airline

American  

[air-lahyn] / ˈɛərˌlaɪn /

noun

1. Aeronautics.

   1. a system furnishing air transport, usually scheduled, between specified points.

   2. the airplanes, airports, etc., of such a system.

   3. Often airlines a company that owns or operates such a system.

2. a direct line; beeline.

3. an airhose used to pipe air to a deep-sea diver, pneumatic drill, etc.

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adjective

1. of or on an airline.

airline British  

/ ˈɛəˌlaɪn /

noun

1. 1. a system or organization that provides scheduled flights for passengers or cargo

   2. ( as modifier )

      an airline pilot

2. a hose or tube carrying air under pressure

3. a beeline

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Etymology

Origin of airline

First recorded in 1910–15; air ¹ + line ¹

Explanation

An airline is a company that owns and operates a fleet of planes. You might pick an airline for your trip to Hawaii based on who sells the least expensive tickets. The airline is the business that maintains airplanes for commercial and business travel. Some people have a strong preference for one airline over another — you may enjoy flying with the airline that provides homemade cookies to its passengers, for example. Baggage handlers, flight attendants, and pilots all work for an airline. The original, 1813 meaning of airline was quite different: "a straight line between two points on the earth's surface."

Example Sentences

But the national airline sells the round-trip flight for a flat 90 euros that actually costs the government about 850 euros.

From Slate • Jun. 6, 2026

"And that doesn't matter if you are a legacy or low-cost airline."

From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026

“If you’re new to the ecosystem, I wouldn’t start with an airline credit card, because you’re locked into those redemptions,” Henderson said.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026

Baroness Grey-Thompson also recalled other incidents where the wheels of her racing chair were damaged, and an airline "immediately jumped to replacing them" with a more expensive set.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

He was so serious that I didn’t have the heart to tell him that we probably needed to fill a couple of those jugs just to pay for one airline ticket.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers