Gift guides
Gifts for pilots they will actually use
By the AvTags team · Updated
In short
- The best pilot gifts are either useful in the cockpit or flight bag, or personal to the aircraft and airports they fly.
- Under £10: a Remove Before Flight or captain stripes keychain, or a tag for their home airport.
- £10–£50: a logbook cover, a kneeboard, a classic aviation book or new ear seals for their headset.
- Bigger gifts: a simulator session, a trial flight in a new type of aircraft, or airshow tickets.
- Avoid big technical purchases like headsets or flight computers unless they have told you exactly which model they want.
What makes a good gift for a pilot?
Pilots are particular about their kit. Anything that goes in the flight bag has to be light, reliable and earn its space. That makes two kinds of gift work best: small things that are genuinely useful, and personal things that connect to the flying they do.
Before you buy, it helps to know what kind of flying they do. An airline pilot, a private pilot at a local club, a military pilot and a student all have different kit and different interests. If you are buying for someone still training, see our student pilot gift guide.
Pilot gifts under £10
Small gifts work well as stocking fillers, secret Santa presents or a thank-you to a flying instructor.
- A Remove Before Flight keychain. The classic. Every pilot recognises it, and it is useful on keys, crew bags and flight cases. (What the tag means.)
- A captain stripes tag. Four stripes is the captain’s rank on most airlines. A fun nod to a promotion or a first airline job.
- Their home airport or runway. A tag showing the airport they fly from is far more personal than a generic plane.
- Their aircraft type. If they fly or love a particular aircraft, a tag with that type on it will mean more than anything generic.
Pilot gifts from £10 to £50
- A logbook cover or document wallet. Pilots carry their logbook, licence and medical certificate everywhere. A tough cover keeps them together and dry.
- A kneeboard. A clipboard that straps to the leg for charts and notes. Popular with light-aircraft pilots.
- Replacement ear seals or cushions for their headset. Cheap, genuinely appreciated, and the old ones wear out. Check the exact headset model first.
- A classic aviation book. Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langewiesche and Fate Is the Hunter by Ernest K. Gann are both widely loved by pilots.
- A flight bag organiser. Pouches for pens, torches, chargers and paperwork make a cluttered flight bag much easier to use.
- A good torch. A small, bright torch with a red-light mode is useful on night pre-flight checks without ruining night vision.
Experience gifts for pilots
Many pilots already own the kit they need. An experience is often the better gift.
- A simulator session. Many training centres sell time in airliner or fighter simulators to the public. Pilots who fly light aircraft often love trying a jet.
- A trial lesson in something different. A glider, helicopter, tailwheel or aerobatic lesson is a new challenge even for an experienced pilot.
- Airshow tickets. The Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford is one of the biggest airshows in the world and runs every July.
- A museum day. IWM Duxford, the RAF Museum (London and Cosford) and Brooklands Museum all have excellent collections.
Gifts for pilots who have everything
For pilots with a full flight bag, make it personal. A framed photo of their aircraft, a print of the airport they learnt to fly at, or a tag with their airline or aircraft type will be kept long after a gadget is forgotten.
Retired pilots often enjoy gifts linked to the aircraft and airlines they flew. Our tribute tags for airlines and aircraft are popular for exactly this.
What not to buy a pilot
- A headset, unless they asked for a specific one. Headsets are expensive and personal, and connectors vary by aircraft.
- Polarised sunglasses. Many pilots avoid polarised lenses because they can make some cockpit displays hard to read and hide glare from other aircraft.
- Big or heavy items for the flight bag. Space and weight are limited, especially for airline crew.
- Generic “world’s best pilot” novelty items. Something specific to their flying almost always goes down better.
Questions, answered
What is a good small gift for a pilot?
A Remove Before Flight keychain, a tag for their home airport or aircraft type, or a captain stripes tag. They are cheap, light and every pilot recognises them.
What do you buy a pilot who has everything?
Something personal or an experience: a framed photo of their aircraft, a tag for the airline or airport they fly, a simulator session or airshow tickets.
Are sunglasses a good gift for a pilot?
Only non-polarised ones. Many pilots avoid polarised lenses because they can interfere with cockpit displays and make glare from other aircraft harder to see.
What is a good retirement gift for a pilot?
Something that marks their career: a framed photo or print of the aircraft they flew, a tribute tag for their airline, or a logbook display case.
Shop this guide
13 × 3 cm woven tags, sent from the UK by Royal Mail.