06/17/2026
Two of America's biggest airlines have rolled out patriotic liveries to mark the country's 250th anniversary, and they took strikingly different approaches.
United Airlines unveiled its design, called "Stars and Stripes," on June 15. The deep blue Boeing 737-800 carries 50 white stars near the nose for the 50 states and bold red and white stripes across the forward fuselage. United applied the same scheme to a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, meaning the colors will fly internationally as well as domestically. Both jets were painted in Amarillo, Texas, and each carries a commemorative plaque honoring the airline's active-duty service members and veterans.
Southwest Airlines went a more historical route. Its jet, "Independence One," is a Boeing 737 MAX 8 registered N1776R, referencing the year 1776. The fuselage features the Declaration of Independence phrase "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" in script, a large "1776" near the tail, and stars marking the original 13 colonies. The aircraft entered service on April 29 with a first flight from Dallas to Philadelphia, where the Declaration was signed.
Both jets are flying this summer as the United States marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
