Universal Air Lines Corporation

Universal Air Lines was an airline based in the United States.

Universal Air Lines was an air-rail conglomerate competing with rival Transcontinental Air Transport. Universal Air Lines was a subsidiary of the Universal Aviation Corporation which included Robertson Aircraft Corporation and Northern Air Lines^[2] In 1929, Universal Air Lines purchased Braniff Air Lines.^[3] In 1929, The Parent company, Universal Aviation Corporation became part of the Aviation Corporation. American Airlines was formed from the merger of Universal and 90 other companies.^[4]

Universal Air Lines promoted the new era of air travel with its "Sky Dinner" Fokker Trimotors, with the conveniences of a Pullman train, which amounted to an electric stove prep area, folding tables, and a lavatory.^[5] On some Cleveland to Kansas City routes, as many as three Fokker aircraft would fly in formation to the destination.^[6]

Universal Air Lines ordered five Fokker F.32 aircraft. One was painted in the airlines livery, but all orders were canceled as the Great Depression set in.

• Cleveland, Ohio
• Kansas City, Missouri
• St.Louis, Missouri
• Tulsa, Oklahoma

The Universal Air Lines fleet consisted of the following aircraft as of 1929:

Universal Air Lines shared hangar space with NorthWest Airlines at Chicago's Municipal airport.^[7] On June 25, 1930,^[8] the Universal Air Lines hangar caught fire destroying 27 aircraft, leaving only five. The fire spread to the neighboring Grey Goose Air Lines hangar.^[9]

• List of defunct airlines of the United States