National Airlines was started by George T. Baker. It operated primarily within Florida, the Gulf Coast and the southeastern United States. The airline was headquartered in St. Petersburg and Jacksonville before moving its home base to Miami. Routes from Florida to California via Houston including the first non-stop transcontinental service from Miami, were added in 1961. In 1970 it became the third U.S. transatlantic passenger carrier with the inauguration of daily between Miami and London's Heathrow Airport. By the late 1970s, National operated a large fleet of B-727s and DC-10 aircraft. National was known by advertising slogans such as "The Buccanneer Route (1940s)", "Airline of the Stars (1950s-60s)," and, famously, its "Fly Me" campaign of the 1970s, where aircraft were given female names. National consummated a merger with Pan American Airways in 1980 and then Pan Am ceasd operations in December, 1991. The rights to use the National Airlines name was sold to a airline which started service with Las Vegas as a hub.