Trans World Airlines ( TWA ) renamed TWA Airlines LLC in 2001 was a major U.S.-based airline with hubs in St. Louis, New York (JFK) and Paris (Charles de Gaulle) with focus cities in Kansas City, Missouri; Atlanta, Georgia; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Los Angeles, California. The airline operated from 1930 until it was acquired by American Airlines in 2001. Prior to the buyout, TWA was one of the largest domestic U.S. airlines with flights from St. Louis (and to a lesser extent JFK) to most major U.S. cities. They also had a substantial feeder operation from smaller mid-west cities. Beyond the U.S., TWA had a highly developed European and Middle East network served mainly from its JFK hub.