American Airlines Logo

American Airlines LogoAmerican Airlines Logo PNG

The American Airlines logo has spread its wings over the world. The airline carries passengers from one continent to another, demonstrating the strength, speed, and reliability of American aircraft. The emblem promises: “Once you try it, you’ll want to fly with us forever.”

American Airlines: Brand overview

Founded:1930
Headquarters:
Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Website:aa.com
American Airlines has the largest commercial air fleet, making it the world’s largest airline. It includes about eighty small air transport companies that merged in 1930. At first, the organization was called American Airways, but after 1934 it was renamed American Airlines.

Meaning and History

American Airlines Logo History

In the early years, the company created a “glamorous” image because flying on an airplane was then considered something exclusive, and wearing a pilot’s uniform with the AA logo was a special privilege. Now the air carrier is perceived quite differently.

He was forced to change his logo to distract customers from a host of other issues, including recent bankruptcy, bad reviews, and the scandalous story of a web designer who was fired just because he wanted to redesign American Airlines’ interface. With this in mind, the main goal of the latest rebranding was to showcase dynamic change. The company owners hoped to start all over again – with a new logo and a reimagined aircraft livery.

What is American Airlines?

It is the largest airline in the world. It owns a record fleet in terms of the number of aircraft. It is based in the United States and has a wide international route network. Its original name is American Airways.

1934 – 1945

American Airlines Logo 1934-1945

In 1934, American Airways changed its name to American Airlines. Despite this, she retained her old emblem, designed back in 1931: a blue circle depicting a globe with a giant eagle standing on it. On two sides of the bird’s raised wings were the letters “A” – one to the left, the second to the right. In the background, a diagonal line ran between them. The bezel ring, beam, and both “A” were red, which created a lack of contrast.

The author of the logo is one of the airline employees – Goodrich Murphy. He came up with an original idea himself, but he spied an eagle’s image on the booklet of the Scottish hotel. The combination of colors used is an obvious reference to the US flag.

1945 – 1962

American Airlines Logo 1945-1962

In 1945, the designers removed all elements except the letters and the eagle. Simultaneously, the logo looked completely new because the bird was enlarged and turned to the right. Although the drawing style remains the same, minor details have changed. The colors were redesigned with blue as the primary and white for the background.

1962 – 1967

American Airlines Logo 1962-1967

In the early 1960s, the emblem developers reimagined the design, returning the classic color scheme: a combination of red, white, and blue. To do this, they again enclosed the eagle and letters in a bright ring, as it was in 1934-1945. Another change is the inscription “AMERICAN,” which appeared under the bird as a verbal clarification to the abbreviation.

1967 – 2013

American Airlines Logo 1967-2013

In 1967, Massimo Vignelli commissioned Massimo Vignelli to develop new visual identity elements: the aircraft’s logo and livery. Until then, only two capital letters “AA” was depicted on the tails of airliners. The Italian designer has completed them with an abstract cruciform eagle in a “V” shape. He also created a text sign for the air transport enterprise, consisting of the merged words “AmencanAirlines.” The left half of the lettering was red and the right half blue. The simple Helvetica font emphasized the company’s professionalism.

2013 – today

American Airlines Logo 2013-present

In early 2013, design firm FutureBrand modernized the American Airlines eagle beyond recognition. The modern graphic sign, known as the Flight Symbol, has long been in the public domain because the United States Copyright Office considered it insufficiently original to register. The airline only acquired the copyright for its stylized bird in 2018.

Another challenge that the developers had to face was the rejection of branding by the enterprise’s customers and employees. Due to much controversy, CEO Doug Parker put two logos for a vote at the end of 2013: the Flight Symbol and a version with a messy retro design combining the old and new emblems. Naturally, choosing between these two options, many voted for the first option, which the airline’s management wanted.

American Airlines: Interesting Facts

American Airlines, founded in 1930, has become one of the world’s largest airlines, significantly shaping the aviation sector. Here are some key highlights of its journey:

  1. Start: It began as a combination of over 80 small airlines, becoming American Airways in 1930 and then rebranding to American Airlines in 1934.
  2. Frequent Flyer Program: In 1981, it launched the AAdvantage program, the first major frequent flyer program, offering passengers miles for flights and other rewards.
  3. Reservation Technology: In the 1960s, America introduced the SABRE computerized reservation system, a major innovation that evolved into a global booking system.
  4. Hub-and-Spoke Model: The airline played a key role in creating the hub-and-spoke system, routing passengers through a central hub to optimize flights and aircraft usage.
  5. Large Fleet: With one of the largest fleets globally, American Airlines serves numerous destinations and offers extensive flight options.
  6. Growth Through Mergers: Notably, its 2013 merger with US Airways significantly increased its network, making it one of the largest global airlines.
  7. Sustainability: The airline aims for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, investing in fuel-efficient aircraft and sustainable fuels.
  8. Cabin Innovations: America has introduced premium economy seats and improved in-flight entertainment and connectivity, enhancing passenger experience.
  9. Support in Crises: The airline has supported relief efforts in crises, transporting medical supplies and aid to disaster-struck areas.
  10. Embracing Digital: Americans have adopted digital solutions like mobile boarding passes and biometric boarding to improve customer service.

American Airlines has been a leader in aviation, from pioneering new systems to committing to sustainability and innovation, continuing to connect people across the globe.

Font and Colors

American Airlines Emblem

The main element of the American Airlines identity is the eagle, the national symbol of the United States. Now the bird looks like a three-color diagonal stripe with a triangular projection and is very similar in shape to an airplane’s tail. According to the representatives of FutureBrand, in this sign, you can see the letter “A” and a star. But they are too abstract to be obvious. Many believe that the previous version of the logo was much better. Its creator, Massimo Vignelli, shares the same opinion.

To the left of the new graphic is the American Airlines name. The designers chose a sans-serif font for the lettering, very similar to Helvetica, which was used from 1967 to 2013.

A distinctive feature of the logo is its three-color palette associated with the US flag. At the same time, shadows and gradients give Flight Symbol visual depth.

American Airlines color codes

French BlueHex color:#0078d2
RGB:0 120 210
CMYK:100 43 0 18
Pantone:PMS 285 C
CharcoalHex color:#36495a
RGB:54 73 90
CMYK:0 40 19 0 65
Pantone:PMS 7477 C
Venetian RedHex color:#c30019
RGB:195 0 25
CMYK:0 100 87 24
Pantone:PMS 485 C
Cadet GrayHex color:#9da6ab
RGB:157 166 171
CMYK:8 3 0 33
Pantone:PMS 429 C

What is the logo for American Airlines?

The logo, known as the ‘Flight Symbol,’ depicts a ‘hybrid’ of an airplane and a bird. It consists of red and blue diagonal wings, separated by a stylized eagle’s head. The inscription ‘American Airlines’ completes the logo.

Where was American Airlines founded?

American Airways, which later became American Airlines, was founded by independent carriers from the West, Midwest, and Northeast United States.

Who Created the American Airlines logo?

The last logo, known as the ‘Flight Symbol,’ was designed by FutureBrand. FutureBrand is headquartered in London and is part of Interpublic Group of Companies, an American advertising holding company.

Did American Airlines change their logo?

American Airlines has changed its logo several times throughout its history. The current version was introduced in 2013.