Thanks to Instagram, we can travel vicariously through our smartphones. You can live in Boston and see gorgeous snapshots of cacti in the Mojave. When you see a friend's photo of the cherry blossoms in Washington, it gives you a patriotic pang to travel to D.C.

Of course, little digital images don't quite capture the splendor of the American landscape.

Half a century ago, airlines relied on painters to instill that deep feeling of wanderlust. Travel posters were pieces of art, worthy of museums and galleries. David Klein is pop art master. Some were meant to lure foreign tourists, some gave locals a sense of pride for their regional airline hubs. Here are some favorites from the golden age of air travel. We tried to give credit where it was due.

American Airlines to Los Angeles (c. 1970)

Image: dpvintageposters.com

Western Airlines to Las Vegas (1950s)

Image: grayflannelsuit.net

American Airlines to Niagara Falls (c. 1970)

Image: dpvintageposters.com

TWA to Florida (David Klein, 1950s)

Image: grayflannelsuit.net

BOAC to U.S.A. (1940s)

Image: British Airways

American Airlines to Detroit (Fred Cornway, 1960s)

Image: grayflannelsuit.net

American Airlines to Chicago (Henry K. Bencsath, 1950s)

Image: retrographik.com

American Airlines to Arizona (Fred Ludekens, 1950s)

Image: grayflannelsuit.net

Northwest Orient Airlines to Alaska (1950s)

Image: grayflannelsuit.net

Braniff International to Texas (c. 1960)

Image: Retro Snapshots

French ad with the Mississippi River and St. Louis (1965)

Image: Poster Museum

Pan Am to Hawaii (Mark Von Arenburg, 1940s)

Image: Amazon

Delta to Atlanta (Jack Laycox, c. 1975)

Image: vintagetravelposters.info

TWA to Disneyland (David Klein, c. 1955)

Image: Pinterest / Design Dosage

BOAC to U.S.A. (Dick Negus and Philip Sharland, 1954)

Image: mak.at