vintage airline posters, one also sees the unwinding of Pan Am with a couple of Pan Am / United Airlines posters in the 1980s.

Explore a Comprehensive Collection of Vintage Airline Posters
On this website, you will find approximately 800 different vintage airline posters for Pan Am and its marketing partners and affiliates. This extensive catalog includes around 700 unique Pan Am posters, featuring variations where the same poster art is reused with different text, taglines, and translations.

These vintage airline posters fall into three primary categories:

1. Pan Am-Designed Posters – The largest category includes vintage airline posters conceived and designed by Pan Am’s marketing department and advertising agencies, often in collaboration with renowned artists and designers. These posters are grouped into 22 distinct series, plus a bonus collection called The System of Flying Clippers.

2. Repurposed Tourism Posters – A significant group consists of vintage airline posters that incorporate existing tourism poster art, modified with Pan Am’s logos and taglines.

3. Co-Marketing Posters – The smallest category includes vintage airline posters created as part of co-marketing efforts or commercial sponsorships.

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Discover the Iconic Series of Vintage Airline Posters
As you explore Pan Am’s vintage airline posters, you’ll notice many recognizable series. While no comprehensive records exist detailing every Pan Am poster, most fall into one of the following 22 series, organized chronologically:

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• Paul George Lawler (1930s)

• Mark Von Arenburg (1940s)

• Jean Carlu (1940s-1960s)

• E. McKnight Kauffer (1950s)

• “By Clipper” (1950s)

• Southern Hemisphere “Sun Man” (1950s)

• Aaron Amspoker (1955)

• Aaron Fine (1950s-1960s)

• Romanticized Nostalgia (1960s)

• Women of the World (1964)

• Chester “Blackie” Kronfeld Photographs (1960s)

• Pan Am "Moon" (1960s)

• Groovy Art and Logos (1960s-1970)

• Henry Syverson (1970s)

• Small Format with Photos (1970)

• Chermayeff & Geismar MoMA (1971-1972)

• Post-Chermayeff (1973-75)

• Collage (1973)

• Destinations in Large Font (1975)

• Vertical Pan Am Logo (1977-1981)

• Chenault Inc. (1983)

• Pan Am’s World (1987)

Pan Am also created many vintage airline posters that don’t fit neatly into these series. These one-of-a-kind posters are grouped under One-Off Pan Am Posters.

Affiliated Airlines and Their Vintage Airline Posters
Throughout its history, Pan Am established partnerships with several affiliated airlines. These included Pan American-Grace Airways (Panagra), Panair do Brasil (Panair), Compania Mexicana de Aviacion (Mexicana or CMA), and China National Aviation Corp (CNAC). Many vintage airline posters from these affiliates can also be found in this collection.

Identifying Authentic Vintage Airline Posters
When searching for Pan Am posters online, you may come across images that resemble Pan Am’s iconic artwork but are not original vintage airline posters. Some of these images are from Pan Am brochures or calendars, while others are modern recreations inspired by classic Pan Am poster designs. For example, artist Kerne Erickson designed a Cuba poster in the style of a 1930s Pan Am poster. Additionally, some posters remain unverified due to inconsistencies in logos, design elements, or historical accuracy. These uncertain posters are categorized under Pan Am "Like" and Unconfirmed Pan Am Posters, requiring further research to confirm authenticity.

Vintage Route Maps: A Unique Piece of Pan Am’s Legacy
Beyond vintage airline posters, Pan Am also produced an extensive collection of maps, particularly route maps showcasing its global reach. Some of the most artistic maps date back to the 1930s and 1940s, including a stunning series published with the 1945 calendar that highlighted Pan Am’s destinations in Central and South America.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, Pan Am’s route maps were available in many formats, including folded brochures and large wall displays measuring 3 to 10 feet wide. These maps served both practical and promotional purposes, solidifying Pan Am’s presence in the golden era of aviation.

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While this website surely captures most of the Pan Am and affiliated posters ever produced, some are likely missing. If you know of a Pan Am poster that is not captured on the website, please send an email with the image to: info@panamposters.com.