Whether kicking off a long-awaited vacation or trying to unwind, people like to drink when they fly. Often that means your standard drinks-cart offerings like wine, beer, or spirits and mixers. But sometimes, depending on the carrier and how much you’ve shelled out for a ticket, it can mean a much nicer selection. And for those travelers who are in a celebratory mood, it can mean really good Champagne.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the airlines considered among the best in the world are the very same ones that pop bottles of high-price Champagne. With these carriers, the cost of a first- or business-class ticket affords passengers unlimited pours of the world’s best bubbly at 30,000 feet, often ensuring that flyers have a glass in hand before the plane’s doors are even shut. And should they wish, the bubbles will continue flowing throughout the entire flight. Just ask this guy, who claims to have consumed eight bottles of Dom Pérignon while on a 32-hour journey from Los Angeles to Bangkok.
Whether you’re looking for a way to consume a single glass, eight bottles (which, for the record we do not advise), or simply a way to manifest a first-class ticket on one of these planes, here are three airlines offering some of the best in-flight Champagne selections.
Emirates
Consistently ranked as one of the best airlines in the world, it’s no surprise that Emirates has a stellar Champagne selection. The Dubai-based airline purchases more Champagne than any other carrier in the world and has a longstanding partnership with LVMH. That means passengers have access to bottles of Dom Pérignon, Moët & Chandon, and Veuve Clicquot that aren’t available on any other airline.
All first-class passengers, regardless of route, are offered glasses of Dom Pérignon 2013 year-round, with Dom Pérignon Rosé 2008 served on flights from June to September. But it isn’t just first-class passengers who get to sip on high-quality French bubbly. Business-class passengers on routes to Africa, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific, and Australia are greeted with Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial, with the label’s Rosé Imperial on offer from June to November. For those in business class flying to the Americas, the U.K., and Europe, Emirates offers Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and Veuve Clicquot Vintage Blanc 2015 from September to December.
While the airline’s exclusivity agreement was set to expire in 2024, Emirates and the Paris-based luxury conglomerate renewed their partnership last June, meaning Emirates passengers will continue to have access to these bottles while in the skies for another four years. And good thing, because a first-class ticket on the airline from New York to its hub in Dubai will run you around $15,000, so you better get your money’s worth.
Japan Airlines
First-class passengers who step aboard select flights on Japan Airlines are greeted with pours of Champagne Salon, one of the most highly sought-after Champagnes in the world. All Salon Champagne is produced in the blanc de blancs style from Chardonnay grapes harvested from a singular 2.5-acre plot and 19 other small plots in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, a small commune with 100 percent grand cru vineyards. Adding to the wine’s allure is the fact that it’s only produced in years the house deems exceptional, so there are only around four vintages produced in a decade. And bottles don’t come cheap. The 2013 vintage — the most recent vintage to hit the market and the bottle currently served on board — retails for approximately $1,200. It’s a price that makes a $7,500 boarding pass feel slightly more worth it. But passengers looking for a sip will have to keep their final destination in mind. Salon is only served on flights departing from Tokyo to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, London, Paris, and Helsinki.
For those not traveling to these cities, Japan Airlines offers pours of Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé 2012, which typically sells for upwards of $200. Business-class travelers also have the opportunity to enjoy top-notch bubbly, with Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve on offer.
Singapore Airlines
Known for having one of the most luxurious in-flight drinking experiences, Singapore Airlines naturally has one of the best Champagne selections. Twice a year, the airline conducts two formal tastings in which a panel of judges blind-taste over 1,000 bottles of red, white, port, and Champagne before determining which are the best to serve onboard. The carrier even goes so far as to blind wines in a pressurized cabin to mimic how they will taste at cruising altitude.
Following a December 2024 exclusive agreement with Louis Roederer, all suites and first-class passengers aboard certain Singapore Airlines flights can drink Cristal 2015, a vintage that is widely regarded as one of Champagne’s best in recent memory. Unfortunately, the bubbly is only on flights between Singapore and Delhi, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Paris, Shanghai, Sydney, and Tokyo.
While Cristal might not be on all flights, Singapore Airlines also offers suites and first-class passengers access to Krug Grande Cuvée. Furthermore, the carrier has a rotating selection of three premium labels for suites and first-class passengers, with current offerings including 2013 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, 2007 Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires, 2015 Bollinger Grande Année, and 2016 Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs.
*Image retrieved from New Africa via stock.adobe.com
