Oh geez, nearly forgot..........
1st plane ride was back in 1976, I was in Jr high.
there was a nationwide, I think, or state wide program to take school kids to Washington DC for the Bicentennial to do a one night / two day sightseeing tour.
It cost more than a few bucks, my father probably wasn't in favor, but it was much cheaper than it should have been.
Gerald Ford must have subsidized the trip.