Effective June 28, 1953 Trans-Texas Airways’ Air Mail Route 82 was extended from Dallas, Texas via Tyler, Texas, Texarkana, Arkansas-Texas, Hot Springs, Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Stuttgart and Helena, Arkansas to Memphis, Tennessee.

This cover with a magenta cachet was carried on the inaugural Air Mail Route 82 flight from the Dallas, Texas Airport Mail Facility to Memphis, Tennessee (where it was backstamped) and is listed in the Contract Air Mail (CAM) Section of The American Air Mail Catalogue as 82E51fa.

Charles Riess, a noted air mail historian, prepared the cover.

The airline remained under the Trans-Texas Airways name until 1969 when it became Texas International Airlines (TIA), and evolved into a regional airline serving 66 cities in 6 states, and Mexico.

In 1972, after suffering annual losses of up to $3 million, Texas International was purchased by Jet Capital Corporation under the leadership of businessman and entrepreneur Frank Lorenzo.