Livery of the Week: America West

The airline maintained a distinct paint scheme.

An America West 737 (Photo: Torsten Maiwald (GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2 ), via Wikimedia Commons)

[ Livery of the Week ]June 13, 2025 10:21 am ET

By Ryan Ewing

Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is proud to present our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline livery, which can be from the past, present, or even a special scheme. Some airline liveries are works of art. The complexity associated with painting around critical flight components and the added weight requires outside-the-box thinking from designers. The average airliner can cost upwards of $200,000 to repaint, creating a separate aircraft repainting industry as a result.

Have an idea for a livery that we should highlight? Drop us a line.

Before merging with US Airways in 2005, America West stood out in the skies with a distinctive livery that reflected the spirit and landscape of the American Southwest. The carrier, headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, made a lasting impression with its unique aircraft designs that remain popular among aviation enthusiasts today.

America West’s most recognizable livery debuted in the late 1990s. The design featured a teal and turquoise fuselage, complemented by a red and orange stylized “A” logo on the tail, meant to resemble a rising sun or mountain peaks—symbols of the desert region the airline called home. A wavy cheatline ran along the fuselage, evoking the look of rolling hills or sand dunes, while the word “America West” was emblazoned in bold, red lettering above the windows.

The airline also occasionally applied special liveries to promote local sports teams and destinations, further emphasizing its regional pride. After its merger with US Airways, and later integration into American Airlines, the America West brand and livery disappeared from active fleets.

American’s latest retro jet is an A321 painted in the America West livery (Photo: Brady Kendrick)

Today, American has an A321 painted in the America West livery, which is registered as N580UW.

Looking for a new airplane model? Head over to our friends at the Midwest Model Store for a wide selection of airlines and liveries.

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Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.

Follow Ryan

Author

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.
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