Looking for gift ideas for a special flight attendant in your life? Not to worry, flight attendants are actually really easy to buy for.
I have put together 31 ideas to help you snag the perfect present for any occasion. From aviation-themed goodies, to travel experiences and useful gadgets, this list curated by flight attendants is sure to inspire you.
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To make things even easier, I have organized this list in the following categories:
Table of Contents
🎁 Aviation and Travel-Themed Gifts
Flight attendants love aviation and travel-themed gifts. For us, flying is more than a job it’s a lifestyle and an aesthetic.
Idea #1: A Scratch-Off Map
Scratch-off maps are a great gift for anyone with the travel bug because they give your flight attendant a fun visual way to keep track of all the countries they have visited, and they make for a great décor piece.
The maps come in a bunch of different styles and sizes. We recommend this one, that even comes with little pins that your flight attendant can use to mark the specific cities they have traveled to.
Bonus idea: this scratch-off globe also makes a really cool statement decor piece.
Idea #2: An Airport Rocks Glass
When I transferred to Charlotte, my brother gifted me a set of adorable rocks glasses with the runway map of CLT engraved into the glass. This is a great gift for any crewmember who enjoys a nice glass of whisky during their off-hours.
This Etsy artist sells rocks glasses with the runway maps of all major US airports.
Idea #3: Vintage Airline Posters
Vintage airline posters are such a fun gift! Especially if your flight attendant happens to work for a legacy airline that has been around for a while.
Here’s a beautiful example of a vintage Qantas poster sold on Etsy. Not all of these poster designs are original, some are designed “in the style of” the vintage airline posters.
Pro tip: pay attention when buying vintage posters on Etsy some shops, like this one, sell digital downloads of their designs. This means you will have to print and frame the poster on your own.
Idea #4: Airline Stickers
If you need a budget idea, airline-themed stickers are a great gift.
Some Fly Stuff on Etsy is my favorite sticker artist. The shop is run by a flight attendant who got started making stickers while furloughed during the pandemic. So buying from his shop supports flight attendants!
I personally cannot get enough of his stickers!
Idea #5: Custom Reusable Starbucks Cups
These flight attendant-themed reusable Starbucks cups are adorable, sustainable, and they help your flight attendant save a little money each time they use it at Starbucks.
This Etsy shop allows you to completely customize the colors of the design.
There’s a special added benefit to this gift since Starbucks gives discounts to people who bring reusable cups for refills.
Idea #6: A Travel Diary
A travel diary is a great way to keep track of your favorite travel memories. And since we flight attendants travel a lot, the crewmember in your life is sure to appreciate a well-designed travel journal.
I love a guided travel diary. This one even gives you space to tape in photographs, or museum tickets to remember specific experiences by.
🎁 Useful Gadgets
There are so many new gadgets out there that help make flight attendants’ lives easier and they also make great gifts! Here are a few I have seen recently that I think would make any flight attendant jump for joy.
Idea #7: Planner Stickers for Flight Attendants
If your flight attendant enjoys bullet journaling, or keeping a detailed planner, these stickers will be perfect for them. Most planner stickers fall a bit short for flight attendants because they don’t have stickers for specific things, like bids-due, or schedules-released, or trips-traded.
These stickers include stickers specific to the airline industry.
Sometimes it helps to search by airline if you are looking for planner stickers because we all have slightly different lingo for things. An American Airline’s flight attendant, for example, would need a sticker for golden days, or flex days, while a Delta flight attendant, might want stickers for A-days.
Idea #8: Suitcase Caddy
I wish I had known about this gadget while I was still flying.
It’s a beverage and cellphone caddy that slides down over your suitcase handle and can hold a water bottle and a coffee cup. You can get it on Esty at this shop. Or on this one.
Pro tip: Some airlines have image regulations for luggage-related items, so to err on the safe side, go for black when purchasing this for a flight attendant.
Ideal #9: Self-inking Employee Number Stamp
Most airlines have their own credit cards, these are often “sold” by flight attendants who participate in an incentives program run by the bank that offers the credit card. To get credit for the credit cards we “sell” we have to include our employee number in every application we hand out.
If you are close enough to a flight attendant to know their employee number, this stamp might be the most useful thing you can gift them. It saves them a ton of time filling out the applications to hand out.
Idea #10: Hot Logic Portable Oven
This self-heating lunchbox is great for flight attendants because it gives us a chance to heat up our food, as long as we have access to a standard electrical plug.
I know tons of flight attendants who used these to heat up food on layovers, one legendary flight attendant even made the whole crew a Thanksgiving dinner in these! You can get this gadget too.
Idea #11: Smart Watch
Smart watches are super useful for flight attendants. I always found it super helpful to get text updates on my smart watch during boarding, so I would know if the flight would be delayed, but they have tons of other great features that are helpful for flight attendants.
The Samsung Galaxy watch is a great option for Android users. Of course, there’s also the Apple watch. But if you are looking for a reliable, budget option, I can really recommend this off-brand smartwatch. I got one after my Samsung watch died a watery death in an alpine lake and have had it for two years already!
Bonus, if you get them a nice band to go with their new watch, just make sure you pay attention to which bands fit the watch you purchased!
🎁 Books
Sometimes flight attendants will have a lot of time to kill between in-flight services. Books are a great gift because they give us something to entertain ourselves with on the jump seat. Here are some great books to gift flight attendants.
Idea #12: The Layover by Lacie Waldon
This adorable romance novel is sure to resonate with any flight attendant that loves a good romantic comedy.
It’s available here, and the author happens to be a flight attendant herself!
Idea #13: Falling by T.J. Newman
I saw so many flight attendants reading this on the jump seat. Also by a flight attendant author Falling is filled with suspense and will soon be turned into a movie!
Idea #14: The Jet Sex by Victoria Vantoch
If the flight attendant you know has an interest in history, this book is a fantastic gift idea for them! It explores the history of being a flight attendant and how the job became so iconic.
Idea #15: Dairy of a Pissed-off Flight Attendant by Sydney Pearl
This hilarious memoir will have your flight attendant laughing and probably crying because it’s just so relatable.
Idea #16: The Flight Attendant Coloring Book
Okay, this isn’t really a book you can read. But I personally find coloring super relaxing, and it was always a great way to unwind after a long day flying.
This one is hilarious. And it now has a sequel.
Idea #17: E-Reader
Also not technically a book but buying your bookish flight attendant an e-reader, like the Amazon Kindle, is a great gift idea because it allows your flight attendant to transport an unlimited number of books without weighing down their luggage.
Make sure to get them a cute protective cover too!
🎁 Health, Wellness, and Beauty
Self-care is an important part of any flight attendant’s lifestyle! Here are a few gift ideas to help your flight attendant feel their best in spite of their hectic schedules.
Idea #18: Travel Essential Oil Diffuser
This travel-sized essential oil diffuser can help give any hotel room a more relaxing atmosphere. I recommend gifting some high-quality aromatherapy oils to complement the diffuser.
A calming essential oil blend like Uplift is perfect for relaxing and resting on layovers.
Idea #19: Massage Gift Certificate
Flight attending is a physically demanding job. Massages are a great gift for flight attendants because they are both relaxing, but also therapeutic to help keep our bodies in tip-top shape.
Massage Envy has locations all over the United States and are a great option because flight attendants might even be able to book a massage during a layover!
Idea #20: Facial
In the same vein as the massage, gifting certificates for facials is another great way to offer your flight attendant a chance to relax.
The air in the cabin is dehydrating so our skin could always use the extra TLC.
Idea #21: Custom Perfume
Commissioning a custom perfume is a very thoughtful gift idea.
Websites like Maison 21 G allow you to select a unique combination of fragrances to develop a totally unique perfume that is as special as the flight attendant in your life.
🎁 Entertainment
A break from the grind is always appreciated and gifting entertainment is a great way to give your flight attendant a chance to let their hair hang loose and have a little fun.
Idea #22: Concert Tickets
Is your flight attendant a huge Taylor Swift fan, or maybe they really love Harry Styles?
Gifting them tickets to live shows and concerts is an excellent way to finance a fun time. Just be sure to check with their schedule before booking certain dates or locations.
And don’t forget you can even book destination concerts, after all, we do have flight benefits!
Idea #23: Movie Gift Cards
When I would be stuck in a city alone on a rainy day, I would find a nearby cinema and catch a movie to pass time on a layover.
If you can give a gift card for a chain theatre company like AMC, your flight attendant can enjoy a movie no matter where they end up.
Idea #24: Tickets to Musicals, Theatre Productions, and/or the Ballet
Similar to the concert tickets, buying your flight attendant tickets to go to Broadway shows, theatre productions, or Ballets is another great way to give the gift of entertainment.
It’s even more fun when you turn the tickets into an excuse to visit a fun city, like NYC.
🎁 Subscriptions
Subscriptions are gifts that keep on giving. Here are a few subscriptions, or “boxes” that your flight attendant will certainly appreciate.
Idea #25: The Fly Girl Box
The Fly Girl Box is a box subscription curated by a former flight attendant. Each box is filled with goodies hand-selected with flight attendants in mind.
I loved the boxes I ordered, and I found so many of the items inside to be so useful at work.
Idea #26: Bark Box
If your special flight attendant has a dog, Bark Box is a fantastic subscription box that sends toys and treats each month each month.
It’s a great way to make sure your flight attendant can spend some quality time with their fur baby while at home.
My dog loved the toys the boxes came with, so we always had a grand time unboxing them together.
Idea #27: Wine Club
There are a number of different wine subscriptions if your flight attendant is into vino. I recommend this one because it sends 2-6 full bottles to enjoy each month.
If your crewmember isn’t into wine, there are subscriptions for coffee, whiskey, gin, pretty much any beverage you can imagine.
Idea #28: IPSY
If your flight attendant loves trying new beauty products the IPSY box is the best in the industry.
Each month IPSY sends tester samples from top beauty brands, but the tester sizes are generous, and they always come in adorable little makeup bags which are like a bonus gift of their own for flight attendants!
🎁 Adventure Gifts
Flight attendants are adventurous beings, so they are sure to appreciate adventure-type gifts, here are our top suggestions in this category.
Idea #29: REI Gift Card
REI is one of the leading outdoor gear retailers in the US and they have locations all across the country.
A gift card to REI is sure to delight any adventurous flight attendant, but especially those who love to go hiking on layovers.
Idea #30: A Pre-Planed Adventure Getaway
There are a number of great travel agencies that sell adventure-packed getaways.
The Adventure People even sell special last-minute packages which can be super great for flight attendants who can’t always plan vacations too far in advance, and also can easily get last-minute flights to random destinations.
Idea #31: Cruise
Gifting your flight attendant a cruise offers them the chance to explore places they might not normally be able to fly to and also gives them a great opportunity to relax away from airports and airplanes.
If your flight attendant is particularly adventurous, I highly recommend a cruise through the Alaskan Inner Passage.
Be sure to make sure the cruise line you book with has rights to enter Glacier Bay so you can make the most of this adventurous experience. For this, I recommend Norwegian Cruise Lines.
Conclusion
We’ve reached the end of our list of gift ideas tailored for flight attendants, from aviation-themed gifts and gadgets that are useful on the job, to relaxing or entertaining experiences, adventures, and books, I hope this comprehensive list has provided the perfect idea for the special flight attendant in your life.
Do you have any other ideas for great gifts for flight attendants? If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
