The News

Southwest Airlines just announced a partnership with Peet's Coffee that will bring the California-based coffee roaster's signature brews to all Southwest flights starting August 13, 2025. This marks Peet's first partnership with a major U.S. airline and replaces Community Coffee, which Southwest has served since 2016.

The official announcement comes as Southwest continues making significant changes to modernize their service offerings.

Key Details:

• Peet's "Off the Grid" medium roast will be the featured blend
• Available on all Southwest flights with beverage service
• Peet's already operates in 25 airports where Southwest flies, including major hubs in Denver, Houston, and Phoenix
• Launch celebration planned at Peet's Chicago location August 15-16

What's Actually Changing

For Coffee Lovers

If you're someone who actually drinks airplane coffee (brave soul), you'll notice a difference. Peet's "Off the Grid" blend features Colombian and El Salvador beans with what the company calls "fruit-forward notes" and "caramelized sweetness." Translation: it should taste better than the generic coffee most airlines serve.

For Southwest's Strategy

This partnership is part of Southwest's broader effort to enhance the passenger experience as they prepare for major changes. We're talking assigned seating (ending 50+ years of open seating), new fare bundles, and premium options. Better coffee might seem minor, but it's all about elevating the overall experience.

How This Stacks Up

Southwest joins other major carriers with coffee partnerships:

• Delta: Starbucks
• Alaska: Stumptown (with custom high-altitude blend)
• JetBlue: Dunkin'
• United: illy

What's interesting is that Peet's is already in 25 Southwest-served airports, creating a "terminal to takeoff" coffee experience. That's actually pretty smart positioning, especially given why Southwest should be your airline of choice for many travelers.

What This Means for Travelers

The Reality Check

Let's be honest: airplane coffee is rarely great, regardless of the brand. The water quality, brewing equipment, and altitudeall work against creating an amazing cup. But some airplane coffee is definitely better than others, and this could be a modest upgrade.

The Bigger Picture

This partnership signals that Southwest is serious about improving their service quality across the board. If you're a frequent Southwest flyer, this is just one small piece of what should be a noticeably better experience over the next year.

Pro tip: If you're planning to fly Southwest regularly, consider a travel credit card to maximize your rewards on airfare and travel purchases.

Strategic Impact

For travelers choosing between airlines, coffee quality probably isn't a deciding factor. But if you're already flying Southwest for their route network, prices, or loyalty program, slightly better coffee is a nice bonus.

If you're a frequent Southwest flyer, consider maximizing your rewards with the Southwest credit cards or working toward the valuable Southwest Companion Pass that lets your companion fly free.

Winners and Losers

Winners

• Coffee enthusiasts who fly Southwest regularly
• Business travelers who appreciate consistency from airport to airplane
• Southwest's brand image as they work to modernize their service

Losers

• Community Coffee (obviously)
• Travelers who prefer simple, basic coffee (though that option likely remains)

Looking Ahead

This coffee partnership comes at a pivotal moment for Southwest. The airline is implementing the biggest changes in its history while facing pressure to remain profitable and competitive. Industry analysts note that airlines are increasingly focusing on passenger experience improvements to differentiate themselves.

The August 13 launch also coincides with their busy summer travel season, giving them a chance to test passenger reactions before rolling out even bigger changes in 2026. When booking your next Southwest flight, you can easily compare fares using Skyscanner to ensure you're getting the best deal.

Bottom Line

Will Peet's coffee on Southwest flights change your travel experience? Probably not dramatically. But it's a signal that Southwest is committed to enhancing every aspect of the passenger journey as they evolve their business model.

If you're a Southwest loyalist, consider this a small but welcome upgrade. If you're choosing between airlines, factor it in as one of many service improvements Southwest is making, rather than a game-changer on its own.

The real question: Will better coffee help offset any growing pains as Southwest transitions to assigned seating and new fare structures? We'll find out soon enough.

What do you think about airline coffee partnerships? Do they actually improve your flying experience, or is it just marketing? Let us know your thoughts.

‍