The First Commercial Flight: Tampa to St. Pete for $5
A 23-Minute Hop That Changed the World
Today, commercial flights crisscross the globe by the second. But it all started with a single, no-frills, 23-minute journey across Tampa Bay — for just five bucks.
No peanuts. No seatback screens. Just one pilot, one passenger, and a boat with wings.
Welcome aboard the very first commercial airline flight in history.
The Date: January 1, 1914
The Route: Tampa to St. Petersburg, Florida
The Cost: $5 (about $150 today)
The Passenger: The Mayor of St. Pete
The Airline: St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line
Yes, you read that right: Airboat.
The aircraft used wasn’t your typical plane. It was a flying boat — officially called the Benoist XIV, a wood-and-wire contraption that looked like a canoe with wings. It had an open cockpit, no roof, and one lonely seat for a paying customer.
Meet the Pilot: Tony Jannus
A daredevil aviator and early aviation rockstar, Tony Jannus had already flown across the Mississippi and even tested parachutes before taking the controls of the Benoist XIV.
His passenger on that first trip? A local businessman and former mayor, Abram C. Pheil, who won his seat by bidding in a charity auction. Pheil paid $400 for the honor — but regular passengers paid just $5.
The Flight: A Quick Jump, But a Giant Leap
Duration: 23 minutes
Distance: 21 miles
Top Speed: About 64 km/h (40 mph)
Altitude: Low enough to wave at fishermen
The plane skimmed over the bay at just a few hundred feet, thrilling onlookers below. Despite a bumpy takeoff, the flight was a resounding success, marking the birth of commercial aviation.
Why It Mattered
This flight proved something radical: People would pay to fly — and airlines could be a real business. The St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line only lasted four months, but its impact was historic.
Within a few decades, aviation had gone from novelty act to global necessity.
Fun Facts
The plane only flew in good weather — rain or wind? Flight canceled.
The Benoist XIV was powered by a boat engine.
Over the 4-month season, the airline flew 1,200 passengers.
Tony Jannus now has an award and an airport terminal named after him.