US Airways History
US Airways flew for nearly two decades through two bankruptcies, a merger with America West, the "Miracle on the Hudson" and finally a merger that created today's American Airlines. Here's the short history, plus the US Airways collection.
From USAir to US Airways (1997)
US Airways took its name in February 1997, when USAir, the airline that began as All American Aviation and Allegheny Airlines, rebranded with a stylized U.S. flag logo and a deep blue and gray livery. Its hubs included Pittsburgh, Charlotte and Philadelphia, and its headquarters were in Arlington, Virginia.
Turbulent years (2000–2004)
United announced a plan to buy US Airways in 2000, but the deal collapsed in 2001. After the September 11 attacks, US Airways laid off about 11,000 people and shut down its MetroJet low-fare operation. It filed for Chapter 11 in August 2002 and again in September 2004, and joined the Star Alliance in May 2004.
Merger with America West (2005)
In 2005 US Airways merged with America West Airlines. The combined airline kept the US Airways name, moved its headquarters to Tempe, Arizona, under CEO Doug Parker, took on America West's "Cactus" call sign, and later adopted a mostly white livery.
The Miracle on the Hudson (2009)
On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 lost power in both engines after hitting a flock of birds shortly after takeoff from New York. Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger glided the Airbus A320 to a landing on the Hudson River, and all 155 people aboard survived. The aircraft, N106US, is now on display at the Sullenberger Aviation Museum in Charlotte.
Merger with American (2013–2015)
US Airways and American Airlines completed their merger in December 2013 and began flying under a single operating certificate in April 2015, when the last "Cactus" call sign flight came in from London to Philadelphia. The final US Airways-coded flight, numbered US1939 to honor the year the company began, flew a route from Philadelphia through Charlotte, Phoenix and San Francisco and landed back in Philadelphia on October 17, 2015.
Shop US Airways
Browse US Airways logo apparel, retiree gear, coffee mugs, coasters and tote bags in the US Airways collection, and see the USAir, Allegheny, Piedmont and America West collections for the airlines that built it.
AirlineEmployeeShop.com sells US Airways merchandise under license from American Airlines. This page is for historical interest.