The 10 Absolute Best Cocktails To Make While Flying

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Your flight has reached cruising altitude, the seatbelt sign has been switched off, and beverage service is about to begin. For those of us who like to enjoy a tipple or two on a long-haul flight, this is the moment we've been waiting for. but what if you're feeling creative and want something more exciting than a Scotch on the rocks?

It's not exactly common to play bartender while on an airplane, but it's not out of the realm of possibility, either. You just need to know how to plan ahead and choose ingredients that are elevation-friendly. "There is no environment more hostile to our senses than an airplane," says Mandy Naglich, author of "How to Taste: A Guide to Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life." In her book, Naglich explains how the recycled, stale cabin air dries out our noses and mouths, effectively muting our taste receptors. This means nothing tastes the way it should at 35,000 feet, so the cocktail you're making needs to be packed with flavorful components, otherwise it won't taste like much of anything.

For insight into the best possible cocktails to enjoy on an airplane, we spoke with three experts: Noah Rothbaum, author of "The Whiskey Bible"; Brian Grimsley of ALB Vodka; and Akuila Batiweti, Chief Customer Officer for Fiji Airways. They shared their expertise on which ingredients to pick for in-flight cocktails, the best flavors you can still enjoy at altitude, and what tools you need to mix your own drink without leaving your seat.

When we pack our carry-on bag for a flight, we typically try to include as many quick-grab necessities as possible. Need a mini facial up there? Pack a sheet mask. Not impressed with the in-flight movies? Bring a book. Why should preparing to have a cocktail on a flight be any different? If you want to be able to enjoy your favorite drink, you need to plan accordingly. 

Luckily, Noah Rothbaum knows exactly what you need for making quick and easy cocktails — our favorite version of in-seat entertainment. For your onboard cocktail kit, Rothbaum recommends four essentials: sugar, Angostura bitters, freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice, and a disposable spoon. You can mix up a number of quality cocktails with these, and you can bring them onboard in your carry-on, purchase them at the airport, or politely request them from your flight attendant. Remember to keep your items under the seat in front of you rather than in the overhead compartment so you can reach them the moment your cocktail craving strikes. 

For Rothbaum, the freshly squeezed juice is the most important ingredient in an onboard cocktail kit. "You can buy juice at the airport; a lot of kiosks sell juice. Some airports even sell smoothies; you could buy fresh-squeezed juice from there," he notes. "Besides high-quality spirits, that's the one major thing that you can do to make your cocktails taste better." However, if you're flying internationally, remember to check that your destination country allows travelers to bring fresh fruit products with them and always adhere to the airline's liquid volume restrictions. 

When it comes to travel-adjacent cocktails, whether you're drinking one in the airport or on the plane, the bloody mary reigns supreme. "The in-flight environment changes how we perceive taste," explains Akuila Batiweti. "At altitude, sweetness and salt perception decrease, acidity and umami become more pronounced, and aromatic intensity is reduced due to dry cabin air." With this in mind, it's no surprise the bloody mary is ideal for enjoying mid-flight.

"Tomato's natural sweetness takes a back seat to its umami qualities," says Mandy Naglich. "Tomato juice may be one of the only beverages offered on a flight that really tastes like something rather than a whisper of its on-ground persona." For Brian Grimsley, finding that balance of clean, smooth vodka is the key to enjoying a cocktail at elevation. Combine that spirit with the intense umami flavors from the tomato juice, and you've got yourself a world-class cocktail. "It's refined without being overpowering — exactly what you want when flavor perception shifts at 35,000 feet," said Grimsley.

If you don't want a vodka-based drink, Noah Rothbaum notes that tequila and whiskey are great alternatives for a bloody mary. According to Batiweti, you can also use gin to elevate your bloody mary, as the spirit's botanical profile is intensified at altitude.

An old fashioned may seem like a stretch for an in-flight cocktail, but with the right ingredients and your handy little cocktail kit, it's only a few stirs away. An old fashioned only requires ice, whiskey, sugar, and bitters — if you can get your hands on an orange slice for a garnish, even better.

The standard ratio for an old fashioned is about two ounces of spirit to ¼ ounce of sweetener, but since you're not using a jigger to measure your ingredients, you can eyeball the amounts and taste as you go until you achieve the right balance. Add your sugar to a cup of ice and stir until it dissolves. Then, add a few dashes of Angostura bitters and finish with whatever bourbon is available on the flight. 

Noah Rothbaum likes the in-flight old fashioned for its ease, but also because it's something fun to do on a long flight. To make creating the drink even easier, include a small bottle of simple syrup in your mini cocktail kit so you don't have to worry about getting your sugar to dissolve.

A whisky and soda may sound like a basic drink, but if you want to sound like a real cocktail connoisseur, you could refer to it as a whisky highball.  "Highballs are a sensation in Japan right now," explains Noah Rothbaum. "It's one of the original alcoholic drinks, and people have been drinking them for well over 125 years. Seltzer and whisky and ice are a delicious combination."

Whisky highballs are experiencing a surge in popularity — not only in Japan — and the spirit's bold flavors make them a perfect cocktail for sipping at elevation. However, if you aren't a whisky drinker, you've got other options. Technically, a "highball cocktail" refers to any drink that combines a base spirit with a larger quantity of non-alcoholic mixer — you can't get much simpler than that. The ice is your constant, but you can really get creative with the spirits and mixers you choose. 

"A lot of folks like ginger ale on flights because it settles the stomach, but that also works really well with whiskey, rum, or even tequila," notes Rothbaum. Mandy Naglich also touches on this in "How to Taste," noting that she typically dislikes how sweet soda tastes, but when she orders a ginger ale on an airplane, that sweetness takes a backseat to the ginger.

Visit any high-end bar right now, and there's a strong chance you'll spot a paloma on the menu. It's not the most complicated cocktail around — quite the opposite — which makes it ideal for an in-flight tipple. In addition to being a simple drink, its bold flavors are perfect for enjoying at altitude.

A paloma is made up of just three ingredients: tequila, fresh lime juice, and grapefruit soda (mixing grapefruit juice and club soda works, too). Each falls perfectly into the acidic, aromatic flavor profile that Akuila Batiweti says tastes best in the air. If you've brought your mini cocktail kit, the freshly squeezed lime juice should already be in tow. As far as grapefruit soda, you may need to do a little hunting at the airport before you board your flight — a store or kiosk might sell it.

Because the sweetness of the grapefruit soda will be slightly dulled at altitude, the tart notes of the grapefruit will shine through, and the fresh lime juice will help create that balance of sweet and acidic elements. The final result is a delicious, refreshing cocktail that combines all of the flavor aspects that work best at elevation, making even the most uncomfortable flight feel like a vacation.

If the only daiquiri you know is the frozen variety, you've been wronged. Poolside bars and beach resorts have taken the classic daiquiri recipe of white rum, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup and turned it into an overly sweet, slushy-style beverage. When preparing an in-flight daiquiri, forget the blender — your taste buds will thank you for sticking to the original formula.

A classic sour cocktail, the daiquiri is another prime example of a drink that taps into the acidic flavors that shine at altitude. "Bright, structured cocktails cut through the muted palate and remain expressive, making them more satisfying than overly sweet or delicate drinks," explains Akuila Batiweti. While there is simple syrup in there, the daiquiri isn't an overly sweet drink — it's well balanced, as every good cocktail should be, whether you're lounging by the beach or cruising at 35,000 feet.

You likely won't have enough room to shake your daiquiri onboard, so Noah Rothbaum recommends grabbing the disposable spoon from your cocktail kit and giving your drink a good stir before drinking. If you need an extra cup or some ice, don't hesitate to politely ask if these can be provided. "You have to balance your desire for a cocktail with being respectful of flight attendants and not asking for a million things," notes Rothbaum.

As we've learned, our taste buds go a little crazy once they reach cruising altitude. Using multiple boldly flavored ingredients to create an in-flight cocktail is to your benefit. If you really want to impress yourself and those around you with your cocktail prowess, mixing up a New York sour is the way to go. This drink combines the elements that work best at altitude — bright and acidic ingredients and a well-balanced, uncomplicated recipe.

If you're unfamiliar with the New York sour, think of it as a classic whiskey sour with a red wine float. Ask your flight attendant for a whiskey on the rocks, then tap into your cocktail kit for fresh lemon juice and simple syrup or sugar. If you typically add egg white to your sour cocktails, you'll probably want to skip it on this occasion. Give the drink a good stir to create a nice foamy layer on top and to ensure the sugar is fully dissolved. Then you need to add the final, crucial ingredient: red wine. The wine is key here, as the dry, acidic flavor helps enhance the overall taste of your drink. 

Drinking coffee or tea on an airplane is a bit of a contentious topic, with some travelers voicing concerns about the cleanliness of the water used to brew them. However, as a frequent flyer, Noah Rothbaum says that he's seen a noticeable improvement in the quality of in-flight hot drinks. With that in mind, you might want to consider concocting one of the most beloved caffeinated cocktails next time you fly: the Irish coffee.

Like every cocktail on this list, everything you need to make this airplane-friendly beverage should be readily available. First, ask for a cup of coffee, a small pour of whiskey with no ice, and a little cream — a small creamer cup from the coffee service cart will do the trick. Grab a sugar packet from your cocktail kit, and just like that, you've got everything you need. Sláinte!

Rothbaum's secret to making the perfect Irish coffee — whether you're airborne or not — is getting the ingredient ratio just right. "People make the mistake of adding more whiskey and less coffee," he explains, "where in reality it's a fairly modest amount of whiskey, and the majority is coffee." Irish whiskey is obviously the preferred spirit here, but if your flight isn't equipped, any other whiskey will do. Start by adding some of the whiskey into the hot coffee, followed by the sugar and creamer. Give it a taste and add more whiskey until it reaches your preferred strength.

The brunch-beloved mimosa is an incredible in-flight cocktail, thanks to its simplicity and its bright, structured flavor. Plus, with just two ingredients, a mimosa is by far one of the easiest cocktails on this list to mix.

We know that acidity is more pronounced on airplanes, so it makes sense that a mimosa — made with freshly squeezed orange juice and champagne or sparkling wine — tastes great at altitude. Your flight will almost certainly offer orange juice as part of its beverage service, but it can be worth picking up a small bottle of OJ at the airport before boarding. Start with your glass of bubbles and add the orange juice to taste. If mimosas aren't your thing but you still want a bubbly cocktail, Noah Rothbaum points out that you can still use the sparkling wine to your advantage. Turn any cocktail, like a daiquiri, for example, into a royal daiquiri by asking for a splash of sparkling wine to be added to your drink.

The glassware, even on an airplane, is an important part of the drinking experience, so for this drink, attempting to enjoy it in a glass instead of a plastic or paper cup is worth the ask. "Glassware impacts aroma delivery, temperature retention, and perceived quality," notes Akuila Batiweti. "Even at 35,000 feet, presentation matters. The tactile and visual experience contributes significantly to guest perception of luxury."

"If you're on a really long flight, the whole sour family is open," explains Noah Rothbaum. That includes the classic margarita, which is beautifully straightforward to make and boasts tart and sour flavors that are bound to be intensified at altitude. 

Forget about overly sweet, slushy margaritas — the traditional recipe is far more enjoyable in our opinion. Rothbaum's formula for a good sour cocktail is simple: two parts alcohol, one part sweetener, and freshly squeezed citrus. In the case of the margarita, you'll need to request tequila and a cup of ice from the flight attendant and use the sugar and lime juice from your cocktail kit. The acidity from the juice is the key here because we're taking a flavor that really pops at altitude and accentuating it even further. A salt rim may be a bit hard to achieve, but if you can get your hands on a fresh lime wedge, you'll be able to experience this classic cocktail in all its glory.