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Cheers: United expands drink menu, adds White Claw

April 27, 2021
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3 min read
White Claw
Cheers: United expands drink menu, adds White Claw
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Inflight service has resumed among the major airlines and United is hoping to stand out with a new addition no other airline has: White Claw.

If you need a little pick-me-up while flying with United, this drink (and airline) might be the one for you. The popular hard seltzer brand is now on board, although mango is the only flavor option available. Other newer beverage choices onboard include Michelob Ultra, Stella Artois, Breckenridge Brewery Juice Drop Hazy IPA and Kona Brewing Co. Big Wave Golden Ale. All are available for $8. Red, white and sparkling wine are also available for purchase.

This change comes after United overhauled its onboard offerings April 1. Those changes included a choice of new snack boxes, pre-packaged snacks and a variety of alcoholic beverages. The two snack boxes, the Takeoff Snackbox and the Recline Snackbox, are available for $10 and $8 respectively.

(Photo courtesy of United)

The Takeoff Snackbox includes salami, cheese, nuts, crackers and dried fruits. The Recline Snackbox is a bit less nutritious, including popcorn, pretzels, Oreos and gummy bears (but we're not complaining).

Unfortunately, onboard snack, beer and wine sales are only available on select United flights. These include flights departing from Denver (DEN) to one of the following nine cities:

  • Boston (BOS)
  • Chicago-O’Hare (ORD)
  • Honolulu (HNL)
  • Houston (IAH)
  • Los Angeles (LAX)
  • Newark (EWR)
  • San Francisco (SFO)
  • Washington-Dulles (IAD)
  • Washington-National (DCA)
Traveling by airplane. Passenger enjoying gin and tonic drink in economy class during flight.

Related: My experience flying across the country during the coronavirus pandemic

The change also launched buy-on-board options for economy-class passengers on the following Hawaii routes:

  • Chicago-O’Hare to/from Honolulu
  • Chicago-O’Hare to/from Kahului, Maui
  • Houston to/from Honolulu
  • Newark to/from Honolulu
  • Guam to/from Honolulu
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If you are on a flight for more than six hours to Hawaii, the Chicago-based carrier also expanded buy-on-board to those flights as well. These snack and drink options are also available on premium transcontinental service, including: Flights between Denver (DEN), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Newark (EWR), Houston (IAH), Guam (GUM) and Honolulu (HNL), Maui (OGG), Kona (KOA) and Lihue (LIH).

Buy-on-board is also available on transcon flights between Newark (EWR), Boston (BOS), New York-JFK and San Francisco (SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX).

It's important to note that you will need to prepare ahead of time by saving a payment method to your United account for contactless payments onboard. Visit united.com or United's mobile app to see available options for your flight.

Related: United’s inflight food and beverage offerings are getting a makeover

This post includes additional reporting from TPG's Zach Griff and Benji Stawski.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Why We Chose It

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  • 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.