American Airlines System Map [1953]

A mid-century route map of “America’s Leading Airline.”

Fly coast to coast, plus Mexico and Canada, with this 1953 American Airlines map, published in Convent Station, New Jersey, by General Drafting Company. Four primary maps (topography by Vahe Kirishjian) highlight the operational routes, noting distances between points and locations of interest. The first two capture the airways across the Northeast and the Midwest, with one inch approximating 9½ minutes of flying time at 300 miles per hour – a novel way of visualizing scale.

The verso of the sheet shows maps Number 3 (the West) and Number 4 (Mexico), plus an interesting diagram that places the continental routes of American amid a broader global network.