Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major American airline from 1925 until 2001. It was created by the 1930 merger of Transcontinental Air Transport and Western Air Express. Also in that year, TWA starts transcontinental air service with an overnight stopover in Kansas City. It was one of the "Big Four" domestic airlines in the United States. The other three were Eastern, American, and United. Howard Hughes acquired control of TWA in 1939. After the Second World War, TWA expanded service to Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Initially known as Trans Western Air, TWA officially changes its name to Trans World Air in 1950.

In 1965, Hughes gave up control of TWA, and the new management diversified the company's holdings by acquiring Hilton International and Century 21. In 1967, TWA becomes the first U.S. airline to fly only jets. The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 prompted a series of airline failures, start-ups and takeovers in the United States, and TWA was spun off as an independent organization from its holding company in 1984. Carl Icahn acquired TWA and took the company private in 1988, the last year TWA turned a profit. Steeped in debt, TWA sold its London routes and underwent Chapter 11 restructuring in 1992 and 1995. In 2001, American Airlines acquired TWA after it filed bankruptcy for a third time.