Which North American Airline Serves the Best Champagne?

No, this isn’t a comprehensive list of the best (read: most expensive) champagnes ever served in airline cabins around the world. We know Japan Airlines serves Salon, and Emirates has an exclusive contract to be the only airline serving Dom Perignon. Let’s take a look closer to home and see what champagne is on offer from airlines in North America (Air Canada, WestJet, United, American, and Delta).

For the purpose of this article, champagne prices are mentioned in USD and from wine-searcher.com. “Best” will be ranked on price alone, as there’s no accounting for personal taste.

International Business Class

In international business class, Air Canada serves champagne that retails ~$65 USD. The Air Canada website mentions serving Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut ($68), while flight reviews throughout 2025 have mentioned the following:

• Duval-Leroy Champagne Brut Réserve ($58)
• Jean-Noël Haton Champagne Brut Cuvée Classic ($44)
• Joseph-Perrier Brut ($73)

For what it’s worth, Laurent-Perrier Champagne Brut has been the flagship offering since 2018.

Air Canada and United both serve Laurent-Perrier

On long-haul business class flights, WestJet has served Castelnau Brut ($54) and Lanson Black Label Brut NV ($58) in the past. Recently, I’ve seen reports of Besserat de Bellefon Grande Tradition Brut ($53) being served.

Starting in 2025, United Airlines upgraded its champagne offering in international Polaris business class to the exact same Laurent-Perrier champagne. For what it’s worth, as of 2026, United also began serving The Mascot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($200/bottle) on select routes.

All U.S. airlines have recently improved their champagne offerings, with American now serving Bollinger Champagne ($78/bottle) and Delta serving Taittinger Brut la Française ($65/bottle).

Delta serves Tattinger onboard

Looking through online reviews, the champagne selection might rotate, as Delta has also served onboard Champagne Duval-Leroy Brut, France NV ($58) in late 2025, after announcing Taittinger.

So, if we want to get technical, American Airlines serves the most expensive champagne in international business class. Interestingly, AA is frequently ranked the worst among the US3 in terms of premium cabin experience. American definitely wants to turn things around, but it significantly lags behind Delta and United in just about every metric.

American Airlines serves $78/bottle Champagne Bollinger

Within North America

In North America, the premium cabin market is highly competitive, largely driven by business travel. Airlines often operate transcontinental routes like New York–Los Angeles and Toronto–Vancouver with widebody aircraft featuring lie-flat seats. United has even started marketing select domestic routes as Polaris, including access to the Polaris Lounge.

Air Canada serves Jaillance Crémant de Bordeaux Brut ($19), which is technically a sparkling wine and not a true champagne. Looking through onboard menus, the drinks list does not always show it, often saying only “red and white wine selected by our sommelier, Véronique Rivest”. Does this mean the Crémant is not served? Someone please let me know…

From Air Canada: “Jaillance Brut Traditionnel, a Crémant de Bordeaux AOP on North America flights”

On flights within North America, WestJet serves Sparkling Benjamin Bridge Brut NV ($32) from Nova Scotia.

As for United, it’s still unclear whether the domestic routes marketed as Polaris will serve the same Laurent-Perrier champagne as international Polaris flights. Otherwise, United does not specify the brand of sparkling wine served. United does at least have some fun alcoholic options, though, ranging from Maker Brut Bubbles to Just Enough canned wine.

Neither Delta nor American advertise the sparkling wine served on transcontinental flights, and I could not find any wine lists. On a Delta One flight from New York to LA, Ben from One Mile At A Time reports being served Gambino Sparkling Wine Brut ($11).

In The Lounge

In the lounge, the general theme is that the premier lounges serve champagne while the “regular” lounges do not. Air Canada’s Signature Suite serves champagne, but none in the Maple Leaf Lounge. Delta One, United Polaris, and American Flagship Lounges serve champagne, while the Delta Sky Club, United Club Lounge, and American Admirals Club do not.

In possibly the best business class lounge in the world, Air Canada serves Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial ($63) and Moët & Chandon Brut Rosé ($69) in the Signature Suite. This is quite impressive for a business class lounge, especially in North America.

The Maple Leaf Lounge sometimes has Prosecco on offer.

The WestJet Elevation Lounge in Calgary does not serve champagne, but a rotating selection of sparkling wine is always available.

United does serve champagne in their Polaris lounges, with reports of Lanson Pere & Fils Brut ($52). This is not in the buffet section, but only served in the sit-down restaurant section of the lounge. Polaris lounges generally offer a better experience than Maple Leaf Lounges, which makes the stricter access requirements a bit disappointing.

United serves champagne in Polaris lounges only in the dining room

United club lounges do not serve champagne and will usually offer premium alcohol at an additional fee.

Delta One lounges deliver an ultra-premium experience and arguably surpass United Polaris lounges. There is complimentary champagne on offer from Charles De Cazanove ($41).

For an additional price, you can purchase a half bottle or full bottle of premium champagnes. Offerings rotate by lounge and visit date, but here are a few examples:

• Half bottle of Tattinger “La Francaise” Brut (which is what Delta serves onboard) for $45/4,500 miles
• Half bottle of Champagne Jeeper Silver for $80/8000 miles
• Half bottle of Champagne Jeeper “Grand Rosé” for $50/5,000 miles
• Half bottle of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs for $110/11,000 miles
• Half bottle of Ruinart Rose for $110/11,000 miles
• Full bottle of Delamotte Brut for $75/7,500 miles
• Full bottle of Henri Giraud “Dame Jane” Rosé for $120/12,000 miles
• Full bottle of Nicolas Feuillate “Palmes d’Or” 2008 for $155/15,500 miles
• Full bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée 171 for $270/27,000 miles
• Full bottle of Laurent Perrier “Grand Siècle” #26 for $280/28,000 miles
• Full bottle of Louis Roederer Cristal 2016 for $550/55,000 miles

Delta Sky Clubs offer sparkling wine, but champagne is sometimes available for purchase. Ironically, alcohol purchases using SkyMiles are valued at 1.5 cents each, compared to the above at 1 cent.

American continues to outperform the competition purely in champagne, as its in-flight Champagne Bollinger is also available on the ground in Flagship lounges. It’s actually quite rare for an airline to serve the same premium champagne on the ground compared to in the air. You can enjoy Champagne Bollinger at the AA Flagship Lounges in Dallas (DFW), Miami (MIA), Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), and Philadelphia (PHL).

The Chelsea Lounge in New York JFK is not listed to exclusively serve Champagne Bollinger, probably because the lounge is opened in partnership with British Airways. There’s a rotating daily champagne selection and when PMB writer Sash visited a few weeks ago, Champagne Bollinger La Grande Année was on offer, which retails for a whopping $218!

AA JFK might be the best lounge, serving $218 champagne

The same champagne is available for purchase in American Airlines Admirals Clubs.

Takeaway

North American airlines have quietly stepped up their champagne game over the past few years, particularly in international business class and premium lounges. Surprisingly, American Airlines now serves the most expensive champagne onboard in business class with Bollinger, while Air Canada and United both pour Laurent-Perrier in their flagship premium cabins.

While champagne alone does not define the overall premium experience, it’s fun to see airlines investing more into onboard dining and drinks, especially given how fiercely competitive the North American premium market has become.