You packed your bags with precision, checked in online like 22 hours in advance, made it through security,
raided the newsstand with time to spare at the gate, turned off all electronics and even kept your seatbelt
buckled when you hit cruising altitude.
Congratulations. You deserve a drink.
But not just any old airline cocktail—which amounts to a grand total of two ingredients. You deserve a little something extra. So we’ve put together these six ingenious cocktail hacks to show you how going the extra mile/ingredient will make all the difference.
The Cocktail: Margarita.
How It Usually Works: Tequila, triple sec, lime.
How You’ll Make It Work In-Flight: Tequila is an easy get. And most planes will have an orange liqueur like Cointreau or Grand Marnier to fulfill that requirement (though, in a pinch, a splash of fresh orange juice will do). Yet it might not be that easy to track down a fresh lime, so order a can of Sprite to top off the drink with some crisp lemon-lime-y-ness.
The Cocktail: Sangria.
How It Usually Works: Wine, fresh fruit.
How You’ll Make It Work In-Flight: You’ve got your red wine, and then add some orange and cranberry juice. If you order the cheese and fruit plate, you could even garnish with a few items from that. (Well, save the cheese for your snack.)
The Cocktail: Irish coffee.
How It Usually Works: Coffee, whiskey, Irish cream liqueur.
How You’ll Make It Work In-Flight: Order a whiskey during coffee service. If you’re in luck they’ll also have mini bottles of Baileys on hand, but a couple of creamers should suffice if not. Stir vigorously.
The Cocktail: Michelada.
How It Usually Works: Beer, tomato juice, lime, hot sauce.
How You’ll Make It Work In-Flight: The average light beer you’ll find on a plane suddenly becomes more palatable when you pour it over iced-down Bloody Mary mix. If you can track down a wedge of lime, all the better—otherwise you can lean on the mix to bring all the flavors you need.
The Cocktail: Hot toddy.
How It Usually Works: Hot tea, rum, lemon, honey.
How You’ll Make It Work In-Flight: Order a hot tea and—depending on your mood or what’s available—rum, bourbon or brandy. (Or heck, all three.) They should serve your tea with a wedge of lemon (or order lemonade if you must). Stir in a sugar packet or two and think warm thoughts.
The Cocktail: French 75.
How It Usually Works: Gin, lemon twist, simple syrup, champagne.
How You’ll Make It Work In-Flight: And now for our passengers flying in our first-class cabins (with easy access to gin, champagne and lemon). Just add a packet of sugar (or a modest dash of Sprite in a pinch) and a lemon twist, and violà, you have an approximation of the French 75. Okay, rough approximation. But at this altitude, it will be your little secret.
Congratulations. You deserve a drink.
But not just any old airline cocktail—which amounts to a grand total of two ingredients. You deserve a little something extra. So we’ve put together these six ingenious cocktail hacks to show you how going the extra mile/ingredient will make all the difference.
The Cocktail: Margarita.
How It Usually Works: Tequila, triple sec, lime.
How You’ll Make It Work In-Flight: Tequila is an easy get. And most planes will have an orange liqueur like Cointreau or Grand Marnier to fulfill that requirement (though, in a pinch, a splash of fresh orange juice will do). Yet it might not be that easy to track down a fresh lime, so order a can of Sprite to top off the drink with some crisp lemon-lime-y-ness.
The Cocktail: Sangria.
How It Usually Works: Wine, fresh fruit.
How You’ll Make It Work In-Flight: You’ve got your red wine, and then add some orange and cranberry juice. If you order the cheese and fruit plate, you could even garnish with a few items from that. (Well, save the cheese for your snack.)
The Cocktail: Irish coffee.
How It Usually Works: Coffee, whiskey, Irish cream liqueur.
How You’ll Make It Work In-Flight: Order a whiskey during coffee service. If you’re in luck they’ll also have mini bottles of Baileys on hand, but a couple of creamers should suffice if not. Stir vigorously.
The Cocktail: Michelada.
How It Usually Works: Beer, tomato juice, lime, hot sauce.
How You’ll Make It Work In-Flight: The average light beer you’ll find on a plane suddenly becomes more palatable when you pour it over iced-down Bloody Mary mix. If you can track down a wedge of lime, all the better—otherwise you can lean on the mix to bring all the flavors you need.
The Cocktail: Hot toddy.
How It Usually Works: Hot tea, rum, lemon, honey.
How You’ll Make It Work In-Flight: Order a hot tea and—depending on your mood or what’s available—rum, bourbon or brandy. (Or heck, all three.) They should serve your tea with a wedge of lemon (or order lemonade if you must). Stir in a sugar packet or two and think warm thoughts.
The Cocktail: French 75.
How It Usually Works: Gin, lemon twist, simple syrup, champagne.
How You’ll Make It Work In-Flight: And now for our passengers flying in our first-class cabins (with easy access to gin, champagne and lemon). Just add a packet of sugar (or a modest dash of Sprite in a pinch) and a lemon twist, and violà, you have an approximation of the French 75. Okay, rough approximation. But at this altitude, it will be your little secret.
