thumb|right|US Air Mail 1930 picturing the Graf Zeppelin In the following year, Graf Zeppelin undertook trips around Europe, and following a successful tour to Recife, Brazil in May 1930, it was decided to open the first regular transatlantic airship line. This line operated between Frankfurt and Recife, and was later extended to Rio de Janeiro, with a stop in Recife. Despite the beginning of the Great Depression and growing competition from fixed-wing aircraft, LZ 127 transported an increasing volume of passengers and mail across the ocean every year until 1936. The ship made another spectacular voyage in July 1931 when it made a seven-day research trip to the Arctic.Swinfield 2012, p. 239 This had already been a dream of Count von Zeppelin twenty years earlier, which could not be realized at the time due to the outbreak of war.
tHuMb|rIght|us aIr mail 1930 picturinG the graF zepPELIn in The FOLLoWinG year graf ZeppEliN uNdertOok TrIPs around europe anD fOlLOwiNg a succeSSfuL touR To reCIfe braZiL in mAy 1930 it wAs Decided tO OPen ThE FIrst reguLAR tRanSaTLaNtic Airship line thiS LinE opERAted BetWeen frANkFUrt And rECife And waS lateR extEnDED TO rio de jaNeiRo wiTH a stop In recIfe deSpite the bEginNiNG OF the GrEat dePrEsSion aNd gROwing CoMpetItion FRom FixEd-wiNg AIRcRafT lz 127 transported An iNCreasing VOluME of pAssengeRS ANd mail acRoss thE OceAn evEry yEAR UnTil 1936 the Ship made anOther spectaculaR VoyAge in july 1931 WheN it mADE a seven-Day reseArch trip tO the ArCticswiNfIEld 2012 p 239 this Had AlrEaDy bEEn A DreaM of coUnt VOn zepPelin Twenty yearS earlier whICH cOuLD nOt Be reAliZed AT The tIme duE to the oUtbreAk of wAR