airliner
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of airliner
Explanation
If you've ever taken a trip that began or ended at an airport, then chances are that your journey included flying on an airliner — a big, commercial airplane that transports passengers across cities, countries, and continents. An airliner plays a crucial role in connecting people and places, making travel over long distances accessible and convenient. A nonstop trip from New York to Hawaii — a distance of more than 5,000 miles — can be made in about 12 hours on an airliner. Early airliners had spacious seats and legroom, along with amenities like piano lounges. Most of today's airliners have fewer amenities and more seats for paying passengers. Smaller airliners carry about 100–135 passengers, while larger airliners can carry up to about 850 passengers!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A military helicopter flies in front of the Pentagon Sept. 14, 2001, in Arlington, Va., at the impact site where a hijacked airliner crashed into the building.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
He was found not guilty but a second Libyan, Abdulbasset Al Megrahi, was convicted of playing a key role in the bombing of the American airliner.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
The Lockerbie bombing came five months after 290 people were killed when an Iranian commercial airliner was shot down by a US battleship.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Qatar's royal family donated the luxury airliner last year after Trump complained about the state of the two aging Boeing 747 jets that had served as Air Force One since 1990.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
When he accelerated an alpha particle through the chamber to seed his make-believe clouds, it left a visible trail–like the contrails of a passing airliner.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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