By Kelly Stevenson, WTCE Beverages Ambassador
At 35,000 feet, where space is constrained and attention fragmented, airlines are rediscovering a familiar but newly energised truth: indulgence. A visible trend – accelerated when Covid grounded the world – is a confident return to elevated, experience-led indulgence.
This is not regression but recalibration. Air travel has always carried a sense of exception, with time almost suspended between departure and arrival. Increasingly, airlines are leaning into this psychology, recognising that often passengers view flying as a space where normal routines soften and small luxuries feel justified.
Beverages are at the centre of this awakened trend. From bar-quality cocktails to outstanding wines and premium spirits, airlines are curating wine lists and bar trolleys that invite customers to treat the journey as part of their destination.
However, what is important is that this is not excess driven but rather structured indulgence. Intentional, elevated and experience driven. Of course, for some, the healthiest drinks on the menu are an indulgence, so a premium choice of healthy beverages remains essential. Ultimately it comes back to a trend I write about often: choice – it’s expected and when the choice is wider, the perception of quality is too.
Premiumisation with character
Indulgence today is more nuanced than the past glory days of flying when “more expensive equals better.” Guests on board are not simply seeking luxury labels; they are responding to the personality, craft and story of the brand.
One example of this shift is the rise in ready-to-drink cocktails that replicate bar-standard serves, ensuring consistent quality and brand presentation in an environment where training is varied. Frequently now, customers can see full partnerships with recognised wine or beverage brands that bring credibility across multiple channels from check-in to the lounge and onboard. The emphasis today is more on delivering something that feels tailored rather than standardised.
Texture, presentation and ritual are all being reconsidered. A well-balanced negroni, a small batch roasted coffee and a carefully selected wine become more than drinks, they become moments of theatre in an otherwise routine environment.
Experience differentiation
In a market where seats and schedules are increasingly commoditised, airlines are turning to sensory experiences in order to stand apart. Luxurious beverage programmes provide a relatively agile way to create memorability without requiring structural change.
A signature cocktail, a limited-edition drinks menu or a seasonal offering can generate disproportionate impact or a significant NPS improvement. Small interventions can carry significant weight, resulting in passengers noticing the attention to detail and memories aligned to the flight, rather than just the holiday or home at the end of it.
Presentation and training have become more important than ever. Airlines are aligning more closely with premium hospitality standards when it comes to product selection and staff training rather than traditional, more functional inflight service.
The role of alcohol reimagined
Alcohol remains a core category within this indulgence trend, but more refined, where quality is taking precedence over quantity. Airlines are increasingly attuned to their customers’ preferences, enabling a focus on fewer, more premium options that deliver a sense of occasion.
At the same time, indulgence naturally encompasses a broad range far beyond alcohol. Decadent hot chocolates, speciality coffees, thick smoothies, and punchy energy shots are all gaining prominence, broadening the definition of what it means to “treat” oneself onboard.
A quiet counterbalance: the importance of choice
Whilst there does appear to be a definite shift to luxury and indulgence when sat back, relaxing with an inflight movie or catching up on work, healthier options remain an essential part of the offer. Their role, however, is evolving from headline act to supporting pillar – and that balance is critical.
Indulgence resonates because it is a choice, not the default. The presence of credible wellness options enhances, rather than diminishes, the appeal of more decadent products.
In effect, airlines are designing for dual mindsets: the passenger who wants to feel virtuous, and the one who wants to feel indulged. Of course this can often be the same person, at different moments of the journey.
Commercial thoughts
From a business perspective, indulgence-driven beverage strategies align closely with revenue and brand objectives. Premium drinks carry higher perceived value, support ancillary revenue streams, and reinforce positioning particularly in premium cabins. They also create emotional differentiation – important in a category where functional parity is high and the emotional resonance of brands becomes a key driver of preference.
A memorable drink can anchor a positive perception of the entire flight.
A growing trend or a fad?
The resurgence of indulgence in airline beverages reflects a broader cultural dynamic: after years of limitations and optimisation, consumers are re-embracing enjoyment, albeit in more intentional ways.
For airlines, the opportunity lies in tailoring wine and beverage lists with precision. Not louder, smarter. Not more, better.
The most forward-thinking airlines have realised that in the end, the best inflight experiences are not defined by scale, but by sensation. Sometimes that sensation is as simple as a perfectly served drink that allows the guest, just for a moment, to feel that they are exactly where they want to be.
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