The Flight-Friendly Beverage Combo You'll Want To Try Next Time You Travel

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Getting a beverage on your flight is often one of the few bright spots in an uncomfortable experience. Certain kinds of drinks seem to magically taste better on a plane, but sometimes you want something a little more special than half a can of Coke. The easiest option is splurging on a little alcohol, but that can be wildly expensive when airlines have a captive audience, and lots of people would prefer not to drink. So to get an idea of how you can treat yourself on a flight, we talked to Lia Ocampo, a retired flight attendant and the author of "Life, Love, and Lessons in the Sky: A Flight Attendant's Inspiring Journey," and asked for her best non-alcoholic drink recommendations when flying.

Ocampo tells us that you can make your own custom drinks by mixing different, typically free options from the drink cart. According to her, "Sparkling water and cranberry juice are also a good combination, or orange juice and cranberry juice. This is appealing to some because it's like you're drinking a non-alcohol cocktail." And there are more of these combos than you might think. Ocampo also suggested a mix of ginger ale and orange juice can give you a mimosa vibe. Ginger ale and cranberry juice are a great combo. Or you can switch over to apple juice with tonic or club soda to create a variation on a sparkling apple cider.

Ocampo's recommendations include plenty of bright flavors, and of course, some of the best ginger ales. One popular option she doesn't mention is another "mocktail," that's been popular on flights since before that term was even invented: virgin bloody marys. All of these drink combinations share something in common that can help you decide on the best drink for your flight: They are all quite powerful and brightly flavored. The reason this is so appealing on a plane is that flying actually mutes our taste buds. Low humidity reduces the sense of taste and smell, while low pressure makes us less sensitive to sweetness and salt. Because of that, sharp acidic flavors stand out, and you need punchy drinks like a Bloody Mary or ginger ale that can stand up to those dulling sensations. So focusing on things that are textural, like bubbles, and flavors that are bitter or sour, produces the most enjoyable drinks.

There is one thing Ocampo warned us against doing while flying, however, and that's trying to bring your own alcohol on the plane to sip or make a mixed drink. "One thing that some people who drink alcohol don't know — you can't bring an alcoholic drink and consume it on the plane. It is a federal regulation that passengers need to know and follow," she said. According to Ocampo, you'll be in quite a bit of trouble if you try to turn that mocktail into a cocktail — even if you bought the alcohol at the airport. So stick with these sparkling combos and virgin drinks instead.