airline
3 synonyms for airline, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A company that operates aircraft to carry passengers or cargo.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
air carrier
airway
How to use airline
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
budget airline
airline ticket
major airline
Etymology
From "air" plus "line," on the model of older transport terms like "shipping line."
Full origin of airline →Frequently asked questions
What does “airline” mean?
The word “airline” means a company that operates aircraft to carry passengers or cargo. In plain terms, a company that flies planes to transport people or goods.
How do you pronounce “airline”?
“Airline” is pronounced EH-uh-lyn (/ˈɛɹˌlaɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “airline” in a sentence?
Here is “airline” used in a sentence: “The airline canceled dozens of flights due to the storm.”
What part of speech is “airline”?
“Airline” is a noun.
Is “airline” a common word?
“Airline” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between an airline and an airliner?
An airline is a company that operates aircraft to carry passengers or cargo; an airliner is a large passenger aircraft that such a company operates. You fly with an airline, aboard an airliner.
What is the difference between an airline and a carrier?
In aviation, carrier is a common synonym for airline, especially in industry and news writing, as in "low-cost carrier." Carrier is the broader word, though, since it can also refer to shipping, freight, and telecom companies, while an airline is always a company operating aircraft.
Should company names like "American Airlines" take a singular or plural verb?
Treat the name as singular, because it refers to one company: "American Airlines has announced new routes." Many carriers use the plural word Airlines in their names, but each is still a single airline.
What is the difference between airline and airway?
An airline is a company that operates aircraft to carry passengers or cargo. Airway appears in some airline names, such as British Airways, but on its own it usually means a designated route through the air for aircraft, or the passage that carries air into the lungs.
