An airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight, generally with a recognized operating certificate or license. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit.

Airlines vary from those with a single airplane carrying mail or cargo, through full-service international airlines operating hundreds of airplanes. Airline services can be categorized as being intercontinental, intra continental, domestic, or international and may be operated as scheduled services or charters.

DELAG, Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft was the world's first airline. It was founded on November 16, 1909 with government assistance, and operated airships manufactured by The Zeppelin Corporation. Its headquarters were in Frankfurt. (Note: Americans, such as Rufus Porter and Frederick Marriott, attempted to start airlines in the mid-19th century, focusing on the New York–California route. Those attempts foundered due to such mishaps as the aircraft catching fire and the aircraft being ripped apart by spectators.) The five oldest non-dirigible airlines that still exist are Australia's Qantas, Netherlands' KLM, Colombia's Avianca, Czech Republic's Czech Airlines and Mexico's Mexicana. KLM first flew in May 1920 while Qantas (for the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited) was founded in Queensland, Australia in late 1920.

Luxury in a Card

What is the perfect:

• Honeymoon gift?
• Christmas or Hanukah gift?
• Birthday gift?
• Anniversary or “monthsary” gift?
• Wedding gift?
• Graduation gift?
• All around gift for all occasions?

The answer is a hotel gift card. What more can a recipient want? Hotel gift cards vary in level of coverage but most of the time, they include the following:

• Accommodations
• Breakfast buffet
• Lunch buffet
• Dinner buffet
• Tours and sight seeing trips
• Free access to all hotel amenities like the gym, spa, laudromat and pool
• Free usage of the hotel concierge

Think of it this way, basically, you are giving your gift recipient a luxury treatment. And the swankier the hotel, the higher level of luxury you will be giving to your friend, loved one, or relative.

A hotel gift card can be bought through the hotel of choice or for an easier way of getting a gift card, you can actually order this online. Online merchants will even give you a nice envelope wrapper where you can place that plush gift inside.

If you are planning to buy your gift card online, you have a lot of advantages that you can avail of. First, you get to save on time because you no longer have to go to a hotel a couple of miles from your place just to order a card. Second, travel expenses like gas and parking fees are saved. And lastly, if you buy a gift card online, you are given a wide range of hotel cards to choose from.