Airline Amenity Kits
Today I was doing some cleaning and came upon my stash of airline amenity kits. I have not reason why I have kept them. In most areas of my life I am a minimalist, but for some reason it is hard for me to get rid of the amenity kit bags. I ended up throwing some in the Goodwill bag to give away.
But going through them, I decided to look back at the amenity kits I have received over the years.
American Airlines International Business Class Legacy Carriers (2015)
My first “mistake” fare I ever booked was a flight back in May 2015 to Beijing in AA Business Class. One of my favorite things about these kits was the fact that the colors of the socks and eye masks matched the legacy carrier color scheme. The contents were pretty basic otherwise.
AA’s domestic Flagship First Class had a similar kit with a couple of added products.
Air France Business Class (2015)
Probably the best part of the amenity kit is the fabric on the inside. It contains retro graphics from Air France’s past. I used the bag for organizing my carry on bag for at least a year. Plus it came with a shoe horn.
AeroMexico Business Class (2015)
Who doesn’t love plaid and brown? Best feature was the combination hand lotion/sanitizer. I actually wish more airlines would provide this.
Emirates First Class (2016)
Of course Emirates is going to have a great amenity kit. The faux leather is actually very high quality and I have reused the bag a ton in my travels. The folding brush is a unique feature and deoderant comes in handy after 16 hours (and a shower on board).
Oh, and you also get pajamas and a fabric shopping bag to take home all your goodies.
Cathay Pacific First (2016/2017)
While I love Cathay Pacific First Class, it may in fact be my favorite way to fly, their amenity kit isn’t that great. Having Aesop products is a plus, but otherwise it is pretty generic. It does come with a wooden comb, which I think is kinda gross for using more than once. And the bag/box it comes in is not very useful for travel. I have mine at home storing various gift cards.
But the quality pajamas that include the most comfortable eye mask make up for the amenity kit.
British Airways Business Class (2016/2017)
BA’s Club World amenity kits just feel cheap. With that said, I like to reuse the bag for keeping my shoes separate from my clothes in my checked bag.
American Airlines Business Class (2016)
After the legacy carrier series, American partnered with Cole Haan for their kits. I like the color scheme but the zipper on the bag broke almost immediately. I also prefer CO Bigelow to their previous partner, Red Flower. The downside is I got it on my worst Business Class flight ever.
Qantas Business Class (2016)
Qantas has male and female versions of the kit. The male version is Jack Spade while the female version is Kate Spade. Very basic but the bag and pajamas can definitely be reused.
Singapore Airlines Suite Class (2016)
Singapore Airlines is one of the top airlines. Their amenity kit has high end products but is missing the basic necessities. Inside the kit is a full size bottle of perfume. But there is no toothbrush, toothpaste, or earplugs. The eye mask, pajamas and socks are separate. However, the more necessary amenities are available in the bathroom or by asking a flight attendant.
Oh, and bonus points for the teddy bear during turn down service.
JetBlue Mint (2017)
JetBlue Mint is awesome for domestic travel. I don’t think there is a product that comes close to as good. For their amenity kits, they partner with boutique brands. During my flight, the brand was Hopper, as in Dennis Hopper. Included was a microfiber glasses cloth with his image on it. No socks included, but I have to admit, I have never worn airplane socks in my life.
While I always love to see what is in my amenity kit (it feels like opening a present), typically the only things I use from it are the toothbrush and toothpaste, earplugs, and eye mask. Depending on the quality, I may use the lotion but I prefer something unscented.
Do you have a favorite airline amenity kit? What makes a good kit in your opinion?