Minerve began operations in 1975 using Sud Aviation Caravelle aircraft on charter flights from Paris-Le Bourget airport. Permission was granted for charter flights to the United States in 1983 and those were operated first with Douglas DC-8 jets and later on with a Boeing 747-200 wide body jetliner.

For charter flights to the Mediterranean and North Africa the Caravelles were used until replaced in 1987 by McDonnell Douglas MD-83. Minerve wanted to expand into North America and created a subsidiary in Canada called Minerve Canada, but that venture did not last long and it had a negative effect on the parent company. Other investments in Jet Alsace and Jet Fret created more financial burdens which led to the sale of 50% of the stock to the tour operator Club Méditerranée. To expand operations, three McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 wide body jetliners were acquired for long-range services.

In 1991 Minerve was operating scheduled passenger services between Paris and Bangkok, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Nice, San Francisco and Tahiti with DC-10-30 jets being primarily operated on the international routes.^[2] The same year, the airline published a joint timetable with French air carrier Air Liberte.^[3]

In 1992 Minerve merged with Air Outre Mer to form AOM French Airlines.^[4]

• 5 – Sud SE-210 Caravelle
• 3 – Douglas DC-8-53
• 3 – Douglas DC-8-61
• 1 – Douglas DC-8-62
• 2 – Douglas DC-8-73
• 1 – Boeing 747-200
• 3 – McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30
• 4 – McDonnell Douglas MD-83

• Hengi, B.I. (2000). Airlines Remembered: Over 200 Airlines of the Past, Described and Illustrated in Colour. Midland. ISBN 9781857800913.

•   Media related to Minerve (airline) at Wikimedia Commons
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