In this post, we’ll walk through the evolution of the British Airways logo and see how it has transformed over time.
The Genesis of the British Airways Logo (1974-1984)
The very first British Airways logo was designed by Negus & Negus, who aimed to blend the identities of the two airlines that came together to form BA. To do this, they used a mixed-style wordmark—“British Airways”—with “British” written in red title case and “airways” in blue lowercase.
One quirky detail was that the letter “i” in airways didn’t have a dot at all. The logo used a bold serif font that closely resembled Aldine 721 Std Bold, giving it a strong and traditional look.
(1984-1997)
In 1984, British Airways unveiled the “Landor livery,” designed by Landor Associates. This logo iteration marked a significant evolution in the branding of the airline and aimed to position British Airways as a world-class airline. The design featured the brand name in grey capitals placed over a red line, aka “Speedwing,” that curled to its right like an arrow representing a tail fin.
The line came to form an essential segment of BA’s visual identity and represented power, speed, and freedom. The Landor livery was used until 1997 and played a crucial role in establishing the airline’s image as synonymous with quality and global reach.
(1997-2008)
This logo iteration was created by the designer firm Newell & Sorrell and was unveiled on June 10, 1997. Here, the “Speedwing” was done away with, and in its place came a curved ribbon-like element in red and blue on the upper right corner of the wordmark “BRITISH AIRWAYS. The wordmark was given a dark blue shade and executed in Mylius, a customised floating serif typeface. The ribbon was called the “Speedmarque,” which was placed on every aeroplane of BA and represented power, speed, and safety. The use of Union Jack colours in the logo reflected the values of the company and its rich legacy.
(2008-Present)
In 2008, subtle changes in colour were made to the British Airways logo. Further, the red and blue colours adorning the “Speedmarque” were given a shade lighter, and the wordmark was made to appear in a softer sky-blue tone.
The Elements of the British Airways Logo
Symbol
The graphic element of the British Airways logo is called the Speedmarque. This unique symbol represents friendliness, flexibility, and speed, which is in contrast to the more “rigid” arrow used from 1984 to 1997. The Speedmarque evolved from the Speedwing, a similar symbol originally used by Imperial Airways, which later merged into the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).
Designed by Theyre Lee-Elliott in 1932, the Speedwing was later adopted by BOAC and eventually served as the foundation for the Speedmarque when British Airways was established in 1974.
Font
The wordmark in the British Airways logo uses a custom-designed typeface, which is actually a tweaked version of Mylius Modern. The font features subtle serifs and rounded ends, giving it a look that’s not only elegant but also really easy to read. It was chosen to balance clarity with a touch of sophistication, making the brand feel approachable yet premium.
Colour
The colour scheme follows the corporate palette of British Airways and reflects the strong British heritage of the airline. The combination of blue, white, and red represents the colours of the national flag, with shades of Signal Red P485 and Blue P286.
Finally
The evolution of the British Airways logo really shows how the airline has adapted over time to changing market trends and design styles.