Air mail began as a premium mail service requiring special postage rates and markings. As the aviation industry rapidly grew through the 1920s through the jet age, so did air mail service. This collection represent the development and growth of air mail routes across the globe. Many pieces of mail in this collection include cachets flown on domestic and international inaugural airmail routes, for airport dedications, and special flights. Some include correspondence and personal “effects” such as photographs.

While some of the covers and cachets in this collection are also commemorative, most commercially produced commemorative ‘first day of issue’ covers have been separated to its own collection (Aerophilately, SC.10258).

This collection was arranged and partially curated by a past Museum volunteer. See Series Description for more detail. A miniature collection titled “SDAM Postal Collection”, named for the San Diego Aerospace Museum, is retained as Series I. At least one binder from the SDASM Postal Collection appears to be missing or was integrated without note. Most air mail has been transferred from the curatorial department in an effort to consolidate and reduce duplication. All documentation in the collection relating to donor files (deeds of gift, letters, and correspondence, etc.) has been transferred to the Registrar.

Link to this collection's finding guide.