How United, Therabody and WESSCO transformed the amenity kit into a wellness journey
This is a special feature from the June/July 2025 Amenities & Comfort digital issue of PAX International, on page 12.
Wellness is woven throughout the program, with thoughtful brand touchpoints and MileagePlus integration for a seamless, intentional passenger experience
When United Airlines partnered with WESSCO International and wellness pioneer Therabody, the result was not just another inflight offering—it was a redefinition of what passengers can expect in the cabin. By blending science-backed products with thoughtful design and a genuine focus on well-being, the airline introduced a new kind of amenity kit—one that goes beyond pampering to help travelers feel truly rested, refreshed and ready for what is next.
This summer, PAX International caught up with WESSCO CEO Nick Bregman and Chief Marketing Officer Petros Sakkis to reflect on the launch of the program and how its vision has taken shape.
Pampering with purpose
As Sakkis puts it, “Back in 2022, wellness was becoming a big part of people’s everyday lives, and in partnering with Therabody, we saw an opportunity to bring this trend to aviation in a meaningful way. With Therabody on board, we built more than just a kit—we created a way for passengers to rest, recharge, and take care of themselves in the air and on the ground.”
The result is an amenity program that bridges the gap between physical comfort and emotional well-being—without a single throwaway item in sight.
The kit is not designed to sit quietly in a seat pocket. It delivers more than skincare and eye masks—it serves as the foundation for a broader wellness experience that starts at boarding and continues long after the flight has landed.
“Traditional amenity programs usually stop at the bag and products, but this one was different from the start,” explains Sakkis. “Together with United and Therabody, we built a full wellness journey, using the amenity kit as the anchor to activate experiences around it.”
Lavatory products by Therabody
Holistic journey
The collaboration brings Therabody Reset areas to United’s lounges featuring products to target key areas of travel stress, inviting travelers to unwind before they reach the gate.
Inside the kit, designed to support both physical and emotional well-being, passengers discover a curated selection of skincare formulas—hyaluronic acid, aloe and niacinamide—that combat travel’s most visible effects: dryness, puffiness and fatigue. With spa-like scents, the products serve a clear and functional purpose. And that has been WESSCO’s guiding principle from day one.
“Wellness was the core of every decision,” says Sakkis. “We did not want anything that felt like filler—every item had to serve a purpose, whether it was to hydrate skin, calm the senses, or help passengers unwind. The balance came from choosing products that not only work but also feel good to use.”
The kit also features exclusive TheraMind audio content—guided breathing exercises and soundscapes tailored to ease anxiety and promote sleep. Paired with the airline’s sleep accessories, the program works in harmony with United’s promise to offer the best sleep in the sky.
United Airlines’ wellness-focused amenity kits, created with WESSCO and Therabody, feature science-backed products with thoughtful design and a genuine focus on well-being—created to help passengers feel truly rested and refreshed
According to Bregman, the kit is as much about emotion as it is about efficacy. “Therabody is a great fit for United because both brands care about helping people feel their best—on the ground and in the air,” he says. “Together, they are changing the idea of what inflight wellness can be—not just small comforts, but meaningful tools that actually help passengers feel better during and after their journey.”
The idea of wellness as a holistic, intentional experience runs throughout the entire program. From the inclusion of MileagePlus into Therabody’s e-commerce experience to the integration of brand touchpoints across the passenger journey, every element is designed to feel consistent, aligned and genuinely useful.
Bigger than travel
This approach is what sets the project apart.
“This partnership represents exactly what we strive for at WESSCO—bringing brands and airlines together to create something bigger than the sum of their parts,” says Bregman. “Being trusted to help shape a program that is not only first-of-its-kind but also truly meaningful for passengers is something we are incredibly proud of. It shows what is possible when innovation, intention and collaboration come together.”
In the future, WESSCO sees wellness becoming a core part of the passenger experience, not just a nice-to-have.
“Travelers today expect more than basic comfort—they are looking for ways to feel better, reset and take care of themselves while flying,” says Sakkis. “Across the industry, we expect to see more partnerships like this, where wellness is woven into every part of the journey.”
For United, the collaboration represents a way to reinforce its larger brand goals. Sleep and recovery have become key pillars of the airline’s inflight offering, particularly on long-haul routes where passengers need more than movies and meals to feel cared for. The amenity kit becomes a tool in this mission, and one that passengers can actually use—whether to hydrate skin or to wind down with a guided meditation.
The Therabody partnership also signals a broader shift in how airlines engage with wellness.
The kit includes a curated selection of skincare formulas—hyaluronic acid, aloe and niacinamide—to combat travel’s most visible effects: dryness, puffiness and fatigue
“Redefining amenity kits starts with rethinking their purpose,” says Sakkis. “It is not just about luxury—it is about intention. Too often, kits are built around brand names or filler items, rather than what the passenger actually needs. We believe the passenger experience should lead the process.”
WESSCO, for its part, sees this approach continuing to evolve. The supplier is currently building more programs that prioritize real wellness over bells and whistles, with brand collaborations and product designs that serve a purpose, not just a trend.
As Sakkis puts it, “When wellness is the starting point, not the afterthought, the kit becomes something meaningful.”
Meaningful, and memorable. In an industry where every moment onboard matters, United Airlines has found a way to make even the smallest of amenities feel restorative, intentional and worth looking forward to. Through the partnership with WESSCO and Therabody, United has redefined the amenity kit for a generation that wants to feel better when it flies—and expects airlines to help make that happen.
