Scheduled U.S. airmail service began May 15, 1918. Airmail stamps documented a distinct paid service in their period, but by October 1975 First-Class mailers no longer paid a separate domestic airmail fee. A historical airmail stamp is therefore a collectible and postage artifact, not a requirement for ordinary modern air transport.
Key phases
| Period | What changed | Collection boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1918 | Balloon mail, demonstrations and experimental flights | Not the same as scheduled national airmail service |
| May 15, 1918 | Scheduled U.S. airmail began | Issue, route and cover date matter |
| Interwar and postwar years | Routes, aircraft and rates expanded | A stamp design alone does not prove it flew |
| October 1975 onward | No separate airmail fee for First-Class Mail | Historical “airmail” wording does not define today’s service |
How to identify an airmail item
- Record country, denomination, inscriptions, aircraft or subject and perforation.
- Determine whether you have a loose stamp, an unused block or a flown cover.
- On a cover, transcribe postmarks, cachet, route marks and arrival/backstamps separately.
- Match the item to a catalog or museum record; do not infer a first flight from seller wording alone.
- Keep postal use value and collector value separate.
Can old airmail stamps still be used?
Many unused U.S. denomination stamps can contribute their printed value toward current postage, but eligibility and the total required postage depend on current USPS rules. A potentially collectible item may be worth preserving rather than using. Obtain expert help for scarce material.
Related guides
Sources and verification
Facts on this page were checked on August 31, 2026. Dynamic inventory, prices and USPS rules can change.