The course of commercial aviation witnessed a major change on this day in 1954, when the prototype of the nation’s first production jetliner, the Boeing 707, lifted off a runway near Seattle for its maiden flight. The 707 quickly replaced propellor-driven aircraft and served both airlines and the military for many decades, logging 30 million flying hours and carrying more than half-a-million passengers in its many passenger and cargo versions by the time its production ceased, says the U.S. Census Bureau.  

Could those pioneering folks at Boeing have been able to predict what was to come? Now, jet airliners take off nearly 31,000 times a day, carrying close to 2 million passengers to their destinations around the country, according to the Census Bureau. Super-jumbo planes like the beleaguered Airbus 380–with seating for over 550 and capable of flying Chicago to Sydney non-stop–have taken over the skies, alongside debates over everything from airline food to security measures against terrorism. Most airlines are cramming more and more passengers into tighter spaces (even crassly proposing to make a few stand) while, ironically, at the same the demand for super-luxury in the world of commercial flight has spurred the creation of uber-comfy (and expensive) sections offering a select few lucky passengers more room than some New York City apartments.

So what’s next? Oh, right: commercial space travel.