There are plenty of secrets and hacks when it comes to air travel, but one that’s lesser known is aircraft trading cards.
While some travel enthusiasts have been collecting them for years, others are just now finding out about trading cards from social media posts that have gone viral.
One video from November that has garnered 31.2 million views and 3 million likes shows a man getting his first-ever trading card from a Delta pilot — and people in the comments were shocked to learn about them.
“THEY HAVE TRADING CARDS?!?!” someone exclaimed.
“Great now I’m sad that I missed out on so many trading cards,” one said.
“We’ve been worrying about airline points when the real game has been airline trading cards this whole time,” another quipped.
In a follow-up video, user @sarowarrr asked another pilot for a trading card, and the pilot explained that there’s been an increase in demand and he ran out.
“You know, you’re about the fifth person that’s asked me in the past two days,” the pilot said in the video with 3.7 million views. “I don’t have any, but I’m gonna start carrying a big stack of them because everybody wants them. And I’m talking grown old men and little kids.”
The pilot said he generally never carried them around because no one wanted them, but now the trading card program is taking off.
“I think it’s great, I love it,” the pilot said of the demand.
The TikTokker posted two more videos asking for trading cards, and the pilots appeared ecstatic to be asked both times. In the most recent one, with 30 million views, the user asked the pilot to sign the card, and she seemed honored to be asked.
As first reported by Business Insider, the Delta trading cards are exclusive to the airline’s pilots and aim to help pilots inspire a passion for aviation and create loyalty to the airline.
A spokesperson for Delta confirmed to The Post that since the program started over 20 years ago, the airline has created six total collections, each featuring a different aircraft corresponding to the type of plane the pilot flies as well as fun facts about the aircraft you’re flying on.
“When they’re not operating some of the coolest jets in the skies, Delta pilots love this special opportunity to share their passion of aviation with our customers using these collectable trading cards; with each featuring a different aircraft in our fleet corresponding to the type of aircraft each pilot flies,” a Delta spokesperson said.
Card collections are redesigned every five years for a new and improved look.
In order to get a collectors card, all you have to do is ask your pilot, and while they’re free to get on board, some aviation lovers also sell them on eBay — with one listing offering the “complete set” of 62 cards for $3,000.
“When they’re not busy preparing for flight, or flying our customers to their next adventure, our pilots carrying these fan-favorite cards are more than happy to hand one out to any customer that asks nicely; as they look to add to, or begin, their newest favorite collection,” a Delta spokesperson told The Post.
Delta isn’t the only airline with trading cards to hand out. American Airlines and Frontier Airlines appear to have trading cards available, and Spirit has a set of digital trading cards.
JetBlue told Business Insider in December that they no longer offer trading cards, but in 2011, they released a set of 15 different aircraft cards. In June 2023, United gave away 100 packs of their limited-edition United Collectible Cards to celebrate its one millionth Instagram followers.
“Our pilots don’t carry trading cards on hand,” a United spokesperson told BI at the time. “They do, however, usually carry plastic wings or collectible ‘challenge’ coins to give out on special circumstances.”
