DIY Airplane Cocktail Kits

5 from 2 votes

DIY Airplane Cocktail Kits make a perfect holiday gift for your jet-setting friends. Learn how to make each versatile kit, which can make two kinds of cocktails — an easy Old-Fashioned or a fancy Champagne Cocktail. 

DIY Airplane Cocktail Kits make a lovely holiday gift for your jet-setting friends. Learn how to make each versatile kit, which can make two kinds of cocktails — an easy Old-Fashioned or a fancy Champagne Cocktail. These travel cocktail boxes are perfect for people who travel often! (via feastandwest.com)

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Let’s all agree: Airplane hosts and hostesses are not bartenders. Usually. I’m sure there are some wonderful exceptions, but most of the time, the airplane bar cart is pretty limited. This is not the time to order a fancy drink like a paper plane cocktail or a fresh margarita.

There’s only so many rum-and-cokes a girl can take, especially on a long cross-country trip to San Francisco or international flight.

Solution? Little pre-made airplane cocktail kits you can take on your next trip.

I’ve seen, tried and liked store-bought airplane cocktail kits. I’ve always thought they would make fantastic gifts.

Unfortunately, the ones I’ve seen have been pretty pricey — and you still have to buy your booze on the plane. So, I decided to make my own!

Taking an international trips? I’ve got a list of must-have apps for international travel.

DIY Airplane Cocktail Kits make a lovely holiday gift for your jet-setting friends. Learn how to make each versatile kit, which can make two kinds of cocktails — an easy Old-Fashioned or a fancy Champagne Cocktail. These travel cocktail boxes are perfect for people who travel often! (via feastandwest.com)

DIY airplane cocktail kits

What I discovered is that making your own airplane cocktail kits is pretty easy, and so is making airplane cocktails.

You’ll need to buy your materials in bulk and spend an hour or so putting them together, but you’ll wind up with a bunch of DIY airplane cocktail kits that you can give as presents to your most travel-savvy friends.

Or, you know, make a ton of these for yourself and take one on each trip with you. (I’ll probably do the same now!)

DIY Airplane Cocktail Kits make a lovely holiday gift for your jet-setting friends. Learn how to make each versatile kit, which can make two kinds of cocktails — an easy Old-Fashioned or a fancy Champagne Cocktail. These travel cocktail boxes are perfect for people who travel often! (via feastandwest.com)

What’s in an airplane cocktail kit?

Each DIY airplane cocktail kit comes with a cute carrying case filled with sugar cubes, bitters, a napkin and a makeshift muddler, aka a food-safe popsicle stick!

You can get a lot of the materials at your local craft store, but I like to buy them on Amazon. Hard to beat that free Prime shipping.

I’ve included links to my favorite materials in the printable instruction card below.

Each kit can make either 2 champagne cocktails or 2 old-fashioned cocktails, or one of each. Both require similar ingredients but different spirits.

DIY Airplane Cocktail Kits make a lovely holiday gift for your jet-setting friends. Learn how to make each versatile kit, which can make two kinds of cocktails — an easy Old-Fashioned or a fancy Champagne Cocktail. These travel cocktail boxes are perfect for people who travel often! (via feastandwest.com)

Airplane cocktails

For a champagne cocktail, the kit-user will want to purchase brandy or vodka and champagne or prosecco.

For an old-fashioned, they’ll want their favorite bourbon or whiskey.

The kits, however, do not come with a glass, ice or booze! They’ll need to get that on the plane and mix the cocktails themselves.

The small, airplane-sized bottles of spirits may be small enough to fit in carry-on liquids bags, but the FAA doesn’t allow you to bring your own alcohol. So, if you’re giving a kit as a gift, you could always slip in a little cash to pay for your friend’s booze on the plane!

DIY Airplane Cocktail Kits make a lovely holiday gift for your jet-setting friends. Learn how to make each versatile kit, which can make two kinds of cocktails — an easy Old-Fashioned or a fancy Champagne Cocktail. These travel cocktail boxes are perfect for people who travel often! (via feastandwest.com)

Best bitters

For the bitters, you’ll need to decant some cocktail bitters into a small glass bottle. You can use any bitters you like.

I used my favorite orange and fig bitters from local, craft-made Crude Bitters. Angostura bitters are always classic, too, so just grab a bottle of your favorite.

With that, you’ve got the perfect holiday gift for yourself or your best traveling friend! Or both! Bon voyage and bon appetit to you!

An airplane cocktail kit with a bottle of wine, a passport, and other items.
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5 from 2 votes

DIY Airplane Cocktail Kits

DIY Airplane Cocktail Kits make a perfect holiday gift for your jet-setting friends. Learn how to make each versatile kit, which can make two kinds of cocktails — an easy Old-Fashioned or a fancy Champagne Cocktail.
Prep Time10 minutes
Active Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Cocktails
Keyword: airplane cocktail kit, carry on cocktail kit, cocktail kit, travel cocktail kit
Yield: 1 cocktail kit
Calories:
Author: Susannah Brinkley
Cost: $20

Materials

Instructions

  • Fold the napkin and place it in the bottom of the tin.
  • Fill bottle with bitters.
  • On top of the napkin, add bitters bottle, popsicle sticks, sugar cubes and cash, if including. If you like, enclose a note with directions for using the kit.
  • Close tin. Tie with a ribbon or string.

An airplane cocktail kit with a bottle of wine, a passport, and other items.

Airplane Cocktails

Yield: 2 cocktails
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Use a DIY Airplane Cocktail Kit to make 2 Old-Fashioneds, 2 Champagne Cocktails or 1 of each!
5 from 1 vote
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ingredients

FOR AIRPLANE CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

FOR AIRPLANE OLD-FASHIONED COCKTAIL

  • 1 sugar cube
  • 1-2 dashes bitters
  • 2 ounces bourbon

instructions

To make airplane champagne cocktail:

  • Place sugar cube(s) in bottom of cup. Top with 1-2 dashes bitters. Let sit 1-2 minutes. Top with brandy, then champagne.

To make airplane old-fashioned cocktail:

  • Place sugar cube(s) in bottom of cup. Top with 1-2 dashes bitters. Let sit 1-2 minutes. Top with bourbon or whiskey. Add ice.

recommended products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

nutrition information

Yield: 2 cocktails

amount per serving:

Serving: 2ounces Calories: 163kcal Carbohydrates: 5g Protein: 0.04g Fat: 0.01g Sodium: 5mg Potassium: 51mg Sugar: 5g Calcium: 5mg Iron: 0.2mg
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The Golden Ratio Guide:

Mix the perfect cocktail, every time

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5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Cindy Diez says

    Such a cute idea! Who absolutely try it if there wasn’t the issue of people being able to transport the outside liquids through security at the airport 🙁

    • Susannah says

      Hey Cindy! Small bottles like the bitters should fit in the TSA-approved liquids bags. Otherwise, a traveler can purchase booze and mixers on the plane itself.

      • Anonymous Flight Attendant says

        Hey! Just to let you know, the FAA says that you can NOT consume your own alcohol on an aircraft. So even if someone brings their own minis it’s illegal for them to open and drink those once they’ve boarded. The kits are a cute idea, but you should make sure your readers know that they need to purchase their booze on the plane.

        • Samantha S. says

          Thank you for pointing that out. Most people are unaware of that law (clearly the author doesn’t know!) and could face fines.

          • Susannah says

            Hey Samantha, Thanks for your comment! I actually updated this post with correct information in 2016, after receiving the comment from Anonymous, which I did not know at the time of original publish. I always aim to provide 100% correct information here on Feast + West, and I appreciate them letting me know in the first place.

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