Love Field saw two firsts in Texas aviation history when National Air Transport, which later became United Air Lines, inaugurated the first airmail service in Texas on May 12, 1926, and then flew the first passengers and express on September 1, 1927, on flights to Chicago. The first airmail packets, weighing a total of 1,556 pounds, were dispatched in two single-engine monoplanes, Miss Dallas and Miss Fort Worth, for a 12-hour flight. At the same time, Miss Chicago was on its way to Dallas with 275 pounds of mail and parcels, including apparel for two clothing stores and a shipment of diamonds valued at $100,000. The first passenger service began at 8 a.m. with the departure of a full load of three, while about an hour earlier another plane with two passengers and the first load of express left Chicago for Dallas. These early flights cut rail time by 15 hours, although it still took almost 12 hours to fly the 990-mile, 7-stop trip, which cost 10 cents per mile. Each passenger was allowed 25 pounds in baggage, with overweight charged at a dollar a pound, and air express shipments were limited to 200 pounds and $5,000 valuation.