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RV

Airstream

The best-known maker of riveted aluminium travel trailers, still producing the same basic shape it has since the 1930s.

Short answer

The best-known maker of riveted aluminium travel trailers, still producing the same basic shape it has since the 1930s.

ItemInformation
CountryUnited States
RegionNorth America
Founded1931
HeadquartersJacksonville, Florida
CategoryAluminium travel trailers

Photographs

Airstream · Representative model
Airstream · Representative modelImages come from the internet — please judge them yourself; this site is not responsible for their accuracy.
Interior
InteriorImages come from the internet — please judge them yourself; this site is not responsible for their accuracy.

Company history

Airstream was founded in 1931 and built its first trailer the same year. The design that made the company famous was a riveted aluminium shell shaped like a bullet, standing on a chassis with wheels at the ends: the shape is aerodynamic when towed, and it has changed very little since.

The brand spent the 1960s and 1970s as a cultural object as much as a product, appearing in films and being bought by celebrities. Airstream was acquired by Thor Industries in 1980 and has stayed within that group since.

Today the company builds aluminium-shelled travel trailers, a range of aluminium-bodied Class B motorhomes, and a few larger formats. Production has been concentrated in Ohio since the manufacturer moved its operations there.

Product lines

LineWhat it is
Aluminium travel trailersThe core range. Rigid-shell units in a single distinctive shape, from long single-axle trailers to large double-axle models.
Aluminium motorhomesA class B line that carries the same aluminium shell idea onto a self-propelled chassis.
Classic and vintage restorationsA secondary market in older shells is large enough that the manufacturer itself recognises it.

What to check before buying

  • A rigid aluminium shell cannot be widened by a body shop the way a fibreglass shell can. Anything you want done to the outside is a panel or a seam job.
  • Because the shells are riveted, any repair is best handled by someone who works on aluminium specifically.
  • Airstream is a niche price point. If the budget is the binding constraint, check whether a mainstream travel trailer covers the same trips for less.
Official websiteCurrent model years, priced configurations and dealer lists live on the manufacturer's own site.
Official website →