The Popular Airline That Serves Dunkin' Coffee

A lot of people would advise you not to drink airline coffee — often citing some pretty concerning hygienic issues about the water used to make it and the frequency in which the coffee pot itself is cleaned. But, most airline employees will assure that's really not anything to worry about. What you should be more concerned about, in truth, is the brand of coffee that's being served on the airline you're flying on. And, if you're a fan of a Dunkin' Donuts brew, then you're going to want to fly JetBlue.

JetBlue's been serving Dunkin's Original Blend coffee, decaf coffee, green tea, and black tea on board its flights since 2006. The move was made in response to its customers' feedback requesting a better, in flight coffee experience. According to a survey they conducted prior to its partnership with Dunkin' Donuts, JetBlue found that more than a third of airline passengers felt like airline coffee was worse than what they made at home. They also said coffee was the beverage they'd most like to see improved.

Well, it looks like passengers got their wish, and JetBlue's flights have been running on Dunkin' ever since. As John Fassak, Dunkin's Vice President of Business Development, said in a press release announcing the continuation of the partnership in 2011: "JetBlue has set the industry standard for superior service in every aspect of the air travel experience [...] and we look forward to keeping the airline's customers running for years to come."

Dunkin's coffee is anything but craft by some people's standards. Still, for Dunkin's black coffee to make such an improvement to JetBlue's in-flight coffee experience must mean that what they were serving before was pretty bad. Some people might appreciate that, but if you're something of a coffee snob who wouldn't dare touch the stuff whether you're 35,000 feet in the sky or on the ground, you should know that airline coffee in general has gone much, much further since. To get an idea of exactly how far the in-flight coffee service has come, you need look no further than what some of the other airlines are brewing.

For example, JetBlue Mint, the airline's premium service, serves coffee from Brooklyn Roasting Co. The roaster has 4 cafes across New York City, and mostly sources Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance-certified beans. It's a fitting choice for the New York-based airline. Similarly, Hawaiian Airlines serves Lion Coffee, which uses the locally roasted beans similar to what's served at the likes of the Four Seasons Resort in Hualaiai, while the Washington-based airline, Alaskan Airlines, brews its own special blend from Stumptown Coffee — one of the 15 store-bought coffee brands with the best quality beans.

So, Dunkin' isn't your only choice when flying. Next time you're booking a flight, the coffee might be something for you to consider.