The 1950 and ‘60s have become known as the “Golden Age” of flying.
Why golden? Think: non-stop cocktails, gourmet meals, spacious lounge areas, glamorous “air hostesses” – and lots of great leg room for everyone. Some aircraft – like the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser – even offered sleeping bunks and roomy cabins.
Of course, there were also downsides, including: bumpier rides, higher levels of danger and great expense; not to mention the smoke from all of those cigars, cigarettes and pipes. [Ed: Even I'm old enough to remember smoking on planes.]
But back to the positives:
Dinner aboard many flights was served like in a fine-dining restaurant: real china plates, silverware, white tablecloths, glassware — often involving multiple courses: lobster or filet mignon, fresh fruit – full meals just like you’d get on the ground. And it wasn’t just first class. The higher quality of service and comfort spilled over into what was then “economy”.
Flying back then was more of a social event and less about the commute. Travel wasn’t casual. Passengers dressed up: suits, dresses, polished shoes – essentially treating a flight like a night out.
Flight attendants (then called “air hostesses” or “stewardesses”) weren’t just staff – they were part of the glamour. Tailored uniforms, polished manners and a sense of occasion helped make the journey feel special.
Flying was less about efficiency, and more about comfort. People chatted, drank, smoked, socialised, maybe even danced in the aisle or lounge, depending on the airline.
Alcohol was indeed a popular form of in-flight entertainment. Passengers were served as much free alcohol as they could drink, and it was not uncommon to people to come off a flight totally smashed.
As mentioned, tickets were hugely expensive, and airlines catered to a wealthier clientele, e.g. a return flight from London to Sydney might cost 30 weeks’ average salary in 1960, whereas today it costs one week’s wage.
The incongruity of the in-flight images really do capture a time when flying felt both adventurous and indulgent.
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References
midcenturymondays.com/p/the-golden-age-of-air-travel
flightcentre.ca/window-seat/golden-age-flying
vintag.es/2019/08/1950s-air-travel.html
edition.cnn.com/travel/article/vintage-airplane-photos-golden-jet-age
news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/flights/what-flying-was-like-in-the-1950s-and-1960s-compared-to-now
Images
1. Cocktail hour on Lufthansa's first-class "Senator" service in 1958. Credit: Style at 30,000 Feet/Keith Lovegrove
2. A Boeing Stratocruiser over San Francisco Bay
3. Boeing Stratocruiser schematic
4. Boeing Stratocruiser lower deck lounge
5. Fine dining on "The President Special" by Pan American
6. Sleeping aboard a Boeing Stratocruiser
7. Ad for "The President Special" by Pan American
8. Video: "The Golden Age of Travel: 6.5 Magic Hours with Pan Am in the 1950's
