40 American airline chief executives

Charles Edward Acker is an American businessman who served as CEO of Braniff Airways, Air Florida, and Pan American World Airways. He is currently a principal at Intrepid Equity Group.

Richard H. Anderson is an American business executive who formerly served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Amtrak. Anderson previously worked in the aviation industry, including tenures as CEO of Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

David J. Barger is one of the co-founders of JetBlue Airways. He also served as the airline's chief executive officer of the airline until his ouster in February 2015. He had been part of JetBlue's founding team and served on the corporation's board of directors. Barger is currently an Operating Partner at Connor Capital SB.

Edward H. Bastian is an American business executive. He is the ninth and current chief executive officer of Delta Air Lines, serving in this role since May 2, 2016.

Frank Frederick Borman II is a retired United States Air Force (USAF) colonel, aeronautical engineer, test pilot, businessman, rancher, and NASA astronaut. He was the commander of Apollo 8, the first mission to fly around the Moon, and together with crewmates Jim Lovell and Bill Anders, became the first of 24 humans to do so, for which he was awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. As of 2021, he is the oldest living former American astronaut, eleven days older than Lovell.

Paul Revere Braniff was an airline entrepreneur. Paul, along with his brother Thomas Elmer Braniff, was one of the original founders of Braniff Airways, Inc. d/b/a Braniff International Airways.

Thomas Elmer Braniff was an original co-founder of Braniff International Airways, along with his brother Paul Revere Braniff. Known as Tom Braniff, he was also a noted insurance pioneer in Oklahoma. In 1928 he formed Paul R. Braniff, Inc., with his brother Paul Braniff, to operate schedule air carrier flights between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

R. V. Carleton who worked for Braniff International, the Dallas, Texas, based airline, for nearly 40 years, began as a line Captain and retired as Executive Vice President. As an aviator he pioneered South American airline routes and chaired the first worldwide symposium on Supersonic Transport aircraft. He was a celebrated figure in the field of aviation with an impressive list of accomplishments and contributions to the industry that he cherished.

C. David Cush is the CEO of Service King, an auto repair company.

Robert L. Fornaro was the CEO of Spirit Airlines. He was the chairman, president and Chief Executive Officer of AirTran Holdings Inc., and its subsidiary, AirTran Airways in Orlando, Florida until AirTran was acquired by Southwest Airlines in May 2011, when he became a full-time consultant on the acquisition, sitting on the integration board.

William John "Jack" Frye was an aviation pioneer in the airline industry. Frye founded Standard Air Lines which eventually took him into a merger with Trans World Airlines (TWA) where he became president. Frye is credited for turning TWA into a world-class airline during his tenure as president from 1934 to 1947.

David C. Garrett Jr. was an American businessman who was the CEO of Delta Air Lines from 1978 to 1987.

Howard Robard Hughes Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, record-setting pilot, engineer, film director, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and financially successful individuals in the world. He first became prominent as a film producer, and then as an important figure in the aviation industry. Later in life, he became known for his eccentric behavior and reclusive lifestyle—oddities that were caused in part by his worsening obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), chronic pain from a near-fatal plane crash, and increasing deafness.

Conrad "Connie" Kalitta is an American businessman and former drag racing driver, nicknamed "The Bounty Hunter". Kalitta is the CEO of Kalitta Air and the owner of Kalitta Motorsports.

Herbert David Kelleher was an American billionaire airline businessman and lawyer. He was the co-founder, later CEO, and chairman emeritus of Southwest Airlines until his death in 2019.

Lawrence W. "Larry" Kellner is the former CEO of Continental Airlines, having succeeded Gordon Bethune as CEO in December 2004. Prior to his arrival at Continental, he served as the chief financial officer of American Savings Bank. Kellner retired as the airline's chief executive at the end of December 2009. During his career at Continental, he previously served as a vice president, chief financial officer and chief operating officer. Kellner currently serves as President of Emerald Creek Group, LLC - a Texas-based private equity firm primarily focused on real estate and chairman of The Boeing Company.

Gary Clayton Kelly is an American business executive. He is the chief executive officer and chairman at Southwest Airlines.

Stanley Carmichael Kennedy Sr. was a US Naval Aviator during World War I, world record holder and Silver Star recipient, pioneer of commercial aviation in the Hawaiian Islands, and founder of Hawaiian Airlines, one of the world's oldest operating airlines. Kennedy ran Hawaiian Airlines from the time of its incorporation in 1929 until he stepped down from daily operations in 1955. He remained Chairman of the Board until his death in 1968.

Harding Luther Lawrence was executive vice president of Continental Airlines and then president and chairman of Braniff International Airways, a Dallas, Texas-based carrier. Lawrence's bold and dramatic accomplishments at both airlines earned him the reputation as not only a maverick of the transportation industry but as one of the last legendary titans of aviation. While at Braniff, Lawrence turned the conservative airline into a progressive and flamboyant carrier known for high fashion flight attendant uniforms, exemplary inflight service, and brightly painted planes. Lawrence' revolutionary approach included approving the "End of the Plain Plane" campaign in 1965, which called for imaginative aircraft paint schemes, interiors, and never before seen passenger service comforts. Previous airlines were commonly patterned after less than appealing military operations.

Michael E. Levine was a "Distinguished Research Scholar" at the New York University School of Law. He was involved in the world of air transportation and its regulation as a senior airline executive, an academic and a government official. He retired from Northwest Airlines in 1999 to return to academic life.

Juris George Mikelsons is a former airline executive and airline pilot in the United States and the founder of ATA Airlines. He was born in Riga, Latvia, in 1938 on the eve of World War II. His family fled to Germany during the mid-1940s to escape the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states.

Leo F. Mullin is an American executive and civic activist who served as CEO and Chairman of Delta Air Lines (1997-2004). He led Delta during one of the most tumultuous periods in aviation history, beginning in 1997, just as airlines were struggling to emerge from the economic crises of the early 1990s. Three years into his tenure as CEO, he also was named Board Chairman of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), representing the world’s airlines. Mullin achieved particular prominence following the September 11, 2001 tragedy when, with the airline industry on the brink of failure, he served as the chief legislative and public spokesperson for the industry’s recovery program. He ended his service to Delta by retiring from his position as CEO in 2003, and as chairman of the board in 2004. After Delta, Mullin has emerged as a leader in both the public and private sectors, serving other companies and continuing to be a philanthropic contributor.

Oscar Munoz is an American businessman and executive chairman of United Airlines. He previously served as chief executive officer (CEO) of United Airlines from 2015 to 2020. Prior to his role at United Airlines, Munoz served on the board of parent company United Continental Holdings (UCH) and held multiple executive positions at CSX Corporation and AT&T.

David G. Neeleman is a Brazilian-American businessman and entrepreneur. He has founded five commercial airlines: Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue Airways, Azul Brazilian Airlines, and Breeze Airways. Along with Humberto Pedrosa and Aigle Azur, he owned 45% of another commercial airline in Europe, TAP Air Portugal. In 2017 he became a citizen of Cyprus.

William Douglas Parker is an American businessman who is the current Chairman and CEO of American Airlines Group, Inc., the parent company of American Airlines.

Carleton Putnam was an American businessman and writer who was an advocate for racial segregation. He graduated from Princeton University in 1924 and received a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Columbia Law School in 1932. He founded Chicago & Southern Airlines in 1933 which, in 1953, merged with Delta Air Lines. Putnam later served as chief executive officer of Delta Air Lines and held a seat on its board of directors until his death.

Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and a Medal of Honor recipient. With 26 aerial victories, he was the United States' most successful fighter ace in the war and is considered to have received the most awards for valor by an American during the war. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the long-time head of Eastern Air Lines.

Sumner Sewall was a U.S. Republican politician and airline executive who served as the 58th Governor of Maine from 1941 to 1945. He began his aviation career during World War I as a fighter ace.

Robert Forman Six was the CEO of Continental Airlines from 1936 to 1980. His career began in the earliest days of U.S. commercial aviation; his determined, scrappy, risk-taking nature paid off for Continental Airlines, the company that would for 45 years be forged in his image. Owing in large part to the foundation he laid, Continental became one of the largest and most profitable legacy airlines in the world.

Jeffery Alan "Jeff" Smisek is an American businessman and investor who currently serves as the president of GOOSE Capital, on the board of trustees of Rice University and on the board of directors of Finch Therapeutics. Smisek previously worked in the airline industry as the chairman, president, and chief executive officer (CEO) of Continental Airlines and, later, of United Airlines.

Cyrus Rowlett "C.R." Smith was the CEO of American Airlines from 1934 to 1968 and from 1973 to 1974. He was also the wartime deputy commander of the Air Transport Command, and United States Secretary of Commerce for a brief period under President Lyndon B. Johnson. He is regarded as one of the titans of U.S. airline history.

David L. Sokol is an American business executive. He served as chairman, president and CEO of NetJets as well as chairman of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, of which Berkshire Hathaway holds a 100% and 89.8% stake respectively. He resigned March 28, 2011.

Bruce George Sundlun was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as 71st Governor of Rhode Island between 1991 and 1995.

Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force. He is best known as the pilot who flew the B-29 Superfortress known as the Enola Gay when it dropped Little Boy, the first of two atomic bombs used in warfare, on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

Bradley D. Tilden is an American business executive. He is the chairman of Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. Before becoming the company's CEO in 2012, Tilden served as Alaska Airlines' president, and before that as Alaska Air Group's chief financial officer. He is a commercial pilot and holds multi-engine and instrument ratings.

Glenn Tilton is a retired American oil and airline industry executive. Tilton spent most of his career working for Texaco, and as CEO guided its merger with Chevron Oil in 2001. He was Chairman, President, and CEO of UAL Corporation from 2002-2010. He stayed on as non-executive chairman of United Continental Holdings Inc., (NYSE:UAL), the parent company of the merged United Airlines, Inc. and Continental Airlines, Inc. from October 1, 2010 until 2012. Tilton was Midwest Chairman and a member of the Executive Committee at JP Morgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), from June 6, 2011 until his retirement in June, 2014.

Juan Terry Trippe was an American commercial aviation pioneer, entrepreneur and the founder of Pan American World Airways, one of the iconic airlines of the 20th century. He was instrumental in numerous revolutionary advances in airline history, including the development and production of the Boeing 314 Clipper, which opened trans-Pacific airline travel, the Boeing Stratoliner which helped to pioneer cabin pressurization, the Boeing 707 and the Boeing 747 which introduced the era of jumbo jets. Trippe's signing of the 747 contract coincided with the 50th anniversary of Boeing, and he gave a speech where he explained his belief that these jets would be a force that would help bring about world peace.

Walter Thomas Varney was an American aviation pioneer who founded forerunners of two major U.S. airlines, United Airlines and Continental Airlines, which combined under United Continental Holdings long after his death. Varney was also one of the most prominent airmail contractors of the early 20th century.

Daniel A. Wolf is an American entrepreneur, aircraft pilot, and politician. In 1989, he founded the Cape Cod-based airline Cape Air, which originally flew between Provincetown and Boston in Massachusetts, and has since expanded internationally. In 2010, he was elected to the Massachusetts Senate to represent the Cape and Islands district. He ran unopposed in 2012, and was subsequently re-elected to a third term in 2014. During his tenure, he has emerged as a progressive leader in the Senate, advocating for renewable energy, increased minimum wage, and universal health care.

Stephen M. Wolf assumed his current position as chairman of R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company in March 2004. He has been the managing partner of Alpilles, LLC, since April 1, 2003. In April 2009 he became chairman of Trilantic Capital Partners, which was previously Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking. Before becoming managing partner of Alpilles, Wolf was chairman of US Airways. Wolf was chairman and chief executive officer of US Airways from January 16, 1996, until November 18, 1998, when he turned over his chief executive officer title to another executive. Wolf was responsible for the company's rebranding to US Airways from its previous identity, USAir. During Wolf's tenure, US Airways also placed an order for up to 400 Airbus A320-series narrow-body aircraft, with 120 firm orders at the time of the order signing; at the time, the order was regarded as the largest bulk aircraft request in history. Prior to joining US Airways, Wolf had served since 1994 as senior advisor to Lazard Frères. From 1987 until it was purchased by its employees in July 1994 he was chairman and chief executive officer of UAL Corporation and United Airlines, Inc.