Airlines are making seats smaller and upping prices, but bless them — they do try to make up for it in other ways. Like craft beer, which should help leg cramps as you travel around this holiday season. Here’s what’s on tap this winter:
American Airlines: American plays it safe, serving a variety of beers but only one craft brew — Samuel Adams.
Alaska Airlines: This carrier has been serving Alaskan Brewing Company’s smooth and toasty Alaskan Free Ride Pale Ale for years and good thing, too – outside of the Last Frontier, onboard an Alaska flight is one of the only places to find this festival favorite. Unfortunately, Free Ride will soon be coming off the menu and replaced with the brewery’s Icy Bay IPA. The airline also carries a wheat beer from San Diego-based brewery Saint Archer, as well as Kona Longboard Island Lager on flights to Hawaii.
Delta Airlines: On its domestic routes, Delta stocks the biggest selection of microbrews available up in the sky. There are seven regional beers to choose from across select short-haul and transcontinental routes, including the award-winning Sculpin India Pale Ale with citrus, peachy accents.
Frontier Airlines: Fat Tire Amber Ale is the artisanal beer of choice onboard this budget airline, but Frontier is also about to start carrying Pinner IPA from fellow Colorado brewery Oskar Blues.
Hawaiian Airlines: This airline serves Maui Brewing Company’s Bikini Blonde Lager onboard all U.S. and international flights.
JetBlue: JetBlue serves a few different options: Harpoon Brewery’s UFO White and Brooklyn Brewery Summer Ale, both crispy and refreshing light beers. If neither of those appeal to you, you can always go with a Samuel Adams Lager.
Southwest Airlines: Southwest also carries Fat Tire, and not-quite craft brew Leinenkugel, a Wisconsin favorite known for its cozy seasonals. Now that it’s nippy outside, the airline will rotate between serving Leinenkugel’s festive Snowdrift Vanilla Porter, Cranberry Ginger Shandy and Oktoberfest, before transitioning back to Summer Shandy for the warmer months.
United Airlines: United showed up a little late to the craft beer game, but the airline is certainly making up for lost time. Samuel Adams Winter Lager is the current seasonal craft beer, which will change as the temperature does. There’s also the ever-popular Goose Island IPA.
Virgin America: Virgin America’s has a solid collection, including the fine handiwork of three microbreweries: 21st Amendment, Anchor Steam and Samuel Adams. The first was added to the in-flight menu six years ago, after the brewery founder got in touch with the airline on Twitter. Its brews, Brew Free! and Die IPA, are both complimentary in first class and main cabin select.