In addition to their primary purpose in drumming up business for their company, airline travel posters of course wanted to get you in the mood to visit places all over the world. And without the benefit of a TV commercial, travel posters had to work overtime to help you paint a picture of exotic locales in your mind. Here are 20 such vintage travel posters that did their job exceptionally well, most dating from the 1950s and ’60s.

And if I may be allowed a shameless plug — which I am — I should tell you that some of these images are available as beautiful custom apparel and other products on my Zazzle shop. Why not go there now? Just click on The Hangar for all airline-related goods.

TWA – Switzerland

TWA – Florida

Pan Am – Japan

Western Airlines – New York

BOAC – Africa

Pacific Western Airlines – Canada

Capital Airlines – Nassau, Bahamas

American Airlines – Arizona

Western Airlines – Las Vegas

American Airlines – San Francisco

Qantas – India

American Airlines – Detroit

American Airlines – Mexico

Northwest Orient Airlines – Alaska

United Airlines – Seattle

TWA – Portugal

United Airlines – Southern California

Continental Airlines – New York

TWA – Las Vegas

TWA – Egypt