Gift guides
Christmas gifts for aviation lovers
By the AvTags team · Updated
In short
- Stocking fillers and Secret Santa (under £10): a Remove Before Flight or captain keychain, a tag for their home airport, or a design from an aviation creator they watch.
- £10–£50: a die-cast model of their favourite airliner, an aviation book, a flight-tracking app subscription or a bundle of tags.
- Big gifts: airshow tickets, a flight simulator session or a trial flying lesson.
- Make it personal: their home airport, favourite aircraft or a creator they follow beats a generic plane.
- Order early. UK orders from AvTags usually arrive in 5–7 days by Royal Mail 2nd Class; Europe takes 8–12 days.
Aviation stocking fillers under £10
Small aviation gifts are easy to get right because the best ones are personal rather than expensive. These all fit in a stocking or a Christmas card envelope:
- A Remove Before Flight keychain. The one every aviation fan recognises. Clip it to keys, a bag or a suitcase. (What it means.)
- A captain stripes tag. Four stripes for the captain. A fun one for a pilot, someone in training or a frequent flyer who would like the job. (What pilot stripes mean.)
- Their home airport. A runway or holding point tag from the airport they fly from or spot at.
- Their favourite aircraft. Fans of a particular type, like the four-engined A340, love seeing it on their keys.
- A tribute to a lost airline. Airline fans collect tributes to carriers that have stopped flying, like PLAY.
Gifts for fans of aviation YouTubers and TikTokers
Many aviation fans follow creators who film planes, airports and cockpits. Official merch from a creator they watch is a gift that shows you pay attention. AvTags makes official tags with aviation creators, some in limited runs: only 100 AviationPlease tags exist.
Secret Santa ideas for pilots, crew and aviation workplaces
Secret Santa budgets are usually £5 to £10, which is tricky for someone who already owns everything with a plane on it. Some ideas that work:
- Pilots: a captain or Remove Before Flight tag for their flight bag. See our full gifts for pilots guide.
- Cabin crew: something light and practical for a crew bag, or a tag that marks their airline or base. See gifts for cabin crew.
- Air traffic controllers: a runway or holding point tag with a phrase they say every shift. See gifts for air traffic controllers.
- Plane spotters: their home airport, or something for the spotting fence. See plane spotter gifts.
Aviation gifts from £10 to £50
- A die-cast model airliner. Models in 1:400 or 1:200 scale come in real airline colours. Pick the aircraft they flew on a memorable trip or the airline they love.
- An aviation book. Skyfaring by Mark Vanhoenacker, a British Airways pilot, is a favourite with both pilots and people who simply love flying.
- A flight-tracking subscription. Apps like Flightradar24 and FlightAware offer paid tiers with extra data, which plane spotters use every day.
- A building set. Aircraft construction sets are a popular build over the Christmas holidays, for adults and children alike.
- A bundle of tags. Several designs together make a better-looking present than one, and start a collection. The Throwback Bundle pairs the AvRate 1st Edition with three of our nature designs.
Throwback Bundle
Ships in 1–2 days
Big Christmas gifts for someone who loves planes
- Airshow tickets. The Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford and the Duxford airshows run in summer, so a ticket gives them something to look forward to all year.
- A flight simulator session. Many centres offer airliner or fighter simulator sessions, and some use full-motion simulators.
- A trial flying lesson. A short flight with an instructor at a local flying school, where they take the controls. The perfect gift for someone who has always wanted to try.
- A day at an aviation museum. The RAF Museum in London and Cosford is free to visit; IWM Duxford and Brooklands are great for a full day out.
Getting gifts there in time for Christmas
AvTags ships from the UK. UK orders go by Royal Mail 2nd Class and usually arrive in 5–7 days. Europe takes 8–12 days and the rest of the world 10–13 days. Royal Mail gets busy in December, so order early and check Royal Mail’s published last posting dates for Christmas.
Buying for someone abroad? Choose a light gift like a keychain: it posts cheaply and will not be stopped by customs rules on batteries or liquids.
Questions, answered
What is a good Christmas gift for an aviation lover?
Something personal to the aviation they love: a tag of their home airport or favourite aircraft, a model of their favourite airliner, or for a bigger gift, airshow tickets or a trial flying lesson.
What are good aviation stocking fillers?
Remove Before Flight keychains, captain stripes tags, airport and runway tags, and merch from aviation creators they follow. All cost under £10 and fit in a stocking.
What can I get a pilot for Secret Santa?
A captain or Remove Before Flight tag for their flight bag is a safe pick under £10. Something tied to their airline, base airport or aircraft type is even better.
When should I order aviation gifts for Christmas?
Allow 5–7 days for UK delivery from AvTags, 8–12 for Europe and 10–13 for the rest of the world, and order earlier in December when Royal Mail is busy.
Shop this guide
13 × 3 cm woven tags, sent from the UK by Royal Mail.
See every design →