Bright sun, clear sky, white sand and deep blue water… it's Hawaii, paradise of the Pacific! You can be there in a few hours by flying United.

This was the alluring suggestion put before Americans in the 1950s when air travel to far-flung places was still new.

Certainly, the colors on this attractive in-flight menu would entice anyone to pack their bathing suits and take a vacation. The artist is not named.

United flights from San Francisco to Honolulu took eight hours in those days, and tickets weren’t cheap, but tourists on arrival found uncrowded beaches and far fewer hotels than there are now.

The on-board catering was generous too, and passengers who paid for red carpet service were offered double-strength cocktails. and champagne.

Hawaii became an American state in 1959 and the island, 2000 miles from the American mainland, remains one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.