Trans World Airlines joined the growing number of airlines serving Europe from Washington DC’s new jet airport, Dulles International, when it began a daily nonstop flight to London without stopping at any other U.S. Eastern city, a routing not then available on other airlines.

This cover was carried on the June 15, 1964 inaugural Foreign Air Mail Route 27 flight from Washington, DC to London, England (where it was backstamped) and is listed in the Foreign Air Mail Flights (FAM) section of The American Air Mail Catalogue as F27-175.

In January 2001, TWA filed for a third and final bankruptcy and was acquired by American Airlines. American Airlines laid off many former TWA employees in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. TWA continued to exist as an LLC under American Airlines until July 1, 2003. American Airlines closed the St. Louis hub later that year.