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 Libyan man accused of building the bomb that brought down an American airliner over Lockerbie nearly 38 years ago has lost his bid to have the case thrown out of court.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
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
Of the 259 passengers and crew who died on board the airliner, 190 were from the United States, where Al-Marimi will be tried.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Qatar's royal family donated the luxury airliner last year after Trump complained about the state of the two aging jets that have served as the official US presidential planes since 1990.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 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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