Everyone has their go-to drink when flying. Some people can’t resist the tangy kick of a Bloody Mary, while others stick to their beloved Coca-Cola. Then there are the sensible types who opt for water—healthy, sure, but let’s be honest, it’s also pretty bland. But a select few of us know the true champion of in-flight beverages: ginger ale.
Now, ginger ale may not sound like the most thrilling choice when you’re on solid ground. It’s often relegated to the category of “sick day drink” or something you mix with whiskey. You don’t hear people lining up at the soda fountain for a glass of ginger ale—unless, of course, they’re in the air, 36,000 feet up. At altitude, this unassuming drink suddenly transforms into a refreshingly crisp, bubbly delight. So, what makes ginger ale the unsung hero of the skies?
Ginger ale actually has a pretty storied history. Developed in Ireland and England back in the 1840s, it quickly made its way across the Atlantic. By the 1920s, it was a speakeasy staple in the United States, with bootleggers discovering it was the perfect mixer for hard-to-drink spirits like gin and whiskey. But fast-forward to today, and ginger ale has fallen out of the top 10 sodas in the U.S., overshadowed by sugar-packed favorites like Dr. Pepper and Mountain Dew. Except, that is, when it comes to flying. In the air, ginger ale reigns supreme—and science has a good explanation for why.
Airplane cabins are notorious for dulling your senses of taste and smell, thanks to the dry, pressurized air, which is as thin as what you’d find on a mountain peak at 6,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. According to the World Health Organization, this change impacts how you perceive certain flavors. Sweet and salty tastes, in particular, are muted, which is why your Bloody Mary or tomato juice might taste a bit flat. But here’s where ginger ale comes in for the win—its sharp, dry flavor cuts through that muted palette, delivering a refreshing, slightly spicy zing that stands out in a way most other drinks can’t.
In fact, it’s the dry varieties of ginger ale, rather than the sweeter golden ones, that really shine at altitude. That extra sweetness you might taste on the ground? It doesn’t register the same way up in the sky, leaving you with a more robust, clean flavor. It’s no wonder ginger ale feels like the perfect refreshment mid-flight, providing just the right balance of dryness and fizz to leave you feeling satisfied.
And let’s not forget ginger’s medicinal benefits. Long before it became a carbonated drink, ginger was used as a home remedy for everything from nausea to muscle pain. For nervous flyers or those prone to a little air sickness, sipping ginger ale provides more than just a refreshing beverage—it’s also a subtle way to ease those uneasy stomachs. So next time you’re cruising at 36,000 feet, go ahead and skip the cola or the water. Reach for that crisp ginger ale and savor its reign as the king of in-flight drinks.
