National Flag Carriers
Search and buy flights on the flag carriers of the world with Alternative Airlines. Continue reading to discover more about national airlines below.
National Flag Carriers
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What is a national flag carrier?
A flag carrier airline is an airline that is subsidised or owned by the country in which they are registered. The airline often seeks preferential rights or privileges by the government for international operations.
In the past, the term national airline or national carrier was known to be airlines which were owned by the government and therefore associated with the national identity of the country. However, these days, it can refer to any airline with a strong connection to its home country, regardless of if it is government-owned. Therefore, not all flag carriers are owned by the government, as many have become private companies.
Flag carriers hold a certain amount of significance in the aviation industry, in terms of both financially and symbolically. Previously, the airlines that were owned by the government were considered great for international trade and national defence. Some passengers will still opt to fly with their national flag carrier for the sense of pride that it gives them when they see the familiar tail of the aircraft on the runway. Also, some passengers will sometimes choose to fly with flag carriers over other airlines, due to the image that they are safer and less likely to encounter financial difficulties.
What are the Flag Carriers of the world?
Ariana Afghan Airlines
Afghanistan
Air Albania
Albania
Air Algérie
Algeria
TAAG Angola Airlines
Angola
Aerolíneas Argentinas
Argentina
Qantas
Australia
Austrian Airlines
Austria
Azerbaijan Airlines
Azerbaijan
Bahamasair
Bahamas
Gulf Air
Bahrain
Biman Bangladesh Airlines
Bangladesh
Belavia
Belarus
Brussels Airlines
Belgium
Druk Air
Bhutan
Boliviana de Aviación
Bolivia
Air Botswana
Botswana
Royal Brunei Airlines
Brunei
Bulgaria Air
Bulgaria
Air Burkina
Burkina Faso
Cambodia Angkor Air
Cambodia
Camair-Co
Cameroon
Air Canada
Canada
TACV
Cape Verde
Cayman Airways
Cayman Islands
LATAM Chile
Chile
Air China
China
Avianca
Colombia
Croatia Airlines
Croatia
Cubana de Aviación
Cuba
Czech Airlines
Czech Republic
Congo Airways
DR Congo
Scandinavian Airlines
Denmark
Scandinavian Airlines
Norway
Scandinavian Airlines
Sweden
Air Djibouti
Djibouti
EgyptAir
Egypt
Eritrean Airlines
Eritrea
Eswatini Air
Eswatini
Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopia
Atlantic Airways
Faroe Islands
Fiji Airways
Fiji
Finnair
Finland
Air France
France
Air Tahiti Nui
French Polynesia
FlyGabon
Gabon
Georgian Airways
Georgia
Lufthansa
Germany
Aegean Airlines
Greece
Air Greenland
Greenland
Aurigny Air Services
Guernsey
Caribbean Airlines
Guyana
Cathay Pacific
Hong Kong
Icelandair
Iceland
Air India
India
Garuda Indonesia
Indonesia
Aer Lingus
Ireland
Iran Air
Iran
Iraqi Airways
Iraq
El Al
Israel
ITA Airways
Italy
Air Côte d'Ivoire
Ivory Coast
Caribbean Airlines
Jamaica
Japan Airlines
Japan
Royal Jordanian
Jordan
Air Astana
Kazakhstan
Kenya Airways
Kenya
Air Kiribati
Kiribati
Kuwait Airways
Kuwait
Lao Airlines
Laos
Air Baltic
Latvia
Middle East Airlines
Lebanon
Afriqiyah Airways
Libya
Libyan Airlines
Libya
Luxair
Luxembourg
Air Macau
Macau
Air Madagascar
Madagascar
Malawian Airlines
Malawi
Malaysia Airlines
Malaysia
Maldivian
Maldives
Air Malta
Malta
Air Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
Mauritania Airlines
Mauritania
Air Mauritius
Mauritius
Aeroméxico
Mexico
Air Moldova
Moldova
MIAT Mongolian Airlines
Mongola
Air Montenegro
Montenegro
Royal Air Maroc
Morocco
LAM Mozambique Airlines
Mozambique
Myanmar National Airlines
Myanmar
Air Namibia
Namibia
Nauru Airlines
Nauru
Nepal Airlines
Nepal
KLM
Netherlands
Air New Zealand
New Zealand
Air Koryo
North Korea
Oman Air
Oman
Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan
Copa Airlines
Panama
Air Niugini
Papua New Guinea
Philippine Airlines
Phiippines
LOT Polish Airlines
Poland
TAP Air Portugal
Portugal
Qatar Airways
Qatar
Air Austral
Réunion
TAROM
Romania
Aeroflot
Russia
Rwandair
Rwanda
SVG Air
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa Airways
Samoa
STP Airways
São Tomé and Príncipe
Saudia
Saudi Arabia
Air Senegal
Senegal
Air Serbia
Serbia
Air Seychelles
Seychelles
Solomon Airlines
Solomon Islands
Singapore Airlines
Singapore
Adria Airways
Slovenia
South African Airways
South Africa
Korean Air
South Korea
Iberia
Spain
SriLankan Airlines
Sri Lanka
Sudan Airways
Sudan
Surinam Airways
Suriname
Swiss International Air Lines
Switzerland
Syrian Air
Syria
China Airlines
Taiwan
Air Tanzania
Tanzania
Thai Airways International
Thailand
Caribbean Airlines
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisair
Tunisia
Turkish Airlines
Turkey
Turkmenistan Airlines
Turkmenistan
Uganda Airlines
Uganda
Ukraine International Airlines
Ukraine
Etihad Airways
United Arab Emirates
Emirates
United Arab Emirates
British Airways
United Kingdom
Uzbekistan Airways
Uzbekistan
Conviasa
Venezuela
Vietnam Airlines
Vietnam
Air Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Yemenia
Yemen
Air Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
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Flag Carrier FAQs
What countries do not have a flag carrier?
Currently, the following sovereign countries do not have a national flag carrier airline:
- Andorra
- Barbados
- Guinea-Bissau
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Micronesia
- Monaco
- San Marino
- Tuvalu
- United States
- Vatican City
Why does the USA not have a flag carrier?
The USA used to have an unofficial flag carrier, Pan American World Airways, from 1927. However, in 1991, the airline experienced bankruptcy and so ceased operations. This also coincided with the deregulation of airlines in 1978, which meant airlines in the United States increased, meaning more competition of domestic and regional airlines.
What happens if a national flag carrier ceases operations?
If a national flag carrier ceases operations, it can result in a loss of international or domestic connectivity, competition for domestic routes, a loss of tourism revenue for the country that the national flag carrier served and also a reduction in exports and imports. It can also lead to damage to national image, the loss of a symbol of national prestige and some disruption to cultural connections.
Take a look at the full list of ceased airlines as of 2023 here.