# Airstream

> Airstream is the Jackson Center, Ohio manufacturer behind the rounded, riveted aluminum travel trailer that became shorthand for the American road trip. Founded by Wally Byam in 1931 and now wholly owned by THOR Industries, the company sells premium towable trailers and Class B touring coaches through a national dealer network, supported by configuration tools, owner education, connected controls, accessories and a unusually durable enthusiast community. Its real differentiation is a system: recognizable industrial design, hand-built construction, premium positioning, long product life and a culture that turns customers into 'Airstreamers.'

- **Founded:** 1931
- **Headquarters:** Jackson Center, Ohio, United States
- **Founders:** Wally Byam (Founder)
- **Team size:** Approximately 470 employees in the supplied dataset; LinkedIn lists 501-1,000 employees and showed about 465 employee profiles in August 2026.
- **Products:** Travel trailers, Touring coaches, Connected vehicle controls, Airstream Academy and support, Airstream Supply Company
- **Notable:** Has operated since 1931 and describes itself as the longest-tenured recreational vehicle manufacturer in the world., The rounded, riveted aluminum Clipper introduced in 1936 established the visual language still associated with the brand., A modified Airstream served as a Mobile Quarantine Facility for Apollo astronauts, including the Apollo 11 crew.

## Products & services

- **Travel trailers** — Premium towable RVs spanning compact single-axle models through larger dual-axle trailers, including World Traveler, Basecamp, Bambi, Caravel, Flying Cloud, International, Trade Wind, Globetrotter and Classic, plus special editions.
- **Touring coaches** — Class B and Class B+ motorized RVs built on Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and RAM ProMaster platforms under the Interstate, Rangeline and Atlas names.
- **Connected vehicle controls** — MyAirstream and Smart Control features let supported owners monitor or operate functions such as climate, power, tanks and location, with selected CarPlay integration.
- **Airstream Academy and support** — Owner education, how-to videos, knowledge-base articles, customer support and dealer service for buying, towing, operating and maintaining an RV.
- **Airstream Supply Company** — An ecommerce business for model-specific parts, camping equipment, apparel, gifts and travel accessories.
- **Heritage Center and factory tours** — A public museum and plant-tour experience at the Jackson Center 'Mothership' that turns company history and manufacturing into owner education and destination retail.

## Achievements

- Has operated since 1931 and describes itself as the longest-tenured recreational vehicle manufacturer in the world.
- The rounded, riveted aluminum Clipper introduced in 1936 established the visual language still associated with the brand.
- A modified Airstream served as a Mobile Quarantine Facility for Apollo astronauts, including the Apollo 11 crew.
- Modified Airstream 'Astrovans' carried Space Shuttle crews from 1983 through the program's final mission in 2011.
- A 1963 Bambi travel trailer is in the Museum of Modern Art's collection.
- The 1979-80 acquisition of Airstream became the founding transaction for THOR Industries.
- Airstream Club International traces its roots to 1955 and is described by Airstream as the world's longest-running single-brand RV enthusiast club.
- The Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian Limited Edition brought an architecture foundation into the design of a production travel trailer.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — Airstream introduced the 17-foot World Traveler 17RB for Model Year 2027, expanding its narrower, lighter single-axle line for couples and solo travelers.
- **2026-06** — The company marked 95 years since Wally Byam established Airstream in Los Angeles in 1931.
- **2026-01** — Airstream launched the World Traveler 22RB, a narrow-body, Scandinavian-influenced trailer positioned as a lighter and more accessible entry to the brand.
- **2025-07** — Model Year 2026 touring coaches adopted a new Advanced Power System with lithium batteries, a 3,000-watt inverter and dual charging inputs on Mercedes-Benz models.
- **2025-06** — Airstream and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation unveiled the 28-foot Usonian Limited Edition, with production capped at 200 units over two years.
- **2024-09** — Airstream became the first THOR operating company to debut a connected platform based on THOR's Global Connected Vehicle Platform in Model Year 2025 Classic trailers.

## Links

- Website: https://www.airstream.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airstream
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Airstream_Inc
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/airstream
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airstream_inc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airstream

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/airstream
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-13