If you need a good blast of coffee to start your flight, try these tips to get yourself a better cup.
Airline coffee can be burnt, weak, too cold or just downright funny-tasting. It's also usually decaf even when you ask for the fully leaded version. Aside from the whole airline decaf/caf debate, it's not hard to grab yourself a better tasting coffee beverage.
Some tips to start your day in a decently coffee-like way:
- Bring your own coffee, preferably from a stylish French press, and poured in a Nissan stainless travel mug. Classy. Oh, wait. You can't do this anymore. You can still bring the mug, just empty.
- Grab some Starbucks from the airline terminal, right before you get on the plane.
- Ask for a cup personally, immediately after boarding, when it's hot and freshly brewed. Latch on to the first attendant you see. By the time the coffee makes the beverage cart rounds, it's sure to suck already.
- Early morning flights get better brews than coffee in afternoons or evening schedules. Maybe the airline attendants just had stolen a few hours of sleep and and can pay some attention to the brewing process. Maybe the plane just took on fresh water that hasn't been sitting in flight tanks all day. Or maybe the coffee just sits there as the day wears on, glumly burning, reducing away between flights. You know that taste of which I speak.
- Ask for many, many packets of sugar...and keep mixing them in until you can stomach the brew.
- Bring one of those coffee tea bags and ask for hot water so you can "brew your own". There are flavors like Hazelnut Cream and French Vanilla available.
- Some airlines actually do use good beans, like Starbucks or Seattle's Best. It's worth asking.
- Tell the flight attendant you are happy to wait for a fresh brew rather than drink whatever is sitting in the ol' carafe. Be very nice, smile a lot and say thank you. Attendants aren't barristas. But they do try to please.
- For the best milky taste you can ask for half-and-half in in your coffee, but whole milk will do. Skim milk is pointless; tastes like water. Powdered creamers can be nasty, but are still better than bland, blue skim milk. The point here: ask the flight attendant what they offer for coffee. Decide for yourself rather than just blithely accept a "cup with cream".
- Order black coffee and add your own stash of specialty creamer from the gourmet shelves of your home cafe or grocery store.
- For a dessert-like treat, ask for a container of chocolate milk and add it to your coffee yourself. Yum.
- Alcoholic additives can save the day. Ask for Bailey's Irish Cream, Kahlua, or Peppermint Schnapps, mix in otherwise undrinkable coffee, and enjoy.
Related: How to not starve on a plane if you forgot to bring some food.
The copyright of the article Airline Coffee Tips in Business Air Travel is owned by Dan Florio. Permission to republish Airline Coffee Tips must be granted by the author in writing.
