There are many ways to pass the time on a long flight. One way is to soothe anxiety and boredom by playing mixologist and creating your own cocktails. With the help of those mini bottles of booze, mixers and accessories from the in-flight beverage service, you can make a surprisingly vast—and eclectic—menu of adult beverages while airborne.
Even better, you could travel with some key accessories. Consider the mini Tabasco bottle (as Beyonce has suggested, it’s always a good idea to have a hot sauce in your bag), which can enliven a Bloody Mary. And, if you’re feeling ambitious, plastic baggies or containers of garnishes such as lemons, limes, mint or cheese-stuffed olives in brine, as recommended by one viral TikTok reel, can yield a bespoke dirty martini.
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To help guide the way, we tapped bar experts for their creative, resourceful tips for making delicious cocktails on a plane. The sky really is the limit.
Use Hot Beverages
Don’t forget that you have hot water and tea at your disposal on most flights, which means you can craft yourself something like a hot toddy. Stephen Rowe, co-owner and bar director at Dario in Minneapolis, recommends spiking green tea for when “you are alone and don’t want to spend too much money.” Simply order a tea, a ginger ale and a whiskey. Fill a cup halfway with a mix of half the ginger ale and half whiskey, then add hot tea to fill the rest of the cup. “This usually puts me right to sleep,” Rowe says.
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Diana Richey, bartender at Famous Last Words in Brooklyn, uses hot black coffee to concoct an airplane-friendly espresso martini. “When I fly American, I get vodka on the rocks, a black coffee and Baileys,” she says. “I add the Baileys to the vodka and then drop in the coffee to taste. Espresso martini in the sky keeps me alert and ready to go when I hit my destination.” (Make sure to check for Baileys ahead of time, because not all airlines carry it.)
Go with Equal-Parts Drinks for an Easier Experience
Kevin Beary, beverage director at Three Dots and a Dash and The Bamboo Room, both in Chicago, points out that the easiest drinks to make are equal-parts cocktails. After all, we’re guessing you don’t want to bring a jigger on your flight. “This makes it easier to eyeball measurements, especially when you’re on a plane,” Beary says.
One of the most low-maintenance equal-parts cocktails is a Spanish spritzer, which is equal parts red wine and citrus soda over ice. Other great variations are the kalimotxo (red wine and Coca-Cola) and the beer spritzer (beer and a splash of citrus soda.)
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In the name of ease, and out of courtesy for your seatmates, it’s best to stick to stirred cocktails, rather than shaken. “Stirred cocktails like Old Fashioneds, Negronis and Boulevardiers are ideal choices for airplane mixology,” he says. “They’re simple to make and don’t require shaking, which can be tricky in-flight.” Bear in mind, the ingredients for more advanced cocktails might require liqueurs that are only available in premium economy and business class.
Do Your Research Ahead of Time
Given that airlines can have limited spirit selections, Beary recommends checking the website beforehand to see which mini bottles they offer. “For example, no major airline I’ve ever flown has any kind of decent rum, which makes daiquiris not a great choice,” he says.
Do a Vibe Check
Before Rowe makes a cocktail on a flight, he asks himself what mood he’s in. “I tend to go festive or sleepy, and I think that has to do with where I am traveling and why.” When he’s looking to rest, he goes for spiked hot tea. But for something celebratory, he likes to make a bubbly cranberry spritzer.
“If I am traveling with a good friend, I will order sparkling wine and have the friend order gin and cranberry juice on the side,” he says. “We mix the gin and wine roughly one to three and then add cranberry juice to taste. They will probably give you a cup with ice for the cranberry juice. Use that as your mixing cup. It’s pretty basic, but it’s tasty.”
If you’re not traveling with a good friend, consider collaborating with your seatmate. Who knows, they might become an instant pal.
Ask for Extra Ice
Ice melts, so it’s a good idea to have backup ice you can work with. “Always ask for an extra cup and extra ice no matter what you want to drink,” says Rowe.
Know the Rules (and be Surreptitious)
Passengers are not allowed to bring their own alcohol onto planes—even if bottles meet the airline’s size requirements. You could face upwards of $40,000 in fines. That’s why it’s always a good idea to not only follow the rules, but also “avoid drawing attention from flight attendants by discreetly crafting your cocktails,” says Beary. “So, they don’t mistake your homemade drinks for unauthorized alcohol.”
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Published: April 26, 2024
