The problem is obvious: life on the go means limited choices. 

Less time, less space, less quality food, less stability. As Karma, a commercial flight attendant put it, “you basically lose all sense of balance and routine.”

This is especially true as a pilot, flight attendant or "In The Air"-style George Clooney-esque business traveler (unless, of course, you are Clooney himself, who likely has ample options).

Don't get us wrong—there's upside. Flying through the skies, traveling the world, meeting interesting people, seeing interesting places. US News even ranked pilot as number 26 out of the top 100 “Best Jobs of 2021.”

But it’s a trade-off. 

You get the challenge, scenery, and whim; you lose predictability. And if you’ve been making that trade-off long enough, those important-but-not-urgent things—like exercise, sleep, and eating well—get deprioritized. Until they disappear.

 Of those personal health priorities, the toughest for road warriors and flypeople is maintaining a healthy diet. Hotels have gyms and beds, but spending the next 10 years eating at Holiday Inn buffets or Hilton minibars is eventually going to lead to larger trousers.

The problem comes down to three things: time, access, and effort.

 The time is limited to prep time. It's before flying, while on sits or layovers in airports, in Ubers, and in hotel rooms. 

Access refers to food choices. For a pilot or flight attendant, the only time with expanded choice is off the job. But once the workweek begins, from airport to take-off to landing to hotel and back again, healthy food choices are notoriously few. It’s basically Starbucks, that 1970s-style bar and grille, or more biscotti.

Finally, effort. If you wanted to use weekends to shop around for the best healthy natural food snacks around North America, you certainly could. But wouldn't you rather spend the effort with friends and family? 

We started airfare to make it easier to maintain your health on the go. Our entire purpose is to help you solve those three challenges—time, access, and effort—and to let you devote that time to things that matter.

How airfare helps, in the words of our members

First, time. We do the legwork in sourcing a variety of healthy, plant-based, no-sugar-added snacks. We get them in only single-serving sizes, pack them in portable, recyclable linen pouches, and send them to your doorstep. "Convenience is key," Ryan, a member and pilot, said. "It fits well with a hectic schedule when there's no time to find good food." 

Second, access. If you’re in an airport or hotel, there are usually no good options. But even if you luck out by finding a peanut butter Larabar, an apple, or—the holy grail—a salad, you won't have variety. That's where we come in. We’ve searched across North America to put together 50 of the healthiest and best-tasting snacks imaginable. "Even if you can find a snack or two on the road, they won't be as good, the variety won't be there, and it will cost more," said Joseph, a member and pilot.

Third, effort. It's not easy finding healthy snacks or chopping up vegetables every week. airfare removes all that effort, allowing you to use your energy where you want. 

"It beats hunting and reading labels, and you don't have to keep it cold," said Matt, another member.

Combine the three, and you get to our goal: making it easier to eat healthy on the go.

In 2021, we were fortunate to be able to help so many pilots, flight attendants and mover-shakers not just maintain their health, but improve it. 

Take Isaiah, an airline pilot and avid martial artist. Isaiah made a commitment at the beginning of 2021 to take his health more seriously. Not only did he plan to step up his fitness routine, he wanted to start eating healthier. He's been a member for seven months, and look at him now. He lost more than 50 pounds. 

“The snacks are healthy and hit the spot! Thanks for keeping me from reaching for the 600-calorie muffins,” Isaiah said.

Isaiah is, of course, the real champ here. It takes exercise, desire, and commitment to do something like that. We were just happy to help him eat healthier on the job. Damn the muffins.

Isaiah isn’t alone. 

Matt, an Alaska Airlines flight attendant, told us that “airfare has opened my mind to more plant-based healthy options. I was surprised that I actually liked what I was eating." He then described airfare as well as anyone we've heard: “The no-brainer way to eat healthy on the go.”  

Allie, a pilot, said “it’s a good way to avoid eating bad stuff on the road. airfare is my special treat for travel.”  

Finally, Alison, a corporate pilot, said our snacks serve as a great “fill in” between meals. “It holds me over until I get home  and keeps me from eating junk,” she said. “Plus, it helps that all the snacks are so delicious." 

The advantage of airfare was perfectly summed up by Jesse, a pilot for Alaska Airlines. Jesse told us that he ordered airfare as part an overall change in his life: “It’s all part of my ‘Jesse, it’s time to grow up’ year,” he said. “I wanted to use my extra income to get more quality products—food, self-care...you know, adult stuff. And then I wanted to automate it—to make it easier to be better.” 

Amen.

Here's to a healthy new year.

-Geremy, Justin and the airfare team