Search the Special Collections and Archives Portal

Western Airlines

Corporate Body Alternate Name
Western Air Lines
WAL

Western Airlines — A major U.S. commercial airline founded in 1925 as Western Air Express and headquartered in Los Angeles. Western Airlines played a significant role in the development of commercial aviation in the American West, including providing passenger service to Las Vegas during the city’s mid-20th-century growth as a gaming and entertainment destination. The airline served routes throughout the western United States, Canada, Mexico, and Hawaii before merging with Delta Air Lines in 1987.