For many frequent flyers, racking up airline miles isn’t enough – they need something tangible to show off their status.
Enter: The airline collectible.
From amenity kits to trading cards, there are plenty of ways to show your love of the aviation industry.
Here are some of our favourites.
KLM’s Delft Blue miniature houses
Having first been introduced in the 1950s, KLM’s Delft Blue miniature houses may very well be the collectibles that kicked off the trend.
Gifted to passengers flying business class on an international route, the tiny homes are filled with local gin.
Each year on 7 October, the airline’s anniversary, a new house is depicted. Travellers currently flying business will receive a copy of Villa Rameau in Leiden, a former sexton’s house built in 1645.
The house was chosen this year to mark the USA’s semiquincentennial as the city in South Holland is known for having welcomed religious refugees, including the pilgrims who later sailed to the states on the Mayflower.
Lufthansa’s rubber ducks
Passengers who are lucky enough to be flying with Lufthansa in first class have been able to grab themselves a themed duck from the lounges in Frankfurt and Munich since 2004.
While there are standard Lufthansa first class ducks, you can also pick up themed ones tied to events like Oktoberfest, Christmas, and even the FIFA World Cup.
These items are seriously collectible, and can fetch a pretty penny second hand…
Virgin Atlantic’s plane-shaped salt and pepper shakers
First introduced in 2002, Virgin Atlantic’s aircraft-shaped salt and pepper shakers (adorably named Wilbur and Orville for the Wright brothers) have made their way into many a pocket over the years.
So much so that the company pulled them from planes in 2011, only to bring them back the following year – with a new inscription on the base saying they were “pinched from Virgin Atlantic”.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told Euronews Travel: “Many years ago, once we spotted the trend, we decided to lean into the fun by adding the words ‘Pinched from Virgin Atlantic’ to the bottom of their feet. Since then, Wilbur and Orville have become an iconic part of the Virgin Atlantic experience – and a must-have collector’s item for many of our customers.”
Trading cards
Numerous airlines in the US offer trading cards which you can request from the pilot on your flight.
Hawaiian Airlines, for example, has cards for each of its four aircraft – the Boeing 717, Airbus A321neo, Airbus A330 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – which feature fun facts about the plane type and a spot for pilots to autograph.
Last year, Delta unveiled a new centennial-themed trading card collection to mark 100 years since the airline launched.
Limited-edition amenity kits
One of the best parts about flying business or first class are the amenity kits, and airlines are constantly refreshing them by partnering with different cosmetic companies.
But many carriers also release limited-edition kits, giving frequent flyers something to collect.
Late last year, British Airways launched some for its London Gatwick flights, working with British artists to create four different bags.
For this summer, Etihad Airways has unveiled its new kits with LANEIGE skincare, with different coloured bags inspired by the city being flown to.
The one we’re most excited about, however, is American Airlines’ US Soccer themed kits, which come with a crossbody strap so you can use them as a regular bag once the flight is over.
Limited-edition watches made from decommissioned airplanes
You can take your love of aviation to the next level by wearing a piece of aircraft history on your wrist all the time thanks to AIM Watches.
Founded in the UAE, the brand upcycles aircraft skins from around the globe to create timepieces which are hand-assembled in Switzerland.
Limited edition watches currently available include the Frankfurt, made from a Lufthansa Airbus A380, and the Abu Dhabi, created using aircraft skin from the first Airbus A380 flown by Etihad Airways.
Upcoming projects will make use of materials taken from a British Airways Concorde, and an Air France Concorde, with fabric from the original seats used to create the leather straps.
Just 30 pieces will be created from each, and you can keep up to date with the project on the AIM Watches website.
One to keep an eye out for is the Beta Series launch next month, which will use material from G-CIVP, the plane that set the Guinness World Record for the fastest transatlantic flight by a subsonic airliner in 2020.