Even the most cursory look at the food on American airlines this summer quickly confirms change is in the air.
American Airlines put it this way in launching its summer menus: “From bold, vibrant dishes to timeless comfort food classics, every plate is designed to reflect the culture and cuisine of the iconic regions we serve.”
In this case, the catering team took its inspiration from the popular plates of the European destinations they fly to, so there was paella and paprika sea bass on flights to Spain, and a crisp schnitzel accompanied by potatoes and blistered tomatoes on flights to Germany.
Similarly, Delta celebrated its new direct connection to Sicily with Italian menus, including spinach and ricotta rotolo with cherry tomato sauce and fried basil leaves in Delta One, where the menus also include handmade artichoke ravioli with panna sauce, tomatoes and Parmesan.
And their inspiration for European flights is reflective of a wider trend across the US for carriers to present menus that are increasingly thoughtful, connected and purposeful. Menu and snack offerings are becoming more customised, curated to be more sustainable and to forge interesting, relevant connections between the passengers, their journey and each airline’s brand.
Chef pairings
Collaborations with renowned and celebrity chefs continue to build the quality of bespoke signature dishes too, while many refreshed items show a determination to source ingredients locally and align with brands that share wellness and sustainability principles.
Flying Food Group’s Nicolas Rondeau reports: “Our airline customers place strong emphasis on sophisticated, high-quality cuisine and we see a renewed interest in collaborations with star chefs, reflecting a commitment to elevated inflight dining experiences.”
Traditional favourites
His team sees high demand for traditional favourites, regional specialties and globally-inspired ethnic dishes across cabin classes. Investment in its production line is opening up its capacity for frozen offerings and wraps, and this is expected to be followed by new format innovations such as pockets and flatbreads.
Rondeau adds: “The dominant trend leans towards authentic, straightforward dishes that are exceptionally well executed. There is a growing preference for ingredients sourced close to the production site – a challenge in geographically large markets like the US, but one that aligns with broader sustainability goals.”
Thoughtful menus
Alaska Airlines is among those championing ‘thoughtfully curated’ menus with well-known chefs, working with Chef Brady Ishiwata Williams, the James Beard award-winning talent behind Seattle’s renowned Tomo restaurant. The gourmet entrees onboard are made with regionally-sourced, seasonal ingredients and include the likes of mochi waffle and fried chicken for breakfast, or a Klingemann Farms glazed short rib with stir-fried rice cakes for dinner. There is brioche French toast or coconut chia for breakfast as well as linguine and crab cakes, huli huli chicken and ancient grains salads on the menus.
The airline sets a goal to bring innovative West Coast flavours onboard too, with its Chef’s (tray) Table programme: a menu for First on specific routes to and from the West Coast designed by celebrated chefs up and down the region. The local touch features in the main cabin too, with the top-selling buy-on-board fresh food item consistently being the Signature Fruit and Cheese Platter, which includes five different US cheeses with crackers and fruit. This item alone represents nearly 40% of fresh food sales. Local beverage connections also proved a hit following last year’s launch of the airline’s first-ever custom craft beer brewed for the carrier by Seattle-based Fremont Brewing. The IPA is complimentary in First and Premium Class and for purchase in the main cabin.
Delta reports that customer feedback has driven the expansion of its range from James Beard award-winning chef, Mashama Bailey, to additional international and domestic flights, with dishes such as shrimp and grits with spicy creole sauce and scallions. And demand for the 100% Angus beef Shake Shack’s Cheeseburger sees that now rolled out for service on 13 routes.
Regional identity
Marc Warde, Special Meal Program Director at Foodcase, sees the cheeseburger as part of a wider trend: “There’s a strong ‘Born in the USA’ drumbeat running through the North American onboard food scene right now, with a growing emphasis on authenticity, regional identity, and real food stories. Airlines are looking inward and asking: Who are we? What do we sound like, taste like, smell like onboard? What is our food saying about us?
“The old days of carbon-copy menus are fading. Now it’s all about establishing your food identity and character, storytelling and building emotional loyalty through the tray table. Really good, delicious recipes, that work onboard, artisan producers, regional specialities, and local flair are winning out, but it goes deeper than that. Passengers want to feel connected. Tastings aren’t just sign-offs anymore; they’re part of the brand engagement. Passengers want input, with many airlines now bringing in passengers to have a voice on that menu. And when passengers feel heard, they return.”
Warde also reports a new urgency in the US around catering for those with food allergies, intolerances, and evolving medical and lifestyle dietary needs, following high-profile onboard allergy incidents and the lawsuits that followed. He comments: “These have shaken the industry into action. We’ve seen a big shift toward modernising special meals to be inclusive, safe, and actually enjoyable. Inclusive eating is now a necessity.”
Ambient is also having a bit of a moment, he says, as a long shelf life helps reduce waste. “American airlines get it and are moving towards that ambient light. From churros and tacos to smoky BBQ, tandoori and Korean fried chicken, the US street food scene is bursting onto aircraft in all cabins – diverse, distinctive, and downright exciting,” he adds.
Elevating formats
Allison Hardesty, Key Account Manager at DFMi, detects change too. She says: “Airlines are moving away from generic offerings and leaning into items that deliver both a sense of indulgence and wellness. Passengers want food that feels both elevated and approachable, like sandwiches with destination-inspired sauces or spreads, or snacks that balance indulgence with better-for-you ingredients. We see a shift towards comfort food with a twist. Familiar formats elevated with global flavours or premium ingredients.”
This focus on health and wellness is noted by En Route too. Lisa-Marie Pitts, Senior Account Manager US, says: “Customers are clearly seeking food and beverage options that support their health and wellness. We see this reflected in increased popularity of juices and ‘juice shots’, and the healthy ‘salad’ culture driving demand for salads.
“As a result, the US market seems to be moving towards more premium snacking options, for example premium kettle chips rather than potato chips, and we’ve definitely seen a move away from ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and towards products that use fewer processed ingredients and less sugar. There’s a constant drive to reduce sugar among our suppliers, particularly those that operate in localities which have seen the introduction of soda taxes.”
Wellness demands
She reports growth in demand for plant-based foods too, which is driving interest in Asian and Asian fusion dishes, and Latin food culture which uses a lot of bean and lentil-based dishes.
On-the-ground lifestyle trends are clearly making their presence felt onboard and airlines, it seems, are excited to be a part of a changing food story in the US.
Read more features in the latest issue of Onboard Hospitality magazine.
