For the past couple of years American Airlines has offered amenity kits from Cole Haan, with products from 3LAB, C.O. Bigelow, and Clark’s Botanicals. While I didn’t really love the kits, they had products from well known brands, and they even had discount codes for buying those products.
Well, today American has announced that they’re completely changing up their amenity kits, and are partnering with new companies. To me this suggests that the partnerships American had weren’t working out too well, or else they wouldn’t switch them up so radically.
With these partnerships the airlines are typically getting the products at either a very low cost or even for free, given that it’s a way for companies to promote their products.
The press release about these changes is titled “American Airlines Leads the Way with New Luxury Amenity Kits.”
Really, American? I mean, I’ve been waiting for American to take the lead on just about anything, though you have a lot to live up to here on the amenity kit front, given that Delta offers Tumi kits that you can even have engraved for free.
So, what are American’s new way-leading amenity kits like? The kits are designed by This is Ground, Athletic Propulsion Labs, and STATE Bags, and they feature products from Allies of Skin, Zenology, and Baxter of California. They’ll be available starting in mid-February.
American’s VP of Global Marketing had the following to say about these kits:
“American is always exploring ways to innovate and make our customers’ travel experience more relaxing and enjoyable, especially on long-haul flights. The changes we’ve made to this year’s amenity kits were driven by our customers’ feedback about what they desire and value while traveling. Our goal is to curate an elevated and restful travel journey, and our new amenity kits are an exciting piece of the onboard and our overall brand experience. We’re thrilled to partner with these brands and offer customers a fresh, modern collection of premium inflight products.”
Let’s take a closer look at the bags. American’s press release on this is downright puzzling, as the pictures don’t contain pictures of all the products, and they also don’t clarify that there continue to be separate kits for first and business class.
International Flagship First and Business
- Kits designed by This is Ground
- Features skincare products from Allies of Skin
- A variety of bag styles and color rotations
The international first class kit will feature body lotion, facial moisturizer, lip balm, a dental kit, an eye mask, socks, earplugs, mouthwash, a pen, a tissue pack, mints, and a cart inset with discount codes.
The international business class kit will feature body lotion, lip balm, a dental kit, an eye mask, socks, earplugs, mouthwash, a pen, a tissue pack, and a card insert with discount codes.
Transcontinental Flagship First and Business
- Kits designed by Athletic Propulsion Labs
- Features skincare products from Zenology, an eye mask, FlyFit hydration pack, and earplugs
The transcontinental first class kit will feature hand and body lotion, lip balm, sanitizing wipes, a dental kit, an eye mask, earplugs, mints, a hydration pack, and tissues.
The transcontinental business class kit will feature hand and body lotion, lip balm, a dental kit, an eye mask, earplugs, a hydration pack, and tissues.
International Premium Economy
- Designed by STATE Bags
- Features skincare products from Baxter of California and two different color rotations
The premium economy kit will feature body lotion, lip balm, an eye mask, earplugs, a dental kit, socks, and a card insert with discount codes.
My take on American’s new amenity kits
To me these new amenity kits look totally fine but unremarkable. While the pictures as such don’t show many contents in the kits, it’s my understanding that there are a lot more contents than what’s shown.
As far as the quality of the kits as such goes, I’d have to experience them to know. American is using smaller brands this time around, which in general I’m a fan of, though I’m also not familiar with most of them. I do know Athletic Propulsion Labs, and they’re great, but the rest of them I’m not too familiar with.
Obviously companies love to exaggerate in their marketing, but I still have to point out how hilarious I find it that American is claiming that they’re “leading the way” with these kits. One has to wonder which way they think they’re leading?
For context, here’s what Delta’s Tumi amenity kits look like:
And here’s what United’s kits look like, featuring Cowshed products:
Bottom line
Personally I don’t think amenity kits are a big deal one way or another. The new kits look perfectly okay, but to me there’s nothing special about them, and it’s sort of comical that American claims that these kits are in any way “leading the way.”
What do you make of American’s new amenity kits? Are you familiar with any of the brands they’re collaborating with?
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