Chicago and Southern Air Lines History: Memphis to the Caribbean – Airline Employee Shop

Chicago and Southern Air Lines History

Chicago and Southern Air Lines began as a small California carrier, built its name flying the Mississippi Valley from Chicago to New Orleans, and gave Delta its first international routes in 1953. Here's a short history of C&S, plus the Chicago and Southern Air Lines collection that celebrates them.

Pacific Seaboard Air Lines (1933-1934)

Carleton Putnam founded Pacific Seaboard Air Lines in California in June 1933. Its first flight, on June 25, 1933, ran up the coast between Los Angeles and San Francisco in a single-engine Bellanca, without an airmail contract. Stops included Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, Salinas and Monterey.

The Valley Level Route (1934-1945)

When the government reopened airmail contracts in 1934, Putnam won Air Mail Route 8 between Chicago and New Orleans. Mail service began June 3, 1934, over what the airline called "The Valley Level Route," with stops at Peoria, Springfield, St. Louis, Memphis and Jackson. The company took the name Chicago and Southern Air Lines in 1935 and made Memphis its home and hub. Lockheed Electras arrived in 1936 and Douglas DC-3s in 1940. A Memphis-Houston route via Shreveport followed in 1941, and Detroit was added in 1945.

Into the Caribbean (1946-1953)

In 1946 C&S won its first international route, reaching the Caribbean from New Orleans and Houston. Havana came first, and the network grew to include Kingston, Jamaica, and Caracas, Venezuela. Douglas DC-4s joined the fleet in 1946, followed by Lockheed Constellations from 1950. Service to San Juan, Puerto Rico, by way of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, began on January 10, 1953.

Joining Delta (1953-1955)

Chicago and Southern merged into Delta Air Lines on May 1, 1953. The combined airline flew as Delta-C&S for about two years before returning to the Delta name in 1955. The merger gave Delta its first international routes.

A few things collectors love

  • Pacific Seaboard's first plane was a Bellanca named "Miss San Jose," flown by Putnam himself.
  • The "Valley Level Route" name for its Chicago-New Orleans line along the Mississippi.
  • The "Delta-C&S" name worn after the 1953 merger, a short-lived chapter in Delta history.

Shop Chicago and Southern Air Lines

Browse Chicago and Southern Air Lines logo T-shirts, coffee mugs, coasters, tote bags and vintage designs in the Chicago and Southern Air Lines collection. Add an airline bag tag or key tag for a classic touch on your next trip.

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