Ozark Air Lines

Route map of the Ozark Air Lines from 1968.

Established in 1950 and headquartered at the St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Ozark Air Lines was one of the numerous regional aviation providers that popped up across the U.S. in the decade following World War II. Fuel constraints, airport construction, and plane limitations restricted long-distance passenger travel, and more localized options were required until larger, more fuel-efficient jetliners became widely available.

This route map shows the various lines in operation as of 1968, with mileage noted between the various cities reached by Ozark Air Lines. Service extends as far as Denver, added to the airline’s operations in 1966. An interesting chart in the lower-left attempts to illustrate the various environments encountered by the passengers as they fly thousands of feet overhead.

The verso summarizes attractions from the various cities served by Ozark Air Lines and includes advertisements from Hertz and the Holiday Inn, as well as a greeting from the mascot;

“And you’re welcome to this Ozark route map – a handy guide to what you’re flying over. You can pick out the landmarks – the rivers, the highways, the cities, the larger lakes and mountains – and when your flight is completed, you can take the map along with you as a souvenir – of the go-getters’ airline and the vital part of mid-America it serves.”

Originally published in 1958 by Jeppesen & Company of Denver, Colorado on behalf of the Ozark Air Lines. This example was updated to October of 1968, shortly after the airline’s final Douglas DC-3 flight. The transition to a combined fleet of turbo-prop planes and jetliners allowed for Ozark to remain in operation until 1986, when it was acquired by Transworld Airlines (TWA).

Source.