American Airlines has registered three new word/figurative marks in the Swiss trademark register. The registrations were published on 18 August 2026 via Swissreg. Swissreg is the official publication organ of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) for the legally effective publication of new registrations and register amendments.
The owner of all three trademarks is American Airlines, Inc., headquartered in Fort Worth in the US state of Texas. The Zurich-based business law firm Walder Wyss AG is registered as its representative in Switzerland. The three applications were filed at the end of November and beginning of December 2025; registration and first publication took place for all three trademarks on 18 August 2026.
From the eagle to «THE Flagship»
Trademark number 853995 shows the words «AMERICAN AIRLINES» within an elongated, lightning bolt-shaped design element. The corresponding application was filed on 3 December 2025.
Trademark 853996 shows a circular AA emblem with an eagle between the two letters «A» above a stylised globe. The application was filed on 28 November 2025.
Trademark 853997 centres on the designation «THE Flagship» together with a pennant motif. The application was filed on 1 December 2025.
Registrations coincide with the 100th anniversary
The timing is noteworthy: American Airlines is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026. The airline traces its history back to an airmail flight on 15 April 1926. At that time, a DH-4 of the Robertson Aircraft Corporation flew from Chicago to St. Louis. Robertson Aircraft Corporation was one of more than 80 smaller airlines that were consolidated into the Aviation Corporation in 1929 and 1930, from which American Airways and ultimately American Airlines later emerged.
During its centennial year, American Airlines is revisiting various elements from its own brand history. This is particularly evident on the Boeing 777-300ER «Flagship DFW». Its special livery combines historic design elements with the airline's current appearance.
American Airlines describes the eagle as one of the best-known motifs in its history. The distinctive orange lightning bolt from earlier decades has also been revived for the special livery. According to the airline, the designation «Flagship» has represented its premium travel experience for decades.
Several elements of the current centennial presentation can therefore also be found in the word/figurative marks now registered in Switzerland. However, the trademark register does not indicate any direct connection between the centennial programme and the Swiss trademark registrations.
Protection also for model aircraft and airport lounges
All three trademarks were registered in Nice Classes 28, 39 and 43.
Class 28 includes, among other things, games and toys as well as explicitly model aircraft and scale models of vehicles. During its centennial year, American Airlines is indeed offering collectible models featuring the Centennial and «Flagship DFW» special liveries. Whether the Swiss trademark registrations are directly related to these products cannot be determined from the register information. Class 39 covers a broad range of transport and travel services. These include, among other things, air transportation, passenger transportation, travel bookings, seat reservations, check-in and boarding services as well as baggage and freight transportation.
Class 43 includes in particular services relating to airport and transit lounges. These include, among other things, the booking and arrangement of access to airport lounges as well as corresponding lounge services for passengers.
How HELP.CH links register data
As part of the ongoing processing and linking of public register data within the HELP.CH network, the three trademark registrations published on the same day were brought together and editorially analysed.
HELP.CH structures information from various public sources. These include, among other things, commercial register and trademark register data as well as further company and publication information. The data is linked with company profiles, trademarks, reports and other datasets.
The aim is to ensure that information does not remain isolated alongside other information, but that companies, trademarks and publications are linked to one another as clearly as possible. The structured processing is designed to make information as clearly attributable and machine-readable as possible for search engines, AI systems and AI agents.
Swiss trademark information is processed within the HELP.CH network, including on Markenmeldungen.ch. The three new American Airlines registrations are also documented there:
Trademark 853995 – AMERICAN AIRLINES
Trademark 853996 – AA
Trademark 853997 – THE Flagship
What can be inferred from the registrations – and what cannot
The three trademark registrations do not indicate that American Airlines is planning new flight connections, additional lounges or specific new products in Switzerland.
What is clear, however, is that American Airlines is protecting three trademarks in Switzerland with clear references to its corporate and brand history for a broad range of goods and services – and is doing so in the year of the airline's 100th anniversary.
From the historic eagle and the lightning bolt-shaped design element to the designation «THE Flagship», the series of registrations thus connects current Swiss register data with a piece of American aviation and brand history.