Peet’s Coffee Soars to New Heights in Partnership with Southwest Airlines as Official Inflight Coffee Provider Beginning August 13
Peet’s Coffee®, the original craft coffee roaster that has cultivated a devoted following for its bold, rich brews, is making a landmark move into the skies. In an exciting announcement, Peet’s revealed a new partnership with Southwest Airlines Co. making the beloved coffee brand the official inflight coffee provider for all Southwest® flights starting August 13. This partnership marks a major milestone for Peet’s, as it’s the first time the iconic roaster has joined forces with a major U.S. airline to offer its signature blends on board.
The collaboration represents a strategic alignment between two respected brands known for prioritizing quality, consistency, and customer experience. For Peet’s, it’s a moment that reflects both growth and transformation—a chance to bring its meticulously crafted coffee to an entirely new setting and audience. For Southwest, it’s a continuation of its broader initiative to upgrade and enhance the onboard experience, catering to evolving passenger expectations with high-quality, recognizable partners.
A New Era for Coffee at 35,000 Feet
Starting mid-August, travelers flying with Southwest Airlines will be able to enjoy freshly brewed Peet’s Coffee as part of the complimentary inflight beverage service. This change replaces the current onboard coffee offering with a thoughtfully selected blend from Peet’s growing lineup of premium roasts. The featured coffee for launch is Off the Grid™, a balanced and flavorful medium roast blend that captures the essence of Peet’s craftsmanship.
Off the Grid™ is a relatively new addition to the Peet’s portfolio and has already gained popularity among customers in retail and café settings. The roast combines beans sourced from Colombia and El Salvador to create a medium-bodied profile that offers both fruit-forward brightness and a smooth, caramelized sweetness. It was selected specifically for inflight service due to its broad appeal and its ability to maintain flavor integrity even at high altitudes, where taste perception can be dulled.
According to Eric Lauterbach, President & CEO of Peet’s Coffee, this move represents more than just a brand extension—it’s a moment of cultural significance for Peet’s and its community.
“This is a defining moment for Peet’s,” said Lauterbach. “To be part of every Southwest flight means more than expanding our reach—it’s about creating memorable coffee moments in the skies. This partnership introduces the Peet’s experience to millions of new consumers as part of their daily ritual in a way that’s personal and meaningful. Most importantly, it brings the rich, bold flavor of Peet’s wherever their journey takes them.”
Strengthening a Ground-and-Air Experience
For passengers already familiar with Peet’s Coffee, this inflight offering is likely to feel like a natural extension of their regular coffee ritual. Peet’s currently operates retail cafés in dozens of U.S. cities and maintains a significant presence in key travel hubs. Notably, its coffee is already available at 25 airports served by Southwest Airlines, including major operational centers such as Denver (DEN), Houston Hobby (HOU), and Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX).
This widespread availability reinforces the end-to-end travel experience Peet’s and Southwest aim to deliver—from the moment a traveler picks up their coffee in the terminal to the moment they sip it mid-flight. It’s an integration that enhances consistency for passengers and builds brand familiarity across multiple touchpoints.
Elevating the Customer Journey
Southwest Airlines, long known for its friendly service, simple fare structures, and customer-first philosophy, is embracing this partnership as a key element in its broader customer experience enhancement strategy.
“We are enhancing our inflight experience to better serve our Customers,” said Tony Roach, Executive Vice President of Customer & Brand at Southwest Airlines. “A great cup of coffee goes a long way in creating a comfortable and enjoyable flight—and it’s just one part of our broader effort to elevate our Customers’ journey with us.”
The decision to partner with Peet’s is part of a wider push by Southwest to modernize its inflight offerings while remaining true to its core values of accessibility, friendliness, and authenticity. This includes investments in inflight Wi-Fi, updated snack menus, enhanced cabin aesthetics, and more tailored brand collaborations like the one now launching with Peet’s.
Chicago Activation to Celebrate the Launch
To commemorate the debut of this partnership, Peet’s and Southwest Airlines will co-host a special public event in Chicago on August 15 and 16, just two days after inflight service begins. The activation will take place at Peet’s East 8th Street location and is timed to coincide with the city’s renowned Air and Water Show, which annually draws hundreds of thousands of spectators.
The two-day celebration will include a range of interactive experiences designed to immerse customers in the collaboration. Attendees can expect product sampling, opportunities to learn about Peet’s sourcing and roasting process, and moments of brand storytelling that connect the ethos of both companies. Branded merchandise and giveaways are likely to be part of the festivities, creating a vibrant atmosphere reflective of both the Peet’s and Southwest brands.
This activation also provides a platform to engage with local customers in a high-energy, high-visibility environment, while reinforcing the brand partnership through experiential marketing.
A Bold Step Forward
The announcement comes at a time when airlines across the industry are reevaluating their food and beverage programs to better meet post-pandemic expectations. Consumers today are increasingly discerning, with a greater appreciation for quality ingredients, ethical sourcing, and brand transparency. Peet’s has long stood out in this space for its dedication to responsible sourcing, small-batch roasting, and flavor integrity—qualities that resonate deeply with modern travelers.
Founded in 1966 in Berkeley, California, Peet’s Coffee helped launch the specialty coffee movement in the United States. The company is celebrated for its dark roasts, attention to origin details, and consistent flavor profiles. Its expansion into inflight service marks a continuation of this legacy, pushing the brand beyond its traditional café and grocery formats and into an entirely new realm of experience.
As the partnership officially takes off, both Peet’s and Southwest are optimistic about the road—or skies—ahead. With millions of passengers flying Southwest each month, the exposure potential is enormous, and both brands see this as the beginning of a deeper collaboration.
While Off the Grid™ will be the first roast to fly under the new arrangement, there’s potential for other blends to be rotated in the future, possibly even including seasonal or limited-edition offerings depending on customer response and operational feasibility.
For now, though, one thing is clear: Whether you’re a longtime fan of Peet’s or simply in search of a better cup of coffee during your travels, Southwest flights are about to get a lot more flavorful.