For 17 years – from 1953 until 1970 – United ran daily flights that didn’t allow women. These men‑only trips were branded “The Executive” (“The Chicago Executive” / “The New York Executive”), and later there was a west coast flight between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Marketed as “a club in the sky—For Men Only,” the service featured first class seating, steak dinners, cocktails, complimentary cigars, slippers, teletype business news with closing market quotes, and a “last‑minute message” service before pushback.
Women (other than the stewardesses) and children were not allowed. The service began on DC‑6B “Mainliners,” later shifting to Sud‑Aviation Caravelle VI‑R jets in an all‑first‑class 64‑seat 2‑2 layout.
After complaints (including a 1969 NOW protest and federal regulatory filings) and declining loads, United ended the service January 14, 1970.
I’ve learned quite a bit about the service in the 10 years since I first wrote about it.
From 1953 to 1970, United Airlines offered a unique, men-only flight experience that catered exclusively to male passengers. This service was designed to offer a more upscale and comfortable experience, complete with cigars, cocktails, and full steak dinners. It was part of a… pic.twitter.com/pFPEyDoOHA
— Dr. M.F. Khan (@Dr_TheHistories) March 8, 2025
New York – Chicago began as LaGuardia – Midway service, later moving to JFK – O’Hare and ultimately Newark – O’Hare. United timetables and summaries list the pair as Flight 642/643 (Chicago Executive). The west coast men‑only LA – San Francisco used 665/666.
Flights were timed for after work commuters: ~5 p.m. weekdays (generally six days a week, excluding Saturdays/Sundays in some years). The flights nominally had a “two‑drink limit” but this reportedly wasn’t enforced.
Pipes were permitted and cigars were handed out. Amenities included slippers and “last‑minute message” phone relays from gate before departure.
Contemporary coverage cites a $67 fare for the 1950s/60s New York–Chicago Executive (about $3 above standard first class for the period). United operated around 10,500 segments and early on reported 80–90% load factors, though this declined toward ~ 40% by the late 1960s.
The flights did not exclude all women, just female passengers. Flight attendants were female. As a United spokesman explained in March 1954,
What we give men is an opportunity to get away from women… we regard it as a little luxury.
Although another take was, “It’s not because of no women… It’s because there are no squealing kids.” There were complaints, and the culture shifted (also giving greater weight to the complaints). A ‘safe space’ in the air for men was no longer sustainable.
- In 1958, National Telefilm Associates Vice President Edythe Rudolph Rein complained to the Civil Aeronautics Board after being refused a ticket on a men‑only departure. (What’s My Line?‘s Dorothy Kilgallen once showed up ticket‑in‑hand for “Men Only” at Newark. After a short delay, she reportedly boarded.)
- In 1969, the National Organization for Women picketed United’s Chicago headquarters and filed CAB complaints.
United ended the Executive service January 14, 1970, citing declining sales and a dated concept, saying that the “all‑male environment” had become passé.
United, though, was actually not alone in offering this concept. Mohawk Airlines ran “Gaslight Service” flights — initially men‑only — offering cigars and free beer.
Likely apocryphal but there’s a story that United sent vouchers to the wives of passengers on these Executive flights, “A special invitation for wives whose husbands like to fly” or something to that effect. They then surveyed those who redeemed the vouchers, and the most common response was “what flight?”
‘Gaslight,’ you say? Hmm…
Sounds like a great idea – maybe some airline could start it again.
Great article, Gary. Thanks!
Men. Only?
1969 Stonewall riots
When ever I see that in “old day” it just screams closeted homosexuals
That was what Bathhouses and the YMCA hotels were for
After that they had to tap their feet in the MSP men’s room
I’d tolerate trips to NYC more if I had this option. No women struggling to get bags from the overhead when I’m trying to get off the plane, no screaming children, and smoking allowed. It’s what I picture flights in heaven to be like.
United did offer flights where you could “Take Me Along”, complete with the song as a catchy backup in the ads. Res agents were then tasked with calling the spouse to ask how they enjoyed being ” taken along”.
We were told it came to a screeching halt when a wife, who was quite surprised to hear she had taken a trip with her husband, filed for divorce and her husband sued United for the resulting chaos in his life.
Fun times.
I see Project 2025 wants to bring back the “nuclear family” with more kids. Demographics and economics are against them, but I bet they would love this idea too. Yuck.
Interesing story. Like something out of Mad Men. Kind of surprised that this stuff lasted until 1970, but I guess I shouldn’t be.
Though I was too young for these flights, the story reminds me of a guy who sat next to me on United in international business class to Asia years ago in the late 90s. He bragged about how many FF miles he’d accumulated on UA, but offered that he wouldn’t dream of “wasting” them on his wife or kids. Maybe the kind of guy these men-only flights appealed to.
The last United flight I was on was the nursery express. Why bring children into an atmosphere for which they are not prepared. Some of them were barely four weeks old!! The torture was unbearable. Also no dogs except in cargo.
…And then women read the Lysistrata by Aristophanes and the world was a better place.
How about “No kids, no pets” flights? That sounds more workable.
Ahhhh, the Good Ole Days, I miss ’em. Would have definitely partaken.
It had to come eventually. In 1964 Blacks were allowed to drink from the same water fountain as whites so I guess women would eventually get to fly as well. What a country. If JD gets his way, America can return to “The Good Old Days”.
It wasn’t all that long ago that women in the country couldn’t get a credit card without a man in the household approving the credit card. So men-only commercially-scheduled common carrier flights being launched during the era of Jim Crow laws shouldn’t be a shocker. The system was stacked to favor men — particularly wealthier European-American men — and control and punish “uppity” women and ethnic minorities. Also, this was still the era where some law firms and engineering firms in the country wouldn’t reject applicants or expel hires for being Jewish.
My take is the arc of history always favors progress. As enlightened as we think we are today, someday people will look back and wonder why we were the way we are today.
@Ray – Maybe water fountains were officially integrated in 1964 but there’s still unofficial sundown towns around so we haven’t progressed as far as we should have in over half a century.
Man I was born in the wrong decade. I wish I was in my prime during the “Mad Men” era. So awesome. In some places in the USA it is still hard to find a good cigar bar, such a shame.
Late 1990s state of Massachusetts made a law that country clubs could not discriminate with men golfing on Wed and Women on Thursday or they would lose their liquor license
So clubs had members chose to be A or B players. Only A players could golf on Wednesday and B only on Thursday
One women chose to be a A player. The men were not happy