HISTORY: HOW & WHY AIRLINE AMENITY KITS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS

For most airlines, flying in a premium cabin or premium seat comes with the expectation that an amenity kit will be provided to passengers. While true amenity kits wouldn’t start showing up until the 1950s and 1960s, airlines found themselves handing out items as early as the 1930s to help keep passengers comfortable.

Initially, carriers like The Lindbergh Line (precursor to Trans World Airlines—TWA) handed out cotton balls and chewing gum to ease the discomfort of flying in the often noisy, non-pressurized cabins of the day. Along with cabin pressurization, other creature comforts like pillows and blankets made their way into commercial aviation with reclining seats and sleeping berths (predecessors to the lie-flat offerings available today).

Decade-by-decade evolution: the transformation begins

As airlines entered the Golden Age of commercial aviation, amenity kits as we know them started to take shape, and they became equal parts branding for the airlines and functional luxuries for the passengers. Some fun throwback items—most of which wouldn’t meet modern safety standards—include:

Competition in the skies: how rivalry shapes amenity offerings

Amenity kits are one more area where airlines see the opportunity to differentiate themselves from their competitors. They are a front-and-center embodiment of the experience the airline wants to deliver to its passengers — in the most tactile and literal sense. So, it’s no surprise that airlines spent time and money tailoring their amenity kits to outshine their competitors.

Consider when Singapore Airlines upgraded its in-flight entertainment experience to include high-quality headphones, and British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Emirates all quickly followed suit. The same is true for a well-thought-out amenity kit: it can elevate an airline’s brand image, making it synonymous with luxury, comfort, and thoughtful service — especially in the premium cabins where they’re vying to offer the most high-end and unique amenities to attract and retain loyal customers.

Brand collaborations elevate the passenger experience with luxury

Increasingly, airlines have paired up with luxe skincare, fashion, and lifestyle brands, borrowing their cache to curate these kits and ensure that passengers receive functional, indulgent, and desirable products.

Airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines include offerings from brands like Bulgari, Rituals, and La Prairie to help passengers arrive at their destinations feeling refreshed and revitalized. Hawaiian Airlines recently paired up with local lifestyle brand Noho Home to curate their amenity kits with a focus on sustainability (and plenty of aloha).

The kits themselves started out as simple dopp kit style pouches or tins and evolved to feature custom-designed cases or bags that reflect both the airline’s branding and the essence of the collaborating brand. For example, Delta Air Lines’ partnership with TUMI and Le Labo resulted in a coveted, collectible kit that passengers could look forward to receiving on their journeys.

What to expect in a modern amenity kit:

Tech in travel: adding that modern touch

While toiletries and eye masks are mainstays in amenity kits, technology has continued to evolve on aircraft and in passengers’ carry-ons. This has led to the inclusion of headphones, earbuds, chargers, adapters, cables, and dongles of all types in recent amenity kits. The need to keep innovating will keep airlines busy updating their kits for the foreseeable future.

Greener skies: the shift towards sustainability and eco-friendliness

With an industry-wide shift away from single-use plastics and towards sustainability, some airlines are collaborating with eco-conscious brands to offer organic, cruelty-free products or eco-friendly packaging materials. Etihad Airways, for example, partnered with Giorgio Armani and ESPA to create a series of amenity kits that aligned with their other sustainability goals.

JetBlue Is Launching New 'Eco-Conscious' Amenity Kits

The new kits will provide passengers with skincare and personal hygiene items, including eco-conscious toothbrushes.

Airlines that demonstrate an authentic commitment to reducing their environmental impact and recognizing the growing importance of environmental stewardship can gain an edge in appealing to increasingly environmentally conscious travelers. Amenity kits are one of the more visible client-facing ways to put this into action where people are likely to notice.

Catering to diverse needs

One of the most influential factors in how and why amenity kits have changed over the years has been the passengers themselves. Airlines' need to consider cultural preferences, gender-specific needs, and even the requirements of children traveling continues to influence what they include in their amenity kits.

Known for its attention to detail, Emirates offers amenity kits with region-specific items. For example, they include a card with information on the Qibla direction, aiding Muslim passengers in knowing the direction to face while praying. Another example is Air New Zealand partnering up with Aotea, a local business that produces a range of products for their amenity kits using traditional MÄori herbal practices.

Air New Zealand Showcases Traditional Mori Remedies

Air New Zealand has long promoted and supported Mori culture and now wants to share some traditional remedies with its premium customers

In their response to the global pandemic, airlines hurried to include new items like cleaning products, sanitizers, face masks, and bottled water in their amenity kits, hoping to help passengers feel more comfortable about flying. The popularity of wipes and hand sanitizer in kits has remained, even as other pandemic-era precautions have ebbed.

Future trends: what lies ahead for airline amenity kits?

Will it be in-flight entertainment VR? Will we witness the comeback of the sewing kit? Comment below with your predictions and ideas for how airlines can continue to improve the passenger experience with their next generations of amenity offerings.