In premium cabins, airline beverage programmes are far more than a courtesy pour – they are brand expressions, culinary companions, marketing tools and competitive differentiators.
Passengers in First and Business increasingly expect ‘the bar’ to be on par with high-end restaurants and stylish bars. The world’s airlines are responding with carefully curated selections, high-profile partnerships, signature cocktails and thoughtful non-alcoholic alternatives.
Iconic pours
35,000 feet since the dawn of commercial flight. Nowadays, airlines are leaning into this heritage and tradition whilst introducing a selection of modern delights alongside.
For example, Singapore Airlines has, over the decades, built a reputation for cultivating artisanal ‘Grand Marques’ such as Krug Grande Cuvée and Taittinger Comtes de Champagne for its premium cabins. The key is selecting bottles (and vintages where relevant) that both perform well at altitude and express ultimate prestige.
Japan Airlines (JAL) uniquely serves extremely rare Salon Champagne on select international flights in First only due to its scarcity, and it has done since 2007 – creating a clear differentiation and signature luxury offering.
Something special
Iconic and bespoke wines are where we are seeing a shift toward terroir-driven selections from world-renowned regions and boutique producers. United Airlines, for example, has introduced premium wines from prestigious producers like Domaine Serene (award-winning Oregon Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) into Polaris. On January 1 2025, Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Champagne came in as the complimentary, consistent feature in Business – a notable step up for a US carrier. One to look out for in 2026 is a custom label featuring the airline’s signature centennial year logo.
Seasonal or celebrational special pours enhance the guest experience. For the British Airways centenary in 2019, an exclusive cuvée of Hattingley Valley Blanc de Noirs English sparkling wine was developed to celebrate the occasion. This came alongside a unique beer: Speedbird 100 (after the airline’s call sign), the mark two of which ‘Speedbird OG’ still flies today.
Emirates takes things seriously with a long-term agreement ensuring only its passengers get to enjoy two very premium tipples. As the only commercial airline in the world with exclusive rights to serve Champagnes Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon, both quality and prestige are paramount.
Do the unique offerings from JAL or Emirates, or long-term relationships that ensure passengers can have their favourite pour sway the customer at the point of booking their ticket? In many cases, absolutely.
In the spirit
A truly premium beverage programme goes beyond wine. There are plenty of examples of quality despite the challenges creating a bar at 35,000 feet presents.
Emirates now offers an impressive array of over 40 premium spirits and beers, with Chivas Royal Salute 21-Year-Old Scotch as a standout favourite in First cabins.
Air India’s refreshed spirits lineup includes Aberfeldy 21-year-old single malt Scotch and Hennessy VSOP cognac in First, plus Roku Gin in Business – illustrating how global portfolios are tailored to customer preferences and market expectations.
Virgin Atlantic has always mixed up an impressive cocktail list and recently mimicked the Red Head, of lounge fame, in Upper Class via a ready-to-drink solution. But perhaps one of the most iconic and enjoyed cocktails at altitude is the Bloody Mary. One of the most prominent trends this decade has seen the customer demand a more premium Bloody Mary with high quality, natural ingredients versus bland concentrate tomato juice or high-salt or high-sugar infused mixes.
In 2025, Virgin created an exclusive label for their Upper Class offering of the quintessential quality UK brand: The Pickle House tomato juice mix (launched in March 2023). Moreover, they changed to offer aircraft-wide, highlighting the importance of the airline’s approach to partner with quality British-made products and independent B Corp brands.
And Virgin are not the only ones – see if you can spot the world’s best ‘Mary’ mix when you next fly – now listing on airlines all over the world and growing in popularity. Carton concentrate move over…
Of course, not all premium beverage innovation is alcoholic. Saudia Airlines has partnered with multi-award-winning Jukes Cordialities to offer premium alcohol-free drinks in Business and First network-wide. They demonstrate that non-alcoholic premium offerings can be treated with the same intention and care as traditional alcoholic pairings and mixes satisfying passengers who seek refined alternatives.
Taste the difference
Modern premium travellers are more sophisticated and conscious about what they drink. Trends shaping airline beverage programmes are changing. For example, there has been a surge in interest in provenance: onboard guests increasingly ask where a wine comes from and why it was selected.
The overall desire amongst consumers to choose products with a focus on sustainability absolutely extends to the beverage cart. Airlines are increasingly looking at options that harmonise more with the environment such as organic ingredients, lower carbon footprint and fair-trade sourcing.
It will come as no surprise that health and moderation are trending. Alcohol-free cocktails or craft non-alcoholic beers, like Athletic Brewing Co. on American Airlines for example, are no longer afterthoughts. The future will almost certainly see a move to functional drinks with proven health benefits. Bizarrely, these feature mainly in the less premium cabins in the sky, sold inflight, rather than in the most premium sections of the plane – an improvement in smoothie, energy shots and quality of juice offerings would surely be most welcomed by high fare-paying passengers.
Looking forward
Whilst many airlines have always tried to offer quality in the cellars and bars that fly around the world, looking ahead innovation will come in the following ways.
We’ll see an ability to pre-order ensuring a favourite tipple can be added to the experience – if the customer wants Chateau Petrus 2010, they shall have it!
There’ll be more exclusive blends, brews and mixes co-developed with brands and experts, focused on quality at altitude, as well as sustainable sourcing and packaging aircraft wide.
Differentiation that better showcases the quality of drinks lists in premium cabins versus the availability of more appealing drinks available to buy in the least premium cabins will be key.
The premium airline experience should be in line with a five-star hospitality experience on the ground. There are those leading the charge, but others need to catch up quickly.
