Sanitizer with your Stroopwafel? Many airlines are now providing cleaning supplies to passengers
The next time you fly, don't be surprised if your airline doles out a packet of hand sanitizer or some kind of disinfecting wipe to go along with your Biscoff cookies or tiny bag of Cheez-its.
As stay-at-home orders slowly lift around the country, airlines are looking for ways to woo passengers back to the skies. One of the newest efforts includes handing out personal cleaning supplies.
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Carriers from American to Allegiant are making wipes and sanitizer available to every traveler, a move that comes after many have already modified their onboard service to reduce physical contact between passengers and crews.
Brett Snyder, who runs The Cranky Flier blog and Cranky Concierge service said providing these amenities to customers is a smart move for airlines.
Related: How to thoroughly disinfect your airplane seat.
“I think it’s actually quite effective," he said. “Having masks, encouraging cleanliness, those are the things that will have a real measurable impact on an airplane.”
In comparison, he said, social distancing practices like blocking middle seats are probably less effective.
Snyder doesn't expect cleaning supplies to be a regular fixture on planes forever, especially on short-haul flights. But, he said that he hopes some other parts of airlines' COVID-19 responses will become a more permanent part of the travel landscape.
Related: We got an inside look at how Delta is cleaning planes between every flight.
"Handing out individual kits, that’s pretty specific to a severe threat,” he said. "I hope that the stepped up cleaning procedures that airlines are using, I hope that that continues."
While Snyder suggested that such clean kits could fade away on short-haul flights over time, he said he thinks it's likely that hand sanitizer and other personal cleaning products could stick around longer as part of updated amenity kits on long-haul international routes.
For now, though, airlines have been adding cleaning and sanitizing items to their onboard lineup. The details vary by carrier, but read on to see what you can currently expect on U.S. airlines. Pictures are included for airlines that made them available:
Alaska
All passengers are required to wear masks while onboard, and the airline is handing out individually-packaged masks to travelers who do not have their own.
Allegiant
The airline is providing a kit that includes a single-use face mask, a pair of disposable non-latex gloves and two antibacterial cleaning wipes.
American
Supplies and how they are distributed vary by flight length. Customers are given hand sanitizer in their snack bags on flights between 900 and 2,199 miles. On longer flights with meal service, American is distributing hand sanitizer on most meal trays. Sanitizer will be distributed during beverage service on most longer flights that do not have meals.
Delta
Delta has clean kits available to passengers by request at ticket and gate counters and onboard. They will include a disposable face mask, Purell hand sanitizer gel pouches and an information card detailing the airline's cleaning protocols.
Frontier
The airline is not distributing cleaning supplies to passengers.
Hawaiian
The airline is not providing a kit, per se. But Hawaiian's flight attendants are distributing hand sanitizer as guests board, and the airline is making single-use masks available to customers who need one.
JetBlue
The airline is finalizing plans for clean kit distribution, so details are not yet available.
Southwest
The airline is distributing face masks and hand sanitizer to customers on request.
Spirit
TPG has reached out to Spirit for details about personal cleaning supplies and will update this post when we receive a response.
Sun Country
The airline is making hand sanitizer and wipes available at ticket and gate counters, and onboard.
United
The airline is combining its snack and clean kit bags on flights longer than 2 hours and 20 minutes. The package includes a wrapped sanitizer wipe, an 8.5 oz. bottled water, a Stroopwafel and a package of pretzels.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.