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Touring California in 1964: 'Natural Wonders' and 'Scenic Treasures'

Thanks to the decreasing quality and increasing frustration of air travel, plus shows like ABC's Pan Am, 2011 has been a year for much interest in the heyday of "glamorous" travel—aka the dawn of the Jet Age.

We've already spent some time investigating a 1960s in-flight menu from United, ticket prices on American and even the airline back in 1959, but now we're going to focus on TWA for a moment.

In the 1960s, if you wanted to take a 12-day tour of California including flights from either Chicago or NYC, the cost was only $279 or $339, respectively. That's crazy to think of now, but although prices have changed, the travel style really hasn't all that much. This week, we'll be peeking inside a brochure for this trip, to see exactly what you could get for that cash in 1964:

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Retro Travel / California Travel / TWA / Tours / California Touring in 1964 / → All Tags

Touring California in 1964: 'Spice-Scented Oriental Bazaars' in San Francisco

Thanks to the decreasing quality and increasing frustration of air travel, plus shows like ABC's Pan Am, 2011 has been a year for much interest in the heyday of "glamorous" travel—aka the dawn of the Jet Age.

We've already spent some time investigating a 1960s in-flight menu from United, ticket prices on American and even the airline back in 1959, but now we're going to focus on TWA for a moment.

In the 1960s, if you wanted to take a 12-day tour of California including flights from either Chicago or NYC, the cost was only $279 or $339, respectively. That's crazy to think of now, but although prices have changed, the travel style really hasn't all that much. This week, we'll be peeking inside a brochure for this trip, to see exactly what you could get for that cash in 1964:

more ›

Retro Travel / California Travel / TWA / Tours / California Touring in 1964 / → All Tags

Touring California in 1964: Taking Off to San Francisco

Thanks to the decreasing quality and increasing frustration of air travel, plus shows like ABC's Pan Am, 2011 has been a year for much interest in the heyday of "glamorous" travel—aka the dawn of the Jet Age.

We've already spent some time investigating a 1960s in-flight menu from United, ticket prices on American and even the airline back in 1959, but now we're going to focus on TWA for a moment.

In the 1960s, if you wanted to take a 12-day tour of California including flights from either Chicago or NYC, the cost was only $279 or $339, respectively. That's crazy to think of now, but although prices have changed, the travel style really hasn't all that much. This week, we'll be peeking inside a brochure for this trip, to see exactly what you could get for that cash in 1964:

more ›

Photo Gallery / Videos / TWA / Retro Travel / Vintage Travel / JetBlue / New York City / JFK / Airports / Airport News / Travel Photography / Architecture Travel / T5 at JFK / Eero Saarinen / → All Tags

Inside the Historic TWA Flight Center at New York's JFK Airport

For years, the old TWA Flight Center at New York's JFK International Airport has taunted us. Situated right in front of the new-ish JetBlue Terminal 5, the Eero Saarinen-designed masterpiece was so close and yet, so far.

Opened in 1962 and closed in 2001 after TWA went bust and was taken into American Airlines, Terminal 5 is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and undergoing slow renovations (that's what happens when you've got asbestos and close proximity to functioning flights). It's not been open to the public since, save for a few short months in 2004 for an art exhibition. This weekend, however, the Open House New York event flung open the doors for four hours and half the city showed up to check out this historical gem.

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T5 at JFK / Historical Travel / TWA / Retro Travel Hotels / JFK / Airport News / JetBlue / Airports / Eero Saarinen / → All Tags

A Hotel for JFK's Iconic TWA Terminal Would Be Great, but Likely Won't Happen

What's the big news on the airport front this morning? Oh, just that New York-JFK could be getting a new hotel...inside of the old, landmark-protected TWA Terminal 5. The building, designed by Eero Saarinen and opened in 1962, is an architectural and design gem of the Mad Men-era, one that has outlasted (and outshined) other similar fancy airport buildings (ah hem Pan Am Worldport).

Anyways, the TWA Flight Center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and thus has been able to escape the wrecking ball. JetBlue even went and built their giant, shiny T5 at JFK behind it, but left enough buffer space between the two buildings for contractors to envision a hotel. There's no takers on the project just yet, which would ideally be a high-end, boutique hotel set just behind the Terminal, utilizing the iconic original structure as a sort of juiced-up hotel lobby, and we don't think there ever will be. Here's why:

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Tragedies / Accidents / United / TWA / Vintage Travel / Airplanes / Brooklyn Travel / → All Tags

50 Years Ago Today, a Mid-Air Collision Brought a United Jet Crashing into Brooklyn

Although it's never nice to talk about past air incidents when they have the possibility of freaking you out before flying, but it's important to note that today marks the 50th Anniversary of one of the most tragic airplane accidents in history. At the time, in 1960, it was the deadliest, killing 128 people in the sky and 6 on the ground. Here's what happened:

In the morning of December 16, 1960, a TWA Constellation carrying 44 was heading to land at LaGuardia Airport while a United DC-8 Jet with 84 on board was on its way to land at Idlewild Airport (now JFK). Because of lower-tech air traffic control systems of the time, and because the United jet wasn't in the spot it thought it was, the two planes collided over Staten Island. The TWA prop plane was sliced into three pieces and fell straight down onto a military field in SI, while the United Jet managed to continue as far as Brooklyn, where it eventually fell into a church and intersection in the Park Slope neighborhood, killing 6 on the ground and setting buildings on fire.

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My First Flight: 'My Orders Were to Go to Saigon, Vietnam'

Everybody has a story about their first time. The anticipation, the nerves, the worry...but then the pure wonder when you finally take off. Of course we're talking about your first flight—the first time you boarded an airplane and discovered the skyways. We're telling those stories in a new series simply called "My First Flight." Want to share your first flight story? We've love to have it! Send it along to us here.

This story comes from a close friend and reader of Jaunted. Enjoy!

My first flight was from Toledo, Ohio to Oakland, California via United Airways in January 1970. I was a Private First Class in the Army and reporting for my next duty assignment overseas, which would either be Thailand or Vietnam (I'd eventually make it to Staff Sergeant). Thus, my first flight wasn't really my choice and I hopped on multiple planes just to reach my destination. I got one small meal, served by a stewardess, before setting foot into a war zone.

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Vintage Travel / Skybus / TWA / Aloha Airlines / Northwest Airlines / Airlines / Airfare Sales / → All Tags

Five Defunct Airlines and Their Best Vintage Sales

We’re always on the lookout for the next airfare sale, but sometimes it's nice to remember the good old, cheaper days. You won’t be able to use any of our latest finds to help you get anywhere, but hopefully it will be a nice stroll down memory lane. Here’s five of our picks for defunct airlines and their vintage sales.

· Trans World Airlines:
The airline better known as TWA was swallowed up by American Airlines in 2001, but before their disappearance they were trying to get butts in the seats to raise some cash. Back in April of 2000 they wanted passengers to beat the winter blues by taking advantage of cheaper fares to the US, Canada, Caribbean, and Europe. For those looking for a classier escape, St. Louis to Paris was $698 roundtrip. New Yorkers could head to Seattle or Los Angeles for just $298, but for $498 we’d rather take a trip to Honolulu. Just remember that all travel must be completed by September 15, 2000.

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Inside JetBlue's Terminal 5 Opening Party

Our ever-stylish correspondent JetSetCD was on-hand for JetBlue's ribbon cutting bash yesterday...

Yesterday's shindig out at JetBlue's new Terminal 5 was no boring, corporate ribbon-cutting, nossir it was not. Instead, the carrier threw a straight-up block party to celebrate more than just a new address; the festivities and congratulations all centered on JetBlue's employees, many of whom turned out to spend half the day cavorting in their future workplace.

Getting business out of the way with a packed-to-the-gills press conference at 2 pm, where JetBlue founder (and current Azul airline mogul) David Neeleman entered to an immediate standing ovation, the day slowly progressed into pure fun with a performance by Estelle and free booze.

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First Video of JetBlue's Terminal 5 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

JetBlue's new Terminal 5 may not be open to the public yet, but there seem to be approximately 17 billion people on hand for the ribbon cutting today, as seen in this video starring CEO Dave Barger.

In the crowd are David Neeleman (just in from Brazil?), New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and The Rockettes.

Also on view at the new terminal are some fancy seats from Lufthansa, which owns 19 percent of JetBlue. And our spy on the scene says they're serving "T5-tinis," which sounds nice!

Related Stories:
· T5 Live Blog [Official Site]
· There Will Be Live Blogging: JetBlue's T5 Grand Opening Already Underway [Jaunted]

Airports / Architecture / JFK / JetBlue / Buildings / T5 at JFK / Eero Saarinen / TWA / → All Tags

There Will Be Live Blogging: JetBlue's T5 Grand Opening Already Underway

JetBlue is hosting a day-long "ceremonial opening" of its new T5 at JFK today, but the media--including our correspondent--aren't supposed to show up until about 2 pm.

But if you have to know what's happening at T5 right this second, you can tune into JetBlue's official blog about the terminal, which already has a few of posts from corporate PR and marketing people hyping the day's festivities.

Later today, the carrier promises:

Ribbon cutting with world-famous New York City dance troupe [and a] performance by [a] popular singer with one of this summer's Top 10 hits.

One thing to remember: T5 doesn't actually open to passengers until October 1.

Related Stories:
· T508 Live Blog [Official Site, via]
· Inside JetBlue's Terminal 5 Trial Run [Jaunted]
· T5 at JFK coverage [Jaunted]

Airports / Architecture / JFK / JetBlue / Buildings / T5 at JFK / Eero Saarinen / TWA / → All Tags

Inside JetBlue's Terminal 5 Trial Run

It was a beautiful day for a fake flight: The sky was blue, the sun was bright and the Airtrain was quickly depositing 1,000 people onto JetBlue's new turf behind Eero Saarinen's iconic TWA Terminal at JFK.

Saturday's event, the JetBlue T5 Trial Run, involved groups of New York-area TrueBlue members (us), JetBlue family and press who would put the terminal through the paces without actually flying anyone anywhere.

Last week when we received the email confirming our place in Group A--scheduled to start the first run-through at 9 am--our stomach sank at the thought of having to be out on the A train to JFK in the wee hours of a Saturday morning. But to the airport we went!

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