When did planes become affordable?

“It wasn't until the arrival of the wide-bodied airliners in the 1970s, like the Boeing 747, which provided the spur to real growth as the airlines were able to offer more economical travel,” says Hales-Dutton. Bigger planes meant more seats, and more seats meant tickets could be cheaper.



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But falling fares in the 1970s allowed many more people to fly and undermined the exclusivity of jet travel. Sweeping cultural changes in the 1960s and 1970s reshaped the airline industry. More people began to fly, and air travel became less exclusive. Between 1955 and 1972, passenger numbers more than quadrupled.

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Flights in the 1970s may well have been a lot more expensive, but passengers also got much more in terms of service. As airlines didn't set their own rates, they were guaranteed profits. As a result, with the money travelers paid, airlines were able to offer crystal glasses, complimentary champagne, and real cutlery.

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Despite being known as the golden age of air travel, flying in the '50s was not cheap. In fact, a roundtrip flight from Chicago to Phoenix could cost today's equivalent of $1,168 when adjusted for inflation.

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Fares were also much higher. According to Simons, a transatlantic flight ticket in the early 1960s would cost around $600, which is about $5,800 in today's money. Nevertheless, nostalgia for the period abounds, and Pan Am in particular is still remembered fondly as the pinnacle of the air travel experience.

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According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the average domestic roundtrip base airfare in 1990 cost $288 or $554 in today's dollars. The most recent data from the department states that the base fare for the same type of ticket in 2018 is $340.

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Aviation's 'golden age': The 1950s and 1960s have now nostalgically become known as air travel's golden age.

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It cost an arm and a leg (or half a car). A roundtrip ticket from coast to coast cost about $260 in the 1930's. Some context: the average automobile at the time cost just double that. Flying was an exciting new thrill, but only for the few who could afford it.

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KLM, officially known as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, holds the prestigious title of being the oldest airline in the world still operating under its original name. Founded on October 7th, 1919, by a visionary group led by Dutch pilot Albert Plesman (1889–1953), KLM has a rich history that spans over a century.

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KLM, officially known as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, holds the prestigious title of being the oldest airline in the world still operating under its original name. Founded on October 7th, 1919, by a visionary group led by Dutch pilot Albert Plesman (1889–1953), KLM has a rich history that spans over a century.

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Flights are generally the most inexpensive between four months and three weeks before your departure date. Seasonal changes and holidays can create price fluctuations in ticket prices. The day of the week that you book a flight does not affect the price.

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The most common is for 10 percent off of the full fare price of a flight, with the age eligibility ranging from 50-65. A note of caution, however: While 10 percent off may sound great at first, the savings may be skewed by ever-rising flight prices. Still, it's worthwhile to start by checking for the senior price.

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The 1950 and 1960s have become known as the Golden Age of flying. It was a time of glamorous air hostesses and gourmet meals, and of great leg room for all. Skyscanner Australia uncovers what it was like to fly in those days compared to flights today.

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Mid-air collisions were fairly common prior to the Grand Canyon accident: one 1956 Aviation Week article noted that, between 1948 and 1955 there were 127 mid-air collisions in the U.S. with 30 involving commercial airliners; today, by comparison, the last major airline crash in the U.S. was now more than a decade ago.

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