After use, airlines will most often send blankets off to be washed at an industrial facility (whether it's one they operate themselves or via a laundry service), but for some carriers this only happens at their home base airports, so used blankets are either stuffed in the overhead bins or folded back up.

The fate of airline blankets depends heavily on the length of the flight and the airline's specific sanitation protocols. On long-haul international flights, major carriers like Delta, United, and Emirates typically employ third-party industrial laundry services. Once a flight lands, cleaning crews remove all used blankets, which are then transported to a facility to be washed at high temperatures, dried, and hermetically sealed in plastic bags before being returned to the aircraft for the next journey. This ensures a high standard of hygiene for overnight travelers. However, on short-haul domestic flights, the reality is often different; crews may be instructed to simply refold "neat-looking" blankets and place them back in overhead bins or seat pockets to save time during quick 30-minute turnarounds. By 2026, many airlines have moved toward more sustainable, recycled-fiber blankets, and those that have reached the end of their usable life are frequently donated to homeless shelters, animal rescues, or humanitarian aid organizations rather than being thrown away, reflecting a growing industry focus on textile waste reduction.