Air Force One is a term used to describe any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. Technically, it refers to the radio call sign used by any Air Force aircraft with the President on board. However, the term has become synonymous with specially designated planes used by the presidency for both domestic and international travel. Since 1991, two Boeing 747-200B planes have been in service for this purpose. Given that they carry the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Air Force One planes are equipped with advanced technological, security, and defense features that are hard to find on any other aircraft.

History of Air Force One

President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first sitting U.S. president to fly in January 1943 aboard a commercial Boeing 314 en route to the Casablanca Conference in Morocco during World War II. Later in the war, the U.S. Army Air Forces acquired a Douglas C-54 Skymaster designed specifically for presidential use. This four-engine transport aircraft had a range of 6,400 kilometers and could land at any major airport worldwide. Nicknamed “The Sacred Cow” by some journalists, it included a meeting room, a luxury suite with a bathroom, a bulletproof window, and an elevator to raise and lower the wheelchair-bound president. Roosevelt used the plane only once, for the Yalta Conference in the Soviet Crimea in February 1945. After his death, it remained in service until 1947, when it was replaced under President Harry Truman. The aircraft was eventually restored and is now displayed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

Under President Truman, the new presidential aircraft was a Douglas C-118 Liftmaster, named “Independence.” This plane featured more powerful engines and a longer range than its predecessor. It also had new technology, including pressurized cabins, and could accommodate 24 passengers outside the luxurious presidential cabin, which included a reclining swivel chair and a full-sized sofa bed. “Independence” carried President Truman to Wake Island in the Pacific for his historic meeting with General Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War in October 1950. The plane remained the primary presidential aircraft until Dwight D. Eisenhower took office in 1953. After serving in various transport missions, it retired in 1965 and is now also displayed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

In Eisenhower’s era, starting in 1953, the new presidential aircraft was the C-121, the military version of the Lockheed Constellation, named “Columbine II.” The name “Columbine” was derived from the official flower of Colorado, while “Columbine I” was Eisenhower’s personal transport when he was a general. According to popular tradition, the call sign Air Force One was first used by the pilot of Columbine II during a flight to Florida due to concerns that air traffic controllers might confuse the presidential aircraft’s call sign with that of a nearby commercial plane. In 1954, Columbine III, a longer, faster, and more comfortable version, replaced Columbine II as the presidential plane. Columbine III was the last piston-powered presidential aircraft before being retired in 1966. It is now on display at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

During Eisenhower’s presidency, the era of jet aircraft began. In August 1959, Eisenhower flew aboard a VC-137A, a Boeing 707 jet nicknamed “Queenie,” which became part of the official fleet. The jet featured a communications section, room for 40 passengers, and a private area for meetings. This aircraft was ideal for the U.S. president, allowing fast, long-distance travel with style and comfort. In December 1959, it carried Eisenhower on a historic three-week goodwill tour to 11 countries across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It was eventually replaced as the primary Air Force One in 1962 and retired in 1996. It is now part of the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.

Air Force One Under President Kennedy

By 1962, under President John F. Kennedy, the first jet aircraft specifically designed for presidential use was delivered. This Boeing 707 was famously known as Air Force One and was meant to symbolize the power and prestige of the U.S. presidency. Designer Raymond Loewy, under the guidance of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, created the iconic blue and white exterior with “United States of America” on the fuselage, the national flag on the tail, and the presidential seal on both sides of the nose. This design was later adopted for all subsequent Air Force One planes. In June 1963, the plane carried Kennedy to a divided Berlin, and in November 1963, it returned his body to Washington, D.C., following his assassination in Dallas. Onboard the same flight, Lyndon Johnson took the oath of office as the new president.

This plane served under Presidents Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush. In 1972, a second identical aircraft was added to the fleet, which later returned Nixon to his private life in California after his sudden resignation in August 1974 following the Watergate scandal. Both planes were equipped with upgrades before being replaced in 1990–1991 by the current 747 models. The first plane retired in 1998 and is displayed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, while the second retired in 2001 and is now exhibited at the Ronald W. Reagan Presidential Library in California.

Air Force One Today

The current Air Force One can travel over 12,000 kilometers without refueling and can circumnavigate the globe when refueled mid-flight. Both aircraft are based at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, near Washington, D.C., with one always ready to take off. They serve the U.S. President, Vice President (whose planes are designated Air Force Two), and other high-ranking officials. The planes have served under Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.

Today’s Air Force One is equipped with secret security and defense systems, including measures to protect its electronics from electromagnetic pulses (EMP) caused by nuclear explosions. The communications center is located on the upper deck, while the lower deck houses luggage storage. The middle level accommodates up to 70 passengers, along with a crew of 26. The aircraft also features seating and workspace for the media, security personnel, and other staff, as well as a common dining and meeting area. Additionally, Air Force One has a pharmacy and emergency medical equipment capable of performing urgent surgeries. There are two kitchens onboard, which can prepare up to 100 meals per service. The presidential suite at the front of the aircraft includes an office, bedroom, and private bathroom.

Quick Facts About Air Force One

• According to the White House website, if the U.S. were attacked while the president is aboard Air Force One, the plane has the capabilities to allow the president to respond.
• The president doesn’t always fly on planes; sometimes, he uses a helicopter, which is called Marine One, the radio call sign for a Marine Corps helicopter carrying the president. Lockheed manufactures these helicopters, equipping them with ballistic armor and missile defenses.
• Air Force One has a medical suite that can function as an operating room, and a doctor is always onboard.
• There is a reason all photos of the president exiting the plane are taken on a set of stairs: the plane never stops at the airport terminal but remains in position to take off immediately if needed.
• Air Force One has at least 85 phones for secure and non-secure communication, along with multiple frequency radios and, of course, Wi-Fi.
• The U.S. Air Force sends the president’s motorcade, including armored cars and security staff, ahead of Air Force One on a C-141 Starlifter cargo plane, ensuring safe transportation both in the air and on the ground.
• Although the president has a nuclear shelter that follows him everywhere (known as Doomsday Plane), Air Force One is also made from tough materials, effectively serving as a flying bunker in the event of a nuclear attack. The plane’s body is armor-plated, and its windows are polished glass. While more details are kept secret for security reasons, it is known that the aircraft has advanced defensive capabilities.
• Operating Air Force One is costly. While figures vary, domestic trips are expensive for U.S. taxpayers. A conservative watchdog group tracking presidential travel expenses found that one of President Trump’s trips to a campaign rally in Arizona cost $1.5 million.