Shop the Friendly Skies

Airlines have long paired with licensed properties for promotions and merchandise, with initiatives involving elements such as fashion capsules, travel collections, uniforms, in-flight amenities, and/or exterior and interior graphics. Such partnerships have, over time, become more diverse in their execution, and more frequent. A few of many recent examples illustrate some of the airlines’ key collaborative strategies:  

• Fashion collections. Just this week, Saudia Airlines paired with Saudi designer Mohammed Khoja for an SV by Saudia streetwear collection consisting of letter jackets, dresses, and tracksuits, with more drops planned for the future. Last month, Delta paired with Spanx for a limited-edition collection of co-branded women’s half-zip fleece tops, crewneck sweatshirts, and wide-leg lounge pants available on the Delta online shop. Back in 2022, Delta partnered with actress Issa Rae and six small independent designers for a Delta Runway Runway Collection of stylish and comfortable limited-edition sportswear, footwear, swimwear, and eyewear for men and women. Meanwhile, in late 2023, Finnair paired with Finnish clothing label Makia for a 100th anniversary capsule of comfortable mix-and-match unisex winter jackets, vests, long-sleeve shirts, pants, wool caps, and beanies that took inspiration from the airline’s flight crew and ground staff uniforms as well as graphic elements like logos and airport codes.

• Travel merchandise and gifts. Hawaiian Airlines is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year with an 11-piece collection of splash-proof flight bags and travel accessories in a palette of pink, orange, and purple, in collaboration with Aloha Collection. The products are sold through luxury retailer DFS Hawaii’s stores and at Aloha Collection’s online and physical shops. Among several other anniversary collaborations, the airline also paired with Mana Up for a collection supplied by nine Hawaii-based companies, covering an amenity box, essential oils for stress-free travel, beverage enhancers, streetwear, postcards and notebooks, and candles, among other items. In May of this year, Sanrio partnered with All Nippon Airways for travel pouches, key chains, memo pads, pens, socks, and towels sporting five Sanrio characters dressed in the uniforms of ANA pilots, flight attendants, and ground staff, sold in airport stores in Japan. Hello Kitty has been part of many airline and airport collaborations over the years. Finally, at the end of 2023, Virgin Atlantic paired with British designers Fenella Smith and Oliver Co for a range of flight and travel tote bags, passport holders, travel wallets, bag tags, and playing cards, along with a t-shirt and sweatshirt, available through Virgin’s in-flight duty-free platform. 

• Collaborative uniforms. Air New Zealand enlisted New Zealand-born women’s luxurywear specialist Emilia Wickstead earlier this year to create its new uniforms, with fabrics designed by Maori artist Te Rangitu Netana. The uniforms are positioned as capturing a sense of pride in Aotearoa (the Maori name for New Zealand). Also in 2025, ANA said it would debut new uniforms in time for its 75th anniversary in the second half of 2027, in collaboration with Naoki Takizawa Design (flight crew uniforms), Satoshi Kuwata of Setchu (flight attendant and ground staff uniforms), and Adidas (ground handling, engineering, cargo, and catering staff uniforms). And last year, at a Paris fashion event, Riyadh Air introduced its new 1950s-inspired, amethyst-colored cabin crew uniforms by Saudi designer Mohammed Ashi of the Paris-based Ashi Studio. 

• In-flight experience. In May 2025, Delta extended its partnership with fashion label Missoni for a luxury in-flight collection including a bedding set, amenity kit in Missoni’s signature zig-zag pattern, socks, slippers, and eye mask, available on its international Delta One flights. Taiwanese luxury carrier Starlux Airlines has offered Peanuts-themed flights in its Asian markets since last year and extended the program to its North American flights this year. The program encompasses themed cabin décor as well as in-flight amenities including boarding pass designs, luggage tags, in-flight cups, napkins, and screen displays, plus limited-edition back-to-school pouches with a telescope, handkerchief, and card game for young flyers. Co-branded merchandise is also available through the Starlux online store and at 7-Eleven and Peanuts pop-up stores in Taiwan. In 2023, United Airlines paired with Wrexham AFC, the English soccer club featured in the TV series Welcome to Wrexham, for branded amenity kits and pajamas available in certain passenger tiers, and with Sesame Workshop for Sesame Street-branded kids’ travel kits including activity booklets, slide puzzles, and calming strips, as part of a range of other promotional elements. 

• Airplane graphics. This month, China-headquartered Mixue, a quick-service tea drink and ice cream restaurant chain, partnered with Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines for two themed airplanes featuring Mixue’s Snow King mascot character, both inside and out. Another Chinese airline, Juneyao, introduced a branded plane in June of this year promoting Legoland Shanghai Resort. In April, Alaska Airlines, a long-time partner of Disney for nine branded airplanes to date, debuted Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Flyer, promoting a new Disneyland attraction; kids also received a themed snack pack in-flight. In March, Japan Airlines launched a themed livery featuring a Gundam giant robot, licensed from Bandai Namco, to promote Expo 2025 in Osaka, whose Myaku-Myaku mascot also appeared on the plane. Collaborative JAL-Gundam merchandise was also available in Japan as part of the initiative. Meanwhile, in March, Jetblue paired with Nintendo for a plane featuring graphics of its characters Mario, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Luigi, and Bowser. The characters also appeared on the seat-back touchscreen home page. 

Some ventures feature elements in several of these buckets. When ANA partnered with Pokémon in 2023 — seven years after their last pairing — the initiative included graphics on the outside of two planes, one featuring Pikachu and the other Eevee; in-flight safety and disembarkation videos; themed décor items including cups, napkins, warm beverage sleeves, and headrest covers; flight attendant aprons; background music; a Pokémon Kids TV Lounge in Haneda Airport; and Pokémon merchandise for sale through the airline’s e-commerce site and duty-free stores.