Cape Air unveils stars and stripes livery for US 250th anniversary

Cape Air has painted a Cessna in a stars and stripes livery marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Massachusetts-based regional carrier worked with America 250, the nonpartisan organization created by Congress to coordinate commemorations of the milestone, on the design. White stars on a blue background cover the area around the cockpit. Red and white stripes run along the rest of the fuselage.

The scheme was shown publicly in July at the Maine Air Show, held at Brunswick Executive Airport in Brunswick, Maine.

American Airlines and Southwest Airlines have also introduced anniversary liveries during 2026, so Cape Air is not the first US carrier to mark the anniversary with a special scheme.

The repainting reflects a wider practice among airlines of commissioning commemorative designs. According to the publication that reported the livery, repainting an average airliner can cost upwards of $200,000, work that involves designing around critical flight components and accounting for the added weight of paint.