You’ll often hear people talk about the “golden age” (or “the good old days,” if you prefer) of air travel, and how much nicer flying used to be than it is today. Heck, a lobbying group for US airlines is asking Trump to eliminate consumer protections, arguing that this will “unleash American prosperity and the new ‘golden age’ of air travel in America.”
So in this post I thought it would be interesting to briefly talk about the “golden age” of travel. Was it as great as it sounds, or is it all an illusion?
What the “golden age” of flying was actually like
Typically when people talk about the “golden age” of flying, they’re referring to the 1950s to 1970s, which coincided with the dawn of the jet age. Admittedly this was way before my time — I grew up in the “grab a nasty turkey sandwich in a cardboard box on the jet bridge prior to boarding your US Airways Boeing 737-300” era
Yes, all the videos and advertisements we see from decades ago are true — people dressed up to fly, there were five-course meals, there were onboard lounges, and there was almost a social club element to the whole thing.
Of course it’s important to recognize that flying was also way more expensive, and it was at a time of airline regulation, where airlines couldn’t set their own prices. As a result, they invested a lot in their product, in order to be able to compete, and win over business.
Airline schedules weren’t what they are today, and the quote from the below video sure doesn’t provide much reassurance about travel back then — “you can travel 21 million miles before reasonably expecting to be killed in an air accident.” So in other words, a lifelong airline employee can expect that they’ll die on the job. Ouch.
What was actually the best period for the airline industry?
It’s funny, because people often fawn over the “golden age” of air travel, but was it really that great? Flying was way more expensive than it is today, and was something reserved only for the wealthy. Never mind that it wasn’t as safe.
All too often, it seems like we hear people on a $69 basic economy fare complaining about how flying “isn’t what it used to be.” Right, that’s true in terms of passenger experience and price. Nowadays you can fly exponentially cheaper and more safely than back in the day.
Sure, the most basic airline tickets nowadays don’t compare to the most basic tickets back in the day. And yes, even first and business class tickets within the United States aren’t going to have amazing food, like back in the day.
But I’d argue that unlike back in the day, consumers now have choice. If you want to view air travel through the lens of being an experience reserved for the wealthy, then sure, it isn’t what it was.
But on balance, aren’t we actually living in the golden age of travel? Like, we have more choice than ever before, at virtually all price points.
If you’re wealthy and money is no object, just look at the Emirates first class experience, as it’s better than anything back in the day. Suites with doors, endless entertainment, showers, bars, unlimited caviar, and $500+ bottles of wine? Or take a look at the Air France first class experience, where the ground experience rivals or even beats what you’d get in private aviation.
Meanwhile business class hard products nowadays are better than first class hard products were back in the day. Premium economy on international flights is more in line with what business class used to be.
So yeah, we’re not in the “golden age” in terms of flying being an exclusionary experience, where everyone dresses up and smokes cigars onboard. But in terms of consumer choice and the range of experiences that one can have, I think this is the golden age of air travel.
For that matter, if you’re willing to foot the bill, I’d argue that premium travel is more comfortable and luxurious than ever before, all things considered.
Bottom line
While there’s much talk about how great flying used to be back in the day, it typically strikes me as very selective memory. Flying used to only be for the wealthy, and was no doubt a special experience. But as flying has become more accessible, widespread, and safe, I’d argue that consumers have more choice than ever before, and they can pick their experience.
It’s not like flying sucks across the board. I’d argue that premium cabin travel is largely better than it was in the “golden age.” It’s just that flying has become more readily available, which leads to people complaining about the current state of things, while booking the most basic product and paying 10% of what they would’ve paid back in the day (adjusted for inflation).
I don’t think most people flying Emirates first class sit there thinking “boy, this sucks, I miss the golden age” of flying, even though the pricing for that is probably most comparable to the cost of flying back in the day.
Where do you stand on the “golden age” of air travel myth, and what do you think the best era has actually been for flying?
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