airline: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral to formal.
Quick answer
What does “airline” mean?
A company that provides scheduled flights for passengers and freight.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A company that provides scheduled flights for passengers and freight.
The route or service operated by such a company, or the industry as a whole.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences. 'Air carrier' is a slightly more formal synonym used in legal/regulatory contexts in both regions.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in both BrE and AmE.
Grammar
How to Use “airline” in a Sentence
[Airline] + [verb: operates, flies, serves][Verb: choose, book with, fly] + [airline]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “airline” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The airline meal was surprisingly good.
- We are reviewing our airline partners.
American English
- The airline food was pretty standard.
- Airline mergers often reduce competition.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The airline announced record profits despite rising fuel costs.
Academic
The deregulation of the airline industry led to increased competition.
Everyday
Which airline are you flying with to Madrid?
Technical
The accident report was filed with the national aviation authority and the airline's operations department.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “airline”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “airline”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “airline”
- Using 'airline' as a countable noun for a single flight (Incorrect: 'I missed my airline.' Correct: 'I missed my flight.')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Airline' is the generic term. 'Airways' is often part of a specific company's name (e.g., British Airways, Qatar Airways).
Yes, very commonly in compounds like 'airline pilot', 'airline ticket', 'airline food'.
Yes. You can say 'one airline', 'two airlines', 'many airlines'.
Commonly 'with' (fly with an airline, book with an airline) or 'for' (work for an airline).
A company that provides scheduled flights for passengers and freight.
Airline is usually neutral to formal. in register.
Airline: in British English it is pronounced /ˈeə.laɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈer.laɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LINE of planes in the AIR.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PATH/ROUTE through the sky (a sky-road).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most common meaning of 'airline'?