Airstream Models by Year: The Line-Up by Era, and What Each Sells For Today
Airstream has used many model names over ninety years, and the same name has meant different trailers in different decades. This guide sorts the line-up by era so you can place any Airstream you're looking at — and see what Airstreams are asking right now.
By Joey Bouza, Founder, US RV Connection · Updated August 29, 2026
No other RV brand carries its history the way Airstream does. Trailers from the 1950s still tow down the interstate, the model names have been recycled across decades, and a "Flying Cloud" can be a 1955 single-axle or a brand-new 30-footer. Below is the line-up by era — model names and the years they were in the catalogue, nothing more speculative than that — followed by the live asking prices of every Airstream currently listed on this site. For buying advice and what to inspect, see our Airstream buying guide.
1930s–1940s: the beginnings
- Clipper (1936): the first riveted-aluminum Airstream, built in California. Very few survive; those that do are museum pieces more than campers.
- Liner and Trailwind (late 1940s): the first post-war production trailers, made in the Los Angeles factory as Airstream resumed building after wartime aluminum restrictions.
1950s: the classic silhouette
- Flying Cloud, Cruiser, Safari, Caravanner, Overlander, Sovereign, Traveler, Bubble, Pacer and Land Yacht names all appear in the 1950s catalogues, in lengths from 16 to about 30 feet.
- The Jackson Center, Ohio factory opened in 1952 and built alongside the California plant for decades; many models were produced at both.
- Thirteen-panel front ends and the rounded "whale tail" rear cap characterize the decade; these are the trailers that define the vintage look.
1960s–1970s: Land Yacht era
- Bambi (introduced 1961 as a 16-foot single-axle), Globetrotter, Caravel, Safari, Trade Wind, Overlander, Ambassador, Sovereign and Land Yacht formed the core line, with lengths climbing to 31 feet.
- The Argosy sub-brand (1972 onward) offered painted-steel-and-aluminum trailers and, later, motorhomes at a lower price than the polished trailers.
- The Excella series (Excella 500 from the mid-1970s) topped the range with the most equipment, and the Excella name carried through the 1980s and 1990s.
- Airstream's first motorhomes arrived in this period, sharing the aluminum shell with the trailers.
1980s–1990s: Excella, Classic and the Land Yacht motorhomes
- Excella, Limited and Sovereign continued as the trailer line; the Classic name arrived to denote the flagship trailer, and has stayed at the top of the range ever since.
- Land Yacht motorhomes on conventional chassis, and the rear-engine Classic and 350 LE coaches, were built alongside the trailers through the 1990s.
- Safari was relaunched in the late 1990s as a lower-priced modern trailer, and the Bambi name returned on small single-axle models.
2000s–today: the modern line-up
| Model | Years | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | 1990s–present | The flagship trailer; the largest floorplans and most equipment |
| International | 2000s–present | Design-led interiors on the standard shell; the Signature and Serenity trims and, for a period, designer collaborations |
| Flying Cloud | Revived late 2000s–present | The core family line in the widest range of lengths and floorplans |
| Bambi | Modern series 2000s–present | The small single-axle trailers, 16 to 22 feet |
| Caravel | Revived 2019–present | Small trailers positioned above Bambi |
| Globetrotter | Revived 2018–present | European-influenced interiors on 23- to 30-foot shells |
| Basecamp | 2016–present | A compact, rugged single-axle trailer with a different shell shape from the classic Airstream |
| Nest | 2018–2020 | A fiberglass (not aluminum) small trailer; short production run |
| Pottery Barn and other special editions | Various | Limited-run trims of existing models — factual trim differences only; verify by VIN and build sheet |
| Interstate and Atlas touring coaches | 2000s–present | Class B and B+ motorhomes on Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis |
| Rangeline | 2022–present | Class B on a Ram ProMaster chassis |
What Airstreams are asking right now
The brand table below shows the live median, lowest and highest asking price for Airstream against the other brands on the site, measured from priced listings and recalculated hourly. Our value guide also lists every Airstream currently for sale individually, by year, model and price.
| Brand | Median asking | Lowest | Highest | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest River | $34,588 | $4,999 | $150,995 | 805 |
| Keystone | $29,882 | $6,499 | $82,995 | 142 |
| Coachmen | $28,736 | $8,795 | $148,995 | 112 |
| Jayco | $31,997 | $4,999 | $159,995 | 92 |
| Grand Design | $36,745 | $12,999 | $178,985 | 90 |
| CrossRoads | $26,242 | $9,988 | $69,979 | 74 |
| Winnebago | $32,726 | $14,789 | $182,650 | 74 |
| Dutchmen | $26,977 | $6,988 | $66,977 | 51 |
| Brinkley | $84,895 | $41,648 | $244,632 | 46 |
| Thor Motor Coach | $85,995 | $32,997 | $269,995 | 46 |
| Heartland | $25,995 | $7,988 | $84,995 | 45 |
| KZ | $43,499 | $12,995 | $176,794 | 42 |
| Venture RV | $37,727 | $11,995 | $74,977 | 38 |
| Venture | $34,479 | $8,995 | $79,979 | 35 |
| Palomino | $27,777 | $6,000 | $55,995 | 31 |
For Airstreams, the model year matters less than the restoration history. A polished, re-floored, re-axled 1970s Sovereign can fairly ask more than a neglected trailer twenty years younger. Price the condition, not the calendar.
Frequently asked questions
- What was the first Airstream model?
- The Clipper, introduced in 1936, was the first riveted-aluminum Airstream. Earlier Airstream designs were plywood or Masonite trailers built from plans.
- When was the Bambi introduced?
- The original Bambi was a 16-foot single-axle trailer introduced in 1961. The name returned on modern small trailers in the 2000s and is still in the line-up.
- What is the difference between Flying Cloud and International?
- Same shell, different interior. The International is the design-led trim with upgraded finishes; the Flying Cloud is the core family line with the widest range of floorplans.
- Is the Basecamp a real Airstream?
- Yes — built by Airstream in Jackson Center since 2016, with an aluminum body in a different, more angular shape than the traditional trailers.
- Was the Nest an aluminum trailer?
- No. The Nest was a fiberglass small trailer sold from 2018 to 2020; it's the exception in the modern line-up.
- How do I find the year of a vintage Airstream?
- Trailers from 1981 on carry a 17-character VIN with the model year in the tenth character. Earlier trailers have a short serial on a plate; Airstream and the vintage owner clubs can date those from their records.
- Do Airstreams hold their value?
- Better than any other RV brand. The brand table on this page shows where Airstream's live median sits against the other brands on the site, and the value guide lists every Airstream for sale by year and price.
- Where can I see what to inspect on a used Airstream?
- Our Airstream buying guide covers the floor, the shell, the seals and the axles — the four things that decide whether a used Airstream is a bargain or a project.
About the author
Joey Bouza — Founder, US RV Connection
Working musician and founder of Prospects International, a marketing firm that runs lead and appointment campaigns for dealers across the country.
Prices and counts in our guides come from live listings on this site and are recalculated hourly. Where we quote industry-typical figures (transport, inspection, roof reseal, tire and appliance quotes) we say so, and we never publish a number we haven't measured or sourced.