Choosing your meal on American Airlines can significantly enhance your in-flight experience, especially on longer journeys. Gone are the days of simply hoping for the best when the meal cart rolls around! American Airlines offers various options, from standard meals to specialized dietary choices, and even pre-ordering for premium cabins. Let's dive into a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to ensure you get the meal you desire.
Ready to Savor Your Flight? Let's Get Started!
Before we even talk about menus, let me ask you: Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences that usually make airplane meals a challenge? If so, you're in the right place! American Airlines has made strides to cater to a wider range of needs, and knowing how to navigate their system is key.
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| How To Choose Meal On American Airlines |
Step 1: Understand When Meals Are Served
The first crucial step is to determine if a meal service is even available on your flight. American Airlines' meal service varies significantly based on flight duration, route, and cabin class.
Sub-heading 1.1: Domestic Flights
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Flights over 900 miles: Generally, these flights, particularly those during traditional meal times (breakfast, lunch, dinner), will offer a meal service in First Class and Business Class. In Main Cabin, you might receive complimentary snacks and beverages, and on some longer routes, there might be options to purchase food.
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Flights between 500-899 miles: You'll typically find complimentary snack baskets in First Class.
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Flights under 500 miles: Expect complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and possibly small snacks. Full meals are typically not provided.
Sub-heading 1.2: International Flights
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Long-haul International Flights (Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, Middle East, and select South America cities): You can almost always expect complimentary meals, snacks, and beverages across all cabin classes (Main Cabin, Premium Economy, Business, and First). These typically include a main meal after takeoff, mid-flight snacks, and a meal before arrival.
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Flights to/from Hawaii and Transcontinental Flights (e.g., JFK-LAX): These routes often fall under "Flagship Service" and usually include a meal service and complimentary beverages in all cabins.
Step 2: Identify Your Meal Options Based on Cabin Class
Once you know a meal is likely to be served, the next step is to understand what kind of meal service you can expect based on your seating.
Sub-heading 2.1: Premium Cabins (First, Business, Flagship First, Flagship Business, Premium Economy)
QuickTip: Reading carefully once is better than rushing twice.
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Pre-order Power! This is where you have the most control. In premium cabins on most meal-eligible flights, American Airlines offers a pre-order system. This allows you to select your preferred meal from a broader menu before you even board the plane.
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Benefits of Pre-ordering: It guarantees your preferred meal is reserved, as onboard quantities can be limited. It's especially useful if you're a picky eater, have specific dietary requirements, or simply want to ensure you get what you crave.
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Typical Offerings: Expect multi-course meals, often with chef-inspired dishes. Choices commonly include a meat entree, a vegetarian option, a wellness meal, and sometimes a fruit and cheese platter.
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Onboard Selection: If you don't pre-order, flight attendants will usually come by to take your meal order. However, your desired choice might run out, so pre-ordering is highly recommended.
Sub-heading 2.2: Main Cabin
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Complimentary vs. Buy-on-Board: On many international and longer domestic flights, complimentary meals are served. On other domestic flights, especially shorter ones, you might have the option to purchase snacks and beverages from their "buy-on-board" menu.
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Limited Choices: If a complimentary meal is served in Main Cabin, the choices are typically more limited than in premium cabins, often with one or two main entree options.
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Special Meal Requests: Even in Main Cabin, if a meal is served, you can often request a special meal (as detailed in Step 3).
Step 3: Navigating Special Meals and Dietary Needs
This is a critical step for anyone with allergies, dietary restrictions, or religious preferences. American Airlines offers a wide array of special meals, but they must be requested in advance.
Sub-heading 3.1: Common Special Meal Options
American Airlines provides numerous special meal options to cater to diverse needs. Some of the most frequently requested include:
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Asian Vegetarian Meal (AVML): Spicy vegetarian meals, often with limited dairy.
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Baby Meal (BBML): Commercial baby food for infants under 2.
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Bland Meal (BLML): Simple, easily digestible foods for those with digestive sensitivities.
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Child Meal (CHML): Kid-friendly foods for ages 2-5.
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Diabetic Meal (DBML): Suitable for reduced sugar, hyperglycemic, hypoglycemic, and carbohydrate-controlled requests.
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Gluten-Intolerant Meal (GFML): Eliminates wheat, rye, barley, and oats.
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Hindu Meal (HNML): Prepared according to Hindu dietary practices (can be non-vegetarian).
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Kosher Meal (KSML): Prepared in accordance with Jewish dietary laws, often double-wrapped for heating.
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Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Meal (VLML): Vegetarian meal that may include eggs and dairy.
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Low-Fat Meal (LFML): High fiber, low-fat meal.
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Low-Sodium Meal (LSML): No added salt, MSG, or baking powder/soda.
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Muslim Meal (MOML): Prepared according to Islamic tradition, free of pork products, alcohol, etc. (Halal).
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Vegetarian Jain Meal (VJML): Vegetarian meal excluding root vegetables, onion, garlic, and animal products.
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Vegetarian/Vegan Meal (VGML): Does not contain meat, fish, fowl, eggs, or dairy products.
Sub-heading 3.2: Important Considerations for Special Meals
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Request in Advance: This cannot be stressed enough! You must request your special meal at least 20-24 hours before your flight's departure. Some sources even suggest 30 days out for pre-order, giving you ample time.
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Availability: While American Airlines strives to accommodate, availability can sometimes depend on the specific route and catering facilities.
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Reconfirm: It's a good practice to reconfirm your special meal request closer to your departure date by checking your reservation online or calling American Airlines directly.
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Note on Allergies: While special meals cater to many needs, if you have severe allergies (e.g., nut allergies), it's always advisable to also notify the gate agent and flight attendants upon boarding. While airlines strive for safety, cross-contamination is a risk in any shared kitchen environment.
Step 4: How to Select or Pre-Order Your Meal
Now that you understand the what, let's get to the how! There are a few primary ways to manage your meal selection.
Sub-heading 4.1: Through the American Airlines Website ("My Trips")
QuickTip: Read section by section for better flow.
This is the most common and often easiest method.
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Access Your Booking: Go to
aa.comand click on the "My Trips" tab. -
Enter Details: Input your first name, surname, and your 6-character booking reference (PNR). This information can be found in your original flight confirmation email.
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Find Meal Section: Once you've successfully accessed your booking details, scroll down past the flight information. Look for a section related to "Meals," "Inflight Meals," "Special Services," "Dietary Needs," or "Meal Preferences." It might appear as a "reserve your meals" section or a clickable "pencil" icon next to "Meals."
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Browse and Select: A pop-up or new page will display the menu options available for your flight. This is where you can select your preferred meal from the standard options or choose a special meal if applicable.
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Save Your Choice: Crucially, remember to click "Save" or "Save and Exit" to confirm your selection. Your meal choice is usually locked in 24 hours prior to departure, so ensure you make any changes before then.
Sub-heading 4.2: Through the American Airlines Mobile App
The mobile app offers a similar user experience to the website.
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Log In: Open the American Airlines app and log in to your AAdvantage account or enter your trip details.
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Access Your Reservation: Navigate to your current flight reservation.
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Locate Meal Options: Look for a section related to "Meals" or "Special Requests" within your trip details.
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Make Your Selection: Choose your desired meal from the available options.
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Confirm: Save your selection.
Sub-heading 4.3: By Calling American Airlines Reservations
If you encounter any difficulties online, prefer speaking to a representative, or have complex dietary needs, calling American Airlines is a reliable option.
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Have Your Details Ready: Before calling, have your booking reference number, flight details, and AAdvantage number (if applicable) readily available.
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Explain Your Needs: Clearly communicate your standard meal preference or specific special meal requirement to the agent.
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Confirm: Ask the agent to confirm that your meal request has been properly noted in your reservation.
Step 5: What to Expect Onboard
Even after pre-ordering, a few things are good to keep in mind once you're on the aircraft.
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Flight Attendant Confirmation: While you've pre-ordered, some flight attendants may still come down the aisle asking for your meal preference. Politely remind them that you have a pre-ordered meal.
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Meal Service Timing: Meals are typically served after reaching cruising altitude. On longer flights, there may be multiple meal services.
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Payment for Buy-on-Board: If you're in Main Cabin on a flight with buy-on-board options, remember that American Airlines accepts all major credit and debit cards for payment. You can also use AAdvantage miles on select flights.
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Flexibility (or lack thereof): Once your meal choice is locked in (usually 24 hours before departure), it's generally not possible to change it onboard. This is why pre-ordering is so beneficial.
Step 6: Post-Flight Feedback (Optional but Helpful!)
If you had an exceptional meal experience or, conversely, if something went wrong, consider providing feedback to American Airlines. This helps them improve their service for future travelers. You can usually do this through their website's customer relations section.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Tip: Reread tricky sentences for clarity.
Here are 10 related FAQ questions, starting with "How to," along with their quick answers:
How to Check if My Flight Offers Meals on American Airlines?
You can check if your flight offers meals by reviewing the flight details on your booking confirmation, by logging into "My Trips" on aa.com, or by contacting American Airlines customer service. Meal service is generally offered on international flights and domestic flights over 900 miles, especially in premium cabins.
How to Pre-order a Special Meal on American Airlines?
You can pre-order a special meal by accessing your booking on aa.com under "My Trips" or through the American Airlines mobile app. Navigate to the "Meals" or "Special Services" section and select your desired special meal. Remember to do this at least 20-24 hours before your flight.
How to Change My Pre-ordered Meal on American Airlines?
You can change your pre-ordered meal by revisiting your reservation on aa.com or the mobile app, usually up to 24 hours before your flight's scheduled departure. After this cutoff, changes are typically not possible.
How to Know What Meals are Served in American Airlines First Class?
In American Airlines First Class, you can often pre-order from a selection of chef-inspired meals. The exact menu varies by route and time of day, but typically includes meat, vegetarian, and wellness options. You can view the specific menu for your flight by accessing your reservation online once the pre-order window opens (usually 30 days before departure).
How to Get a Vegetarian Meal on American Airlines?
Tip: Write down what you learned.
To get a vegetarian meal, you should request an "Asian Vegetarian Meal," "Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Meal," "Vegetarian Jain Meal," or "Vegetarian/Vegan Meal" through the "Special Meals" section of your booking online or via the app, at least 20-24 hours before departure.
How to Purchase Food on American Airlines Main Cabin Flights?
On domestic Main Cabin flights where a complimentary meal isn't provided, you can often purchase snacks, light meals, and alcoholic beverages from the buy-on-board menu using a credit/debit card or AAdvantage miles.
How to Request a Gluten-Free Meal on American Airlines?
Request a "Gluten-Intolerant Meal (GFML)" through the special meal options available in your booking details on aa.com or the mobile app. Make sure to place your request at least 20-24 hours before your flight.
How to Confirm My Special Meal Request with American Airlines?
You can confirm your special meal request by logging into your reservation on aa.com or the American Airlines mobile app. You can also call American Airlines Reservations directly to verify that your request has been noted.
How to Get Kosher Meals on American Airlines?
To get a Kosher meal, select "Kosher Meal (KSML)" from the special meal options when managing your booking online or via the app, ensuring you do so at least 20-24 hours before departure. Note that availability might be restricted on certain routes (e.g., flights from India or Shanghai).
How to Ensure My Dietary Restrictions are Accommodated on American Airlines?
The best way to ensure your dietary restrictions are accommodated is to pre-order a relevant special meal well in advance (at least 20-24 hours before departure) via aa.com or the app, and also notify the flight attendants upon boarding, especially for severe allergies.
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