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Mackey Airlines

US international airline (1953–1967) that merged into Eastern

Mackey Airlines (until 1953 Mackey Air Transport) was a small United States scheduled international airline flying from Florida to the Bahamas certificated in 1952 by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), the now defunct Federal agency that, at the time, tightly regulated almost all US commercial air transport. The airline was founded by Joseph C. Mackey. Mackey also flew to Cuba prior to the Cuban Revolution.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

Sep 20, 1946Founded1
  • HeadquartersFort Lauderdale1

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Douglas DC-6, Mackey Airlines JP5930439
Photo: Jon Proctor, GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons4

Mackey Airlines (until 1953 Mackey Air Transport) was a small United States scheduled international airline flying from Florida to the Bahamas certificated in 1952 by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), the now defunct Federal agency that, at the time, tightly regulated almost all US commercial air transport. The airline was founded by Joseph C. Mackey. Mackey also flew to Cuba prior to the Cuban Revolution. In 1956, Mackey absorbed Midet Aviation, an even smaller CAB-certificated airline also flying between Florida and the Bahamas. Mackey merged into Eastern Air Lines in 1967.2

The story

Mackey Air Transport was incorporated in Florida 30 September 1946. The airline's first flight was 2 January 1953. In June, the airline changed its name to Mackey Airlines, the CAB reissued the certificate in that name in October. Flights flew primarily out of its Fort Lauderdale base and from West Palm Beach and Miami.

On 3 December 1956, Mackey acquired Midet Aviation, another CAB-certificated scheduled airline flying from Florida to Bahamas. The original Mackey Airlines certificate was transferred to Eastern Air Lines on 8 January 1967.

From Wikipedia’s article on Mackey Airlines, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Products and brands

Destinations

As of November 1966 (same order as the timetable):

Fleet

In March 1955, Aviation Week said Mackey Air Transport had four Douglas DC-3s.

As of September 1961:

The following types were operated by Mackey Airlines:

From Wikipedia’s article on Mackey Airlines, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. 1967Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. Sep 20, 1946Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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