# When did you take your first commercial flight? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 5, 2024, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517 "2024-06-05T13:27:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/41 "2024-06-05T18:06:26Z")
1972, flew to Miami to see my grandparents and then to Disney World. I believe it was a 727, which became my favorite plane for a while. I was 9. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/42 "2024-06-05T18:07:07Z")
Was this a thread a while back? Can’t remember. I don’t remember my first, as I was less than two years old, and my parents went to France and (Franco’s!) Spain on vacation during what they say was an unbearably hot Spanish summer. The next time I flew was to go to France again on a two-week school exchange when I was eleven. Then nothing at all until I headed off to L.A. for grad school and went back and forth for Christmasses and the like. Always, I should add, with connecting flights, because apparntly nothingwould fly from Ottawa to L.A. directly. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/43 "2024-06-05T18:13:45Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > I started this one last year: > > [How often did you fly as a child? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-did-you-fly-as-a-child/987959) Yup. That’s the one. A few others recalled it also. ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/44 "2024-06-05T19:32:32Z")
1. With a parent. Overseas. Icelandic. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/45 "2024-06-05T19:42:32Z")
I was 24 in 1961 when I decided to visit my uncle who was living in Bloomington, IN as a postdoc. He was about halfway in age between my mother and me and we lived around the corner from him, so he was very like an older brother. I decided to go there partly to visit and partly to help him pack up for moving to Richmond, where he spent the rest of his life as a professor at Medical College of Virginia. So I flew from Philly to Indianapolis (and eventually back). I got my payback when his son flew up here from Richmond to help us unpack from the very traumatic move into our house of 47 years to a small condo. He very much remembers my visit in 1961 (he was 10) and considers he has paid it back. It was not my first flight. The previous summer I had visited my brother who was an Air Force grunt, but had taken flying lessons in the aero club and was in Lake Charles, LA. I spent more than 24 hours on the big dog to get there (and them back), but we flew from Lake Charles to New Orleans and back on a four seat Cessna, along with two of his friends. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/46 "2024-06-06T01:34:08Z")
I was about 8 or so, which makes it 1963 or '64. The flight was from the seaplane base in Rose Bay, Sydney (Australia’s first international airport), to [Lord Howe Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Howe_Island) for a family holiday, alighting [in the lagoon there](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1920xn/p084ntjk.jpg.webp). My father would probably have known the island as he flew Catalinas during the war, and they were based there at the time, and also used for transport to the island before tourism. I somewhat remember the plane, which it seems would have been a [Short Sandringham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Sandringham) run by Ansett Airlines. What I mainly remember was being airsick the whole way, as we flew through a storm! ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/47 "2024-06-06T01:50:53Z")
When I was 20. I went on a Mormon mission to Japan, so my first flight was from Salt Lake City to LAX, and then transferred to Narita. From there, down to Fukuoka. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeysBrother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@MonkeysBrother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeysBrother)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/48 "2024-06-06T01:55:00Z")
I was 17 in the fall of 1964, off to college at USF. Flew San Diego to San Francisco in a Pacific Southwest\* Lockheed Electra. And, of course, like everyone else those days, I wore a coat and tie. \*Remember airliners with smiles on the noses? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/49 "2024-06-06T02:01:44Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > June, 1975. The Navy flew me and 8 others from Seattle to San Diego for boot camp. **That was the only free flight the Navy ever gave me, I had to pay for the rest.** That doesn’t track with my experience. Can you elaborate, please? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/50 "2024-06-06T02:29:08Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > When I was 20. I went on a Mormon mission to Japan, Home of soy sauce! And Mothra! ---
**Author:** ![steepone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@steepone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steepone)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/51 "2024-06-06T02:40:13Z")
1966, I was 4 yrs old and did 11 hours on a DC3, about all I remember is being hot, sweaty and sick ---
**Author:** ![Redcanoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b487fb/32.png) [@Redcanoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redcanoe)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/52 "2024-06-06T02:41:08Z")
I was 5 or 6. Very early 70’s. We flew from Portland to San Francisco. We went to visit my aunt and cousins who lived in Oakland so we got take a passenger helicopter across the bay. I still vividly remember it. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/53 "2024-06-06T06:54:09Z")
I had to fly 4 other times while in the Navy. After boot camp I flew to Seattle to be home for a week then flew back to San Diego. I paid for those flights. After 6 weeks in San Diego, I flew to Chicago and reported to Great Lakes Naval Training Center. I spent 3 months in Advanced Electronic Training. On December 24 I flew back to Seattle so I could report to NAS Whidbey Island. I also paid for those flights. I bought all 4 tickets through the Navy travel office, I believe I did get a discount for the flights. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/54 "2024-06-06T07:15:38Z")
They flew me from San Diego to Great Lakes, then GL to Orlando, then Orlando to Idaho Falls. I made my own way to San Francisco for my flight to Honolulu. When the Navy ordered me to a location, they shipped me there at their expense. I only paid for flights when I went on leave. My service was between 1980 and 1991. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/55 "2024-06-06T09:23:56Z")
1982…from indianpolis to LA …then the next ones were between 85 and 88 about 4 or 5 I round trip same route … ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/56 "2024-06-06T09:55:00Z")
1. I flew from L.A. to Boston on American Airlines. Then I flew from Boston to Maine for a summer camp job. ---
**Author:** ![Jegpeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jegpeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jegpeg)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/57 "2024-06-06T10:10:57Z")
I was about 12, flying from Liverpool to the Isle of Man as an unaccompanied minor to have a holiday with my Aunt. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/58 "2024-06-06T10:20:58Z")
August 1980. I was ten years old and our family were going on our first proper big deal holiday to another country, which was Fiji. It was a late afternoon flight, I can’t remember how long it took, but four hours sounds likely. Also we did stopover in Tonga to refuel, so another hour or so. It was all very exciting. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/59 "2024-06-06T10:28:29Z")
I was born in 1943 and my first flight was four years later. My father had stayed in the army after the war and was posted to Freetown in West Africa. Some months later, I, together with my 8yo sister and my mother flew out to join him. Before we left we all had to be inoculated against every disease for which an inoculation was available. We were, after all, flying off to Darkest Africa. The plane was a DC3 (I think) and I recall boarding from the rear and climbing a steep slope to our seats near the front. The first leg was from an airport near London to Gibraltar (newly extended to 1,800 yards) but still pretty tricky. We stayed overnight and then flew to an oasis in the Sahara desert, where we refuelled from 45-gallon drums pumped by hand, to fly the last leg to Lungi Airpot Freetown. The final leg was in an open launch across the estuary to the city. The army was well versed in handling families by then and acting on their advice, Mother was well supplied with boiled sweets (sucking helps to pop ears) books and colouring in stuff to keep us and some of the other kids on the flight amused and pain-free. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517/60 "2024-06-06T12:59:53Z")
1. A flight from Syracuse to Orlando on Eastern Airlines, in a 727. I was six. My parents took me to Disney World. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-take-your-first-commercial-flight/1002517.md?page=4)