Influenza viruses pose a major challenge to those concerned with global public health. Not only do influenza viruses cause yearly epidemics that are associated with slight changes in viral antigenicity, but occasionally new viruses cross from animal reservoirs into humans causing major pandemics. The most effective method to lower the mortality and morbidity associated with influenza is vaccination. In this review current and pending influenza vaccine technologies will be discussed in the context of both epidemic and pandemic influenza.