Ameriways was a Mexican airline brand whose symbol was designed by Cuban graphic designer Félix Beltrán in 1980. The mark is documented as a stripes-style logo with a reflection motif, consistent with Beltrán’s broader body of corporate identity work created during his years in Mexico City.[1]
Design and History
Félix Beltrán (1938–2022) was born in Havana, Cuba, and is recognized as one of the most important Ibero-American graphic designers.[2] He studied at the School of Visual Arts, the American Art School, and the Art Students League in New York in the late 1950s.[3] Beltrán later moved to Mexico, where he developed an extensive career in corporate design and taught at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana.[4]The Ameriways symbol was created in 1980, during a period when Beltrán was producing corporate logos for clients across Latin America.[1] The logo is catalogued among his airline-related identity work, though detailed documentation of the airline itself remains scarce.Meaning and Symbolism
The Ameriways mark is described as a stripes-style logo with a reflection shape, suggesting a visual play on symmetry or mirroring.[1] Beltrán’s design philosophy emphasized austerity and the reduction of forms to their essential elements, a principle evident across his corporate identity work.[5] His approach to logo design focused on achieving a synthesis between visual quality and conceptual clarity.[4]Beltrán’s broader body of work includes notable marks such as the Iberia Cargo sub-brand (1965), the Cruz Roja (Red Cross) mark (1993), and the Hotel La Habana logo (1956).[4] His logos were featured in the 2016 “Supersignos” exhibition at Casa de América in Madrid, which showcased 150 logos in black and white by Beltrán and Spanish designer Cruz Novillo.[6]Typography and Design
Beltrán’s logo work is characterized by a methodical, systematic approach to form and a commitment to simplicity as a foundation of effective visual communication.[5] The Ameriways mark follows this pattern, employing a striped, reflective composition rather than relying on elaborate illustration. Specific typographic details for the Ameriways wordmark are not documented in available sources.Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
