Lists of airlines facts for kids

Airlines are companies that own and operate airplanes. They fly people and cargo from one place to another. There are thousands of airlines all over the world! To help keep track of them, people create different kinds of lists. For example, some lists show airlines by where they are located, how big they are, or what kind of services they offer. Did you know there are over 5,000 airlines that have special codes to identify them?

How Airlines Are Organized

Airlines can be grouped in many ways. This helps us understand the huge world of air travel.

Airlines by Location

One common way to list airlines is by the continent where they are based. This helps you find airlines that fly in your part of the world or in a region you want to visit.

• List of airlines of Africa
• List of airlines of the Americas
• List of airlines of Asia
• List of airlines of Europe
• List of airlines of Oceania

Airlines by Size

Some lists show how big airlines are. This can be measured by how many planes they have, how many passengers they carry, or how many places they fly to. The biggest airlines often fly to many countries and carry millions of people each year.

• List of largest airlines in the world
• List of largest airlines in North America
• List of largest airlines in Europe

Airlines by Business Type

Airlines also offer different types of services. This is called their "business model."

• Passenger Airlines: Most airlines you know are passenger airlines. They fly people on regular flights.
• Cargo Airlines: These airlines specialize in flying goods and packages instead of people.
• Charter Airlines: A charter airline doesn't have a regular schedule. Instead, you can rent their whole plane for a specific trip, like for a sports team or a tour group.
• Low-Cost Airlines: These airlines try to offer very cheap tickets. They often do this by charging extra for things like checked bags, food, or choosing your seat.
• Regional Airlines: These airlines fly shorter routes, usually connecting smaller cities to bigger airports. They often use smaller planes.
• Government-Owned Airlines: Some airlines are owned by a country's government. These are sometimes called "flag carriers" because they represent their country.

Other Interesting Airline Lists

There are many other ways to categorize airlines:

• Defunct Airlines: These are airlines that no longer exist. They might have gone out of business or merged with another airline.
• Airlines by Foundation Date: This list shows when airlines were started. Some airlines have been around for over 100 years!
• Airlines with Many Destinations: Some airlines fly to over 100 different places around the world.
• Helicopter Airlines: While most airlines use airplanes, some use helicopters for shorter trips or special services.
• Airline Codes: Every airline has special codes (like a two-letter code for flights) that help identify them.