In the aviation industry, a logo is not merely an identifying mark; rather, as a visual threshold, it shapes the audience’s first encounter with a brand and influences expectations, trust, differentiation, and brand identity. This study aims to transform validated indicators of the paratextual reading of logos into a practical framework for identifying strengths and weaknesses and prioritizing design improvements across five Iranian airlines: Iran Air, Meraj, Mahan, Kish Air, and Aseman.

The study is applied in purpose and qualitative–analytical in method, drawing on findings from mixed-methods research. In the underlying study, the relationship between logo reading and visual perception was tested using structural equation modeling with 200 graphic design specialists. Subsequently, ten indicators were prioritized through fuzzy Delphi network analysis, and five Iranian airline logos were evaluated using qualitative coding and visual analysis. The present study reinterprets these findings in light of recent scholarly literature on logo reading and airline visual perception, developing a strategic framework for design improvements.

The results identify mental memorability, alignment between paratext and text, and cultural identity as the three main priorities for enhancing the visual perception of the brands studied. The central issue is not the complete absence of cultural symbols, but rather the misalignment between their cultural significance and visual effectiveness. Accordingly, the proposed strategy is “Preserving Identity—Enhancing Readability.” This approach retains identity-related and symbolic elements while prioritizing improvements in legibility, clarity, balance, coherence, distinctiveness, dynamism, color harmony, and the compatibility of the logo with the brand text.