The luxury goods industry and travel have a long, intertwined relationship. From the cultural and historical significance of the iconic Louis Vuitton trunk (the original hero item and foundation of the titan of design’s mythos), indulgent in-flight accommodations, and curated designer amenity kits, the affluent traveller is always a comfortable one.

To many, the true mark of luxury is not just the ability to travel to the world’s most jaw-dropping destinations, but to maintain composure and exude effortless style while doing it. To absorb the many cultures and cuisines of the world, and look great while doing it, is a defining vignette in the fantasy of affluence. But the actual process of getting there — often requiring a long-haul flight — can make it hard to arrive untouched by the demands of travel.

Early flights, stressful check-ins, unpredictable schedules and the terror of recycled cabin air wreak havoc on even the most experienced traveller. As some airlines expand their high-end experiences, they’ve also increased their desire to offer in-flight wellness and beauty treatment options. There’s an emerging trend of partnerships between major airlines and luxury wellness brands — evidence that consumer taste for wellness has grown sky-high.

Barbora Ondrackova is a travel influencer with over half a million followers on Instagram. Wellness is a key part of her travel arrangements. “To me, wellness is very important. One thing I always do when making travel plans is book a massage,” she says. “It’s my little ritual, and it helps to calm my mind and body down after stressful work days, but also sometimes stressful travels.”

She also prioritizes skincare. “I don’t think many people realize that the recycled air in the cabin really dries out your skin,” she adds. Lucky for Ondrackova and other travellers, some airlines have started to up their amenity bag game.

The most notable manifestation of this relationship might be the over 15-year collaboration between Dubai-based airline Emirates and Italian luxury jeweller Bulgari. Their renowned amenity kits have set the benchmark for in-flight wellness and decadence at 30,000 feet. Held in seasonally refreshed designer pouches, the kits feature a curated selection of skincare and wellness essentials, including Bulgari’s signature Eau Parfumée fragrances (crafted exclusively for Emirates), facial emulsions, aftershave balm and rich body lotions, along with compact mirrors, custom-designed sleep masks and noise-canceling earplugs to promise a well-rested arrival. In 2018, the airline launched a limited edition chamomile-inspired collection with Stockholm-based self-care brand-of-the-moment, Byredo.

Lately, other airlines have been getting into the luxury beauty game, too. Passengers flying first class on Air France can enjoy the French brand Sisley’s luxurious skincare products. In 2022, Qatar Airways collaborated with the French fragrance favourite Diptyque to develop an exclusive amenity kit featuring a travel-sized collection of scents that matched their retail offering.

Airlines are reacting to the rising interest and visibility of in-flight wellness in the digital age. The wellness industry has dominated the cultural conversation and become a key driver of purchasing power among a multigenerational group of consumers, including Millennials and Gen Z buyers. McKinsey & Company estimates that the wellness market in the US alone reached $480 billion USD in 2024, and that 82 per cent of US consumers consider wellness a daily top priority.

On social media, notably TikTok, wellness trends and content have grown increasingly popular, resulting in a collection of must-have wellness items and trends that have become synonymous with the platform itself: mouth tape, “the morning shed,” nighttime mocktails for sleep, and a barrage of recommended supplements, to name a handful. Across the board, an emphasis on wellness and fitness has overtaken the algorithm.

“I think the trend peaked thanks to social media, influencers, content creators and stars showcasing putting on their [face] masks on flights,” says Ondrackova.

This expanding appetite for wellness contextualizes and explains what’s driving an appetite for high-end wellness in the flight cabin. Australian airline Qantas promises to usher in a “new dawn of travel” with their Project Sunrise mission, providing more direct routes to and from Australia, in an effort to temper the strain of long-haul travel. Aiming to deliver the ultimate comfort on what will be the world’s longest flights, the cabin of their specially-designed Airbus 350-1000 will feature a “wellbeing zone,” including guided wellbeing content, premium refreshments, and integrated surfaces and handles to support stretching.

Elsewhere, the wellness trend extends to on-the-ground terminals as well. For pre-flight preparation, United Airlines partnered with athletic recovery brand Therabody to invite passengers in their United Polaris lounge to access an array of popular Therabody products, like the reclining Lounger chair, the Theragun for mind-body vibrational therapy, and their patented RecoveryAir JetBoots, a pair of wireless massage boots that advertise health benefits like improved circulation and lymphatic drainage. Once you’re on board, in-flight entertainment options include breathwork exercises and guided meditation content. Looking for an oxytocin pump ahead of takeoff? Those with a layover in Baltimore and Philadelphia can explore the “airport fitness concept” by ROAM Fitness, which offers gym and shower facilities behind the security gates.

As travellers increasingly seek ways to enhance their travel experiences, both brands and airlines are eager to meet their evolving desires. By creating exclusive collaborations and offering bespoke wellness experiences, airlines are cultivating not only an aspirational reputation but one grounded in trust and foresight.

While wellness is often tied to the fleeting trends of our digital age, in the air travel industry, it presents an opportunity to address a pervasive challenge — the stress of the journey itself. From navigating foreign airports to addressing the dehydration and stiffness that comes with travel, staying well while travelling has become a priority. “To me, travelling is always quite stressful. You have certain time constraints, lots of traffic, cancelled flights and delayed flights, and missed or broken luggage … However, it’s for a beautiful reason. And once you reach your destination, you can relax,” says Ondrackova.

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