Aviation history in the 20th and 21st centuries is organized into specific time periods or eras. The following list of descriptors and time periods are considered to be the most widely recognized eras of aviation history:
- Pioneer Era (1903-1914)
- World War I (1914-1918)
- Golden Age (1918-1939)
- World War II (1939-1945)
- Post War Era (1945-1979)
- Digital Age (1980-Present)