airline

1 of 2

noun (1)

air·​line ˈer-ˌlīn How to pronounce airline (audio)
: an air transportation system including its equipment, routes, operating personnel, and management

air line

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a straight line through the air between two points

Examples of airline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Foreign airlines have not yet resumed flights to Riyadh, and some traffic shifted to Al Qassim airport, more than 350 kilometers from the capital. — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026 The airline is in the middle of a multiyear turnaround plan that includes cutting cuts and boosting revenue by investing in premium seats, like a new domestic first class section that recently went on sale. — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026 In February 2027, the airline will begin offering nonstop flights from Nashville International Airport (BNA) to Liberia and to Aruba (AUA) in March. — Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026 On those airlines that hadn’t, prices were steep; in May, a round-trip coach seat on our route from New York was running as high as twenty-five hundred dollars. — Daniel Brook, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for airline

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1844, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1813, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of airline was in 1813

Rhymes for airline

See All Rhymes for airline

Browse Nearby Words

airlifter
airline
air line
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Airline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/airline. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

airline

noun
air·​line -ˌlīn How to pronounce airline (audio)
: a system of transportation by airplanes including its routes, equipment, and workers

More from Merriam-Webster on airline

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about airline

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