Buy a Starbucks Holiday Cup, Get Priority Boarding on Alaska Airlines

By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer
Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

    Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

    Starbucks holiday cups will hold more than coffee this year.

    Alaska Airlines passengers who are carrying the cups when they prepare to get on their flight between Nov. 7 and 10 will receive priority boarding.

    The promotion is open to any passenger, not just those with mileage plans. It will not, however, mean you’re the first on the plane. Alaska says First Class and mileage plan members will continue to get first priority. Passengers holding the holiday cups will board following Group B.

    The carrier also says guests on select flights “might find Starbucks treats on their seats” as well.

    Passengers in San Francisco, Atlanta and Minneapolis–Saint Paul, which are running compostable cup pilot programs (and, thus, will not have the holiday cups), will be able to take advantage of the offer by using one of the holiday cup sleeves from Starbucks.

    Starbucks and Alaska Airlines have been partners for years, but this is the first team up of this kind between the two. It’s hardly the first odd boarding promotion for the carrier, though, which last year let passengers board early if they wore an ugly Christmas sweater.

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