You’ll Have to Act Fast to Snag One of Alaska Airlines’ New Limited-Edition Trading Cards

You might have heard that pilots at Delta Air Lines give out free collectible trading cards celebrating the carrier’s fleet, but did you know that Alaska Airlines also has its own range of covetable trading cards?

Those in the know have been collecting the Alaska Airlines limited-edition trading cards since the 1990s when the Seattle-based carrier first started printing a small deck on inexpensive cardstock.

Back then, it was pretty hard to get your hands on an Alaska Airlines trading card, but now the airline has just launched a new eight-card set that celebrates some of the carrier’s most iconic modern special aircraft designs.

The new set was created to mark World Pilot’s Day and was fittingly designed in collaboration with Alaska Airlines pilots. They will have them in stock on the flight deck, ready to hand out to any passengers who pluck up the courage to ask for one.

Rather than cardstock, the new trading cards feature a holographic film and lenticular coating, making them a lot more sturdy and transforming them into what Alaska Airlines describes as a “multi-dimensional experience.”

“These cards are not just cool keepsakes, but also educational tools, with each one featuring details about the aircraft and its unique story.”

“It’s nice for someone — especially a kid — to leave the flight with something meaningful, whether it’s a memory, a set of wings, or, in this case, a one-of-a-kind card,” commented pilot Scott Day, who was previously chief pilot at Alaska Airlines but recently moved to Hawaiian Airlines.

“These cards are not just cool keepsakes but also educational tools, with each one featuring details about the aircraft and its unique story,” Day continued.

Day hopes the trading cards will spark an interest in young travelers who could become the aviators of tomorrow.

“When recruiting and interviewing pilots, one of the fun questions we like to ask is, ‘How did you first become interested in flying? What was the first spark for you?’” Day added.

When did airline trading cards become so popular?

Delta Air Lines has been producing aircraft trading cards for even longer than Alaska Airlines, but it wasn’t until 2023, when the cards went viral on TikTok and Instagram, that their popularity really soared.

At first, Delta couldn’t keep up with demand and had to print many more, giving out more than three million trading cards last year alone.

With Delta Air Lines celebrating the fact that it is the first US-based airline to reach its 100th anniversary, the carrier has created a special centennial-themed trading card collection, and Ryan Gumm, Delta’s senior vice president of flight operations, is expecting an even bigger surge in demand.

More than five million of the Centennial-themed cards have been produced, featuring aircraft from Delta’s current fleet, including its flagship Airbus A350, as well as the Airbus A330, Boeing 767, and smaller aircraft like the Airbus A220 and A321neo.

To get your hands on a trading card, be it an Alaska Airlines card or a Delta card, all you have to do is ask a pilot for one. That being said, Alaska Airlines warns that the cards are expected to be very popular, and they may not be in stock on every flight.

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