How Famous Wineries Are Becoming The New Status Symbol At 35,000 Feet

Forbes

2 days ago

Legacy estates like Heitz and Stony Hill bring terroir and heritage to United's premium cabin.
Heitz Cellar
In business class, prestige is increasingly measured by what's poured into the glass. As global airlines compete for high-paying passengers, wine is emerging as a new marker of status—less about volume and more about origin, style and association with elite producers.
This winter and spring has seen a number of global airlines announce partnerships with award-winning wineries. United Airlines, most recently, announced it would start serving selections from a boutique Napa Valley portfolio in its Polaris business class as part of a multi-year partnership with fine wine importer Demeine Estates.
The agreement signals a broader shift among global carriers: wine lists are no longer just about brand recognition. Provenance, winemaking style and rarity now carry the weight of amenity value. Airlines are repositioning in-flight wine as an essential part of the passenger experience rather than an afterthought. The competition is no longer limited to extra inches of legroom or branded pajamas. It's moving toward exclusivity and agricultural identity.
'Ordering wine on a flight can be a roll of the dice,' says Philana Bouvier, president of Demeine Estates, via Zoom. 'However, being served a premium option transforms this gamble into a rare treat, akin to receiving another upgrade.'
Airlines are refining their wine programs to meet the preferences of premium travelers with increasingly specific expectations. In 2024, United Airlines served more than 20 million glasses of wine system-wide—1.5 times more than beer or spirits. Within domestic economy alone, United served over 3.2 million glasses, reflecting broad-based demand.
But wine at altitude presents technical and perceptual challenges. Pressurized cabins dull aroma and flatten acidity, making delicate or unbalanced wines fall apart in the glass. For wineries accustomed to tight quality control, the conditions are difficult to navigate. But for certain producers, those constraints offer an opportunity to stand out.
'Tasting wine in a pressurized cabin can exaggerate flaws in less structured wines,' Bouvier explains. 'However, wines that have balanced acidity and moderate tannins hold up in the skies.'
The new Polaris wine program reflects broader patterns in the airline industry. United is not alone. British Airways recently expanded its English sparkling wine service to include prestige cuvées from Nyetimber and Gusbourne. Delta Air Lines now offers Champagne Taittinger in its business class cabin Delta One. Emirates distinguished itself as the only airline to serve LVMH's prestige champagnes: Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot and Dom Pérignon. These developments point to a deeper interest in conveying value through curation and scarcity.
Aaron McMillan, United's managing director of hospitality programs, describes the airline's approach as both selective and flexible.
'This partnership allows us to feature a menu rotation each year through 2028, while still maintaining variety with cycles of other luxury labels throughout the year,' McMillan says.
These choices are more than aesthetic. They are designed to serve a clientele increasingly attuned to detail. As in-flight wine becomes a more calculated decision, airline partnerships are beginning to resemble restaurant wine lists: curated, limited and narrative-driven. Selections are now as much about identity as they are about quality.
'The customers in Polaris business class are discerning and expect premium beverage service,' Bouvier says. 'Elite travelers are less concerned about how a wine will taste at altitude and focus on the benefits they will receive for upgrading on a long-haul flight.'
The collaboration is United's first long-term wine deal and follows a larger overhaul of its food and beverage offerings that began in late 2023. Unlike traditional airline wine lists, which cycle quickly and rely on bulk-friendly suppliers, this partnership required advanced planning and precise volume forecasting.
'Scaling boutique, limited-production wines across a global fleet is certainly a challenge, but it's one we embrace,' McMillan says. 'The volume required for even a single menu cycle can represent an entire vintage for some wineries.'
Part of the appeal for the wineries involved is audience reach. Though the producers are well known within the industry, they are far from mass-market brands. Their limited visibility outside of niche retail or fine dining gives this partnership a dual benefit: reinforcing exclusivity while gaining exposure to a global customer base.
'This will drive brand awareness and traffic to the brand in restaurants, retailers and back home in our estate properties when they return from their travels,' Bouvier says.
Not every winemaker would agree to such terms. High-volume airline deals have historically been associated with commodity wines, not estates with cult status. But perceptions may be shifting, especially when service is limited to business and first-class passengers.
'We believe there are only positives in partnering with United's long-haul Polaris service,' Bouvier says. 'The average ticket price to fly this service can be ten to twenty times the cost of a coach ticket. We are reaching the right demographic that is also enjoying other luxury products in business class.'