Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
Perhaps you’re traveling this week to visit friends or family. Maybe you drew the short straw and have business travel during the holiday.
Pilots, flight attendants, gate agents, check-in reps, baggage handlers, airport club lounge employees — you get the point — all work during holiday periods so we can get from Point A to Point B and back.
Granted, it’s something they signed up for — but that doesn’t necessarily make leaving their homes or loved ones any easier.
So if during your holiday travels you feel inspired to express your gratitude to these hardworking men and women giving up their holidays so you can enjoy yours, here are a few ideas.
Gift Cards
I’ve found $10 gift cards to Starbucks are always a welcome treat. Aside from that, it’s hard to go wrong with an Amazon gift card.
Remember many grocery stores sell gift cards. Use the American Express® Gold Card to receive 4X on those purchases!
Candy
I’ve long heard stories of people gifting chocolates and candy to flight attendants. Not everyone loves sugary treats — or chooses to indulge — but this is definitely sweet gesture. (Pun 100% intended 😉 ).
Job Well Done (JWD)
Diamond and Platinum Medallions receive Job Well Done certificates each year. These can be given in person (or verbally for phone reps, or text for the @Delta folks) to Delta Air Lines employees who make a positive difference in your day.
A Boston Sky Club employee lit up when I gave him a JWD (turns out, he was relatively new and it was his first). Flight attendants generally look pleasantly surprised receiving them. They seem to make people’s day.
If you’re not a Diamond or Platinum — or ran out of JWDs — remember that René sometimes gives Amazon gift cards along with his own Job Well Done certificates.
Handing JWDs to Delta employees is, personally, something I really enjoy. I know we can email Delta after or during our trips, too. But one flight attendant told me there are doubts as to how many of those emails actually make their way to employees who are complimented.
Be Nice and Say Thank You
Want the easiest, fastest, and most cost-efficient option?
“I think that for most of us, at least, just a sincere thank you or a kind word is enough to make us happy and let us know we’re appreciated,” a flight attendant told me.
“I still have a few notes passengers have given to me — even one scribbled on a dirty napkin about how I helped her on such a stressful day. Those I remember and make me feel like I’m genuinely appreciated.”
Any Other Ideas How to Say Thanks?
Please share them in the below Comments section!
— Chris
Featured image: ©iStock.com/Ildo Frazao
Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
I like the gift card idea!
I have sent lots of compliments through Delta.com when I do not have my JWD certificates. I used to get a personal call back from Delta, but now I am getting emails acknowledging the feedback. I hope the compliments are getting back to benefit the employees!
I did try chocolates one time, but the handoff was really awkward. I will probably not try that again. 🙂
I keep a few scratcher lottery tickets in my backpack, When I have a particularly good experience w a DL employee I’ve found they appreciate the ticket(s). I’m sure the gesture is a part of it but I secretly hope to read in the papers one day that a FA or Gate Agent hit it big on an anonymously gifted ticket.
I keep $1, $5 and $10 denominations with me.
Also, I’ve never received JWD cards or certificates (I’m a Plat).
During the holiday season the small acknowledgments go a long way. I sometimes add a “please keep paying it forward” after I thank the DL employee for whatever I’m thanking them for.
A flight attendant friend once told me, if you want to thank you flight crew, things they will use are appreciated like lip balm, breath mints, gum, hand sanitizer. I like to put together little gift bags with some candy, hand sanitizer, breath mints, and small personal hygiene items like travel soap, lint rollers, etc. Little things to help them freshen up if they desire.