Southwest Airlines has chosen Peet’s Coffee as its official inflight coffee provider, starting August 13. It’s Peet’s first major U.S. airline partnership.
The airline will serve Peet’s “Off the Grid” medium roast, featuring Colombian and El Salvadoran beans.
Southwest serves 140 million passengers annually, so the partnership gives Peet’s significant exposure.
“This is a defining moment for Peet’s,” said Eric Lauterbach, President & CEO of Peet’s Coffee.
“To be part of every Southwest flight means more than expanding our reach โ it’s about creating memorable coffee moments in the skies.”
Operational advantages
The partnership makes sense logistically – Peet’s already operates in 25 airports across Southwest’s network, including major hubs like Denver, Houston, and Phoenix.
Southwest’s Tony Roach said the move is part of broader service improvements: “A great cup of coffee goes a long way in creating a comfortable and enjoyable flight.”
Why this matters
Most airlines serve generic coffee that passengers tolerate rather than enjoy. Southwest is striving to enhance the passenger experience without altering its low-cost model or introducing complex service tiers.
Coffee is one of those things that’s relatively easy to upgrade, but passengers definitely notice. It’s a smart move for a budget carrier under pressure as major airlines expand their own basic economy offerings.
The timing suggests Southwest recognises it needs to compete on quality perception, not just price, primarily when serving the same routes as premium carriers.
Images courtesy of Southwest Airlines
Nik founded Inflight Feed in 2012, blending his passion for inflight dining with over a decade of experience in the airline industry. For the past 13 years, he has travelled the world, exploring and reviewing airline meals across countless carriers.
CNN Travel, The New York Times, and BBC World News have featured Nikโs expertise. When heโs not on the ground, youโll find him at 35,000 feet, camera in hand, capturing the unique flavours of air travel. Follow his inflight meal adventures on Instagram: @InflightFeed.
