Feb 22, 2015, 6:28 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
AA/US Domestic Dining (including Canada, Mexico, & the Caribbean)
Note: this thread is about meals served on AA-US. There is another thread for the contingent that wishes to debate and discuss linens as a primary subject, including related presentation issues: Linens / presentation debate for meal service on AA, US / both.
PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST. /Moderators
Welcome to the 2015 Domestic Dining thread and the resulting discussion/trip reports/photos/shared experiences. Here, in this wiki post, I'll strive to explain what you should expect on AA flights in First and Business, meals-wise. Keep in mind that there are many domestic flights, so there are quite a few parameters to keep track of. This Wiki covers both AA and US flights, but as of September 2014, AA and US offers identical meal service domestically, so that part of the merger has its' harmonization completed.
Basically, in its' best condensed form, you should expect to receive a meal between 4:59am - 8pm on flights longer than 900 miles, which equals about two hours in the air. From that point, there are exceptions, and specific timing parameters.
What to Expect - Mainline:
Keep in mind that this list is not entirely inclusive, and there may be certain exceptions and/or abnormalities.
- Up to 699 miles: Light snacks such as a fig bar, cookies, and/or pretzels
- 700-899 miles: Warmed nuts, a snack plate (fruit/cheese, pita/hummus, or spinach dip/pita), and a cookie
- 900-1298 miles: A meal (fruit/breakfast entree; salad/entree) followed by a cookie; no meals between 1:30-4pm
- 1298-2199 miles: A full meal including an appetizer, with cake for lunch desserts and premade ice-cream for dinner desserts
- 2200 miles and above: Same as 1298-2199 miles, but consists of made-to-order sundaes or a cheese plate for both lunch and dinner desserts
What to Expect - Regional:
Keep in mind that this list is not entirely inclusive, and there may be certain exceptions and/or abnormalities.
- Up to 175 miles: A light snack mix along with beverage service
- 176-899 miles: Sweet and savory, organic/healthy snack choices (snack basket)
- 900-2199 miles: Warm mixed nuts, two meal options, and dessert. (For flights over 2200 miles, you will receive the same selection of snacks from 176-899 miles as a pre-arrival snack. All regional meal flights leaving after 8:00pm will also receive sweet and savory snacks as the only option. Editor's note: A regional jet for 2000+ miles? Hope that never happens!)
All of the meal flights that fall under the above timing parameters will receive two choices; normally, one meat and one vegetarian.
Longer westbound flights leaving from the east coast (transcontinental; non-premium) are not officially exceptions, but some flights after 8pm receive a full dinner service (such as the 8:05pm MIA-SAN flight, or the 8:30pm PHL-LAS flight). Additionally, non-premium transcontinental red-eye flights will receive snack basket service upon departure, then a continental breakfast box prior to arrival.
Official Exceptions:
The following flights all fall under 900 miles, but will receive a full meal service, with the exception of flights leaving between 1:31-4pm. Despite some of the listed flights being over 900 miles, they are remaining listed here, based on the AA website for documentation purposes.
- Chicago (ORD) - AUS/BDL/BOS/DCA/EWR/JFK/LGA/MSY/RDU
- Dallas (DFW) - BJX/ORD/MEX/QRO/SLP
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) - PAP
- Los Angeles (LAX) - DEN
- Miami (MIA) - DCA/IAD/PAP
- New York (LGA) - ATL
- Phoenix (PHX) - MZT
Additional Information:
- JFK-LAX/SFO; MIA-LAX are considered premium transcontinental flights, and as such, receives a more refined service with three meal choices, per-course service, printed menus, and tray/tablecloth linens in both F/J. Those flights now are the only domestic flights in the system to offer special meals as another option (which can be reserved by either preordering online, or calling). Red-eye flights will receive a full "supper/snack" meal service, which is basically a condensed dinner service.
- Hawaiian meal service is very similar to what you'd expect on 2200+ mile flights, but there also will be Hawaiian rolls served, along with a pre-arrival continental breakfast/snack (dependent on the length of the route). Tropical warmed nuts are also currently served.
- All flights over 700 miles, regardless of a meal being served or not, will receive warm mixed nuts and a cookie.
Disclaimer: The editor of this Wiki does not guarantee the information presented above will always be accurate or properly followed by AA, given catering mishaps, irregular operations, rogue crews, or mismanagement. For the best up-to-date information, it would be prudent to check AA's website constantly for any updates, or call AA. The editors of this Wiki will keep this Wiki updated as often as possible.
Last updated: 7/26/2015 2:33pm, MrAndy1369
2015 Combined AA/US Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (Consolidated)
Jul 28, 2015, 2:34 pm
#1486
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,593
Jul 28, 2015, 2:49 pm
#1487
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Jul 28, 2015, 3:13 pm
#1488
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Morale wasn't great ever since the Carty incident. It was never too good under Arpey but improved a bit post-bankruptcy and pre-merger with Horton, at least it seemed to with customer facing employees. Now it seems to be quite low though, far more than before. It also seems that management doesn't really care. This is reflected in the service received.
Jul 28, 2015, 3:19 pm
#1489
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
Employee morale or employee service levels? While I see an uptick in FAs being lazy, I'm not sure I'd attribute that to employee morale. But rather the inherent desire for some to be lazy. AA's FAs are in a much more secure position job-wise than they have been in several years. There's no worry about lay-offs because of massive operating losses. There's no looming notion of bankruptcy. Which impacts the employees greatly. Were AA's FAs better off 5 years ago than they are today?
Jul 28, 2015, 3:19 pm
#1490
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Here Today, There Tomorrow
Programs: 2.96MM DL DM, Hyatt Globalist, AA Plat Pro, UA Silver, HH Lifetime Diamond, Marriott TE
Posts: 1,318
Jul 28, 2015, 3:21 pm
#1491
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Here Today, There Tomorrow
Programs: 2.96MM DL DM, Hyatt Globalist, AA Plat Pro, UA Silver, HH Lifetime Diamond, Marriott TE
Posts: 1,318
Please take pics and post! Need to know if Samurai Sam's sushi near HNL Gate 25 is a better option (Lord save us!)
Jul 28, 2015, 3:53 pm
#1492
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Jul 28, 2015, 6:38 pm
#1493
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: DE
Programs: AA, UA, Marriott, Hilton, Avis, Hertz
Posts: 57
Stuck in an interminable loop of delays, so thought I'd post a few meal/service experiences...apologies for spotty or missing information:
7/26/2015
AA 4479
DCA-GSP
3:15-4:40 pm
E175
Seat 3A
LUS via Republic Airlines
-Open Bar PDB
-Single Bar Service in air, no offer of refills (F FA was assisting in Coach, but this flight is long enough to allow for refills)
-Single pass of Snack Basket
Perfectly workman-like flight for this amount of time in the air.
7/26/2015
AA 4479
DCA-GSP
3:15-4:40 pm
E175
Seat 3A
LUS via Republic Airlines
-Open Bar PDB
-Single Bar Service in air, no offer of refills (F FA was assisting in Coach, but this flight is long enough to allow for refills)
-Single pass of Snack Basket
Perfectly workman-like flight for this amount of time in the air.
Jul 28, 2015, 9:46 pm
#1494
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,593
FWIW, our DEN-HNL UA lunch flight featured a nice variety of three mains... salmon, chicken and Indian vegetarian option.
Much better than any recent AA meal. Pics of our UA meal.
Jul 29, 2015, 12:17 am
#1495
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: los angeles, calif.
Programs: Alaska Airlines Gold MVP
Posts: 7,170
Three-class F will have a fourth entree choice, but the other three meals are identical between the two cabins.
Jul 29, 2015, 11:31 am
#1496
Formerly known as billinaz
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Goodyear,AZ for now then FL Spacecoast
Programs: US Airways Dividend Miles, American AAdvantage, Avis Preferred, Budget Rapid Rez, Hilton Honors
Posts: 1,145
PHX-MCO
A321
Booked and flown on US Airways
Breakfast was one pass through the cabin with a single tray. Served front to back.
On the return MCO-PHX
Served rear to front
I sure hope they come back to Coke products!
Started with warm nuts
Then only had the teriyaki beef left. The other option (that they ran out of ) was a spinach ravioli.
Choice of white or pretzel roll
Shortly after that came some cookies and cream ice cream
A321
Booked and flown on US Airways
Breakfast was one pass through the cabin with a single tray. Served front to back.
On the return MCO-PHX
Served rear to front
I sure hope they come back to Coke products!
Started with warm nuts
Then only had the teriyaki beef left. The other option (that they ran out of ) was a spinach ravioli.
Choice of white or pretzel roll
Shortly after that came some cookies and cream ice cream
Last edited by SpaceCoastBill; Jul 30, 2015 at 7:31 pm
Jul 29, 2015, 12:30 pm
#1497
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: DE
Programs: AA, UA, Marriott, Hilton, Avis, Hertz
Posts: 57
[B]7/19/2015
AA 1137
DCA-ORD
10:20-11:21 am
B738
Seat 5E/B]
-No PDB, but FA did ask for coats in mid-July, lol. ***I know there are folks who have to wear a suit jacket during travel, but we were 90% a shorts/tee-shirt crowd so it made me chuckle.
-I had the orzo pasta on spinach with chilled shrimp and a vinaigrette. ***I need to start capturing the other food option, but this seemed the healthiest of the two. Pre-order not acknowledged.
-Hot towel service, but while picking up the used towels the FA dropped a used one on me...no apology or attempt to pick it up, so I gingerly handed to her.
-Drinks and nut service, same FA spilled half a container of nuts on me. This time she did apologize and attempted to brush some of the nuts off of me, lol.
-The pasta dish was good, but I have to make a mental note that it's lousy with diced onions.
-Cookies were given out as we were finishing our meal.
Pretty standard service for this route, given how short it is.
AA 1137
DCA-ORD
10:20-11:21 am
B738
Seat 5E/B]
-No PDB, but FA did ask for coats in mid-July, lol. ***I know there are folks who have to wear a suit jacket during travel, but we were 90% a shorts/tee-shirt crowd so it made me chuckle.
-I had the orzo pasta on spinach with chilled shrimp and a vinaigrette. ***I need to start capturing the other food option, but this seemed the healthiest of the two. Pre-order not acknowledged.
-Hot towel service, but while picking up the used towels the FA dropped a used one on me...no apology or attempt to pick it up, so I gingerly handed to her.
-Drinks and nut service, same FA spilled half a container of nuts on me. This time she did apologize and attempted to brush some of the nuts off of me, lol.
-The pasta dish was good, but I have to make a mental note that it's lousy with diced onions.
-Cookies were given out as we were finishing our meal.
Pretty standard service for this route, given how short it is.
Jul 29, 2015, 12:49 pm
#1498
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: DE
Programs: AA, UA, Marriott, Hilton, Avis, Hertz
Posts: 57
7/19/2015
AA 2334
ORD-DFW
12:10-2:43 pm
Seat 5A
B767 (Original Recipe Version...subbed in for 787...so disappointing)
So the disappointment of the aircraft swap was ameliorated by the excellent service on this flight! The lead attendant was so professional, not just in serving my side of the plane, but in making sure his colleague was paying attention to details, such as subtracting preordered meals from the count of meals available to offer, which has to be harder to do with 30 meals and two people taking orders. I gave the gentleman two of the certificate-thingy's and sent a complimentary email to AA.
-PDB (Amazing this could be done with 30 FC passengers, given that everyone boarded through the front of the aircraft, yet no PDB on the earlier flight which boarded and had plenty of "wait time" on the ground.) FA even brought my PDB G/T with a lime, which you never get on the ground.
-Hot towels, Bar Service, Nuts
-For dinner I had the chicken with quinoa on arugula...it was excellent, and at least the pickled onions were easy for me to take off, lol. ***My first experience with the black table linen placed on the tray table, prior to the meal being served.
-Cookies for dessert, followed by mints which were served in a glass and a black linen artfully arranged on the serving tray (can't remember the last time I saw a FA do that).
AA 2334
ORD-DFW
12:10-2:43 pm
Seat 5A
B767 (Original Recipe Version...subbed in for 787...so disappointing)
So the disappointment of the aircraft swap was ameliorated by the excellent service on this flight! The lead attendant was so professional, not just in serving my side of the plane, but in making sure his colleague was paying attention to details, such as subtracting preordered meals from the count of meals available to offer, which has to be harder to do with 30 meals and two people taking orders. I gave the gentleman two of the certificate-thingy's and sent a complimentary email to AA.
-PDB (Amazing this could be done with 30 FC passengers, given that everyone boarded through the front of the aircraft, yet no PDB on the earlier flight which boarded and had plenty of "wait time" on the ground.) FA even brought my PDB G/T with a lime, which you never get on the ground.
-Hot towels, Bar Service, Nuts
-For dinner I had the chicken with quinoa on arugula...it was excellent, and at least the pickled onions were easy for me to take off, lol. ***My first experience with the black table linen placed on the tray table, prior to the meal being served.
-Cookies for dessert, followed by mints which were served in a glass and a black linen artfully arranged on the serving tray (can't remember the last time I saw a FA do that).
Last edited by hunterjumperguy; Jul 29, 2015 at 12:51 pm Reason: Fixed picture link
Jul 29, 2015, 1:00 pm
#1499
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: DE
Programs: AA, UA, Marriott, Hilton, Avis, Hertz
Posts: 57
7/19/2015
AA 1646
DFW-TUL
3:45-4:57 pm
Seat 4E
B738
Last flight of this day, ended on a high note!
-Open Bar PDB
-Bar Service with refills and two passes of the snack basket.
Very pleasant and customer-oriented crew. : )
AA 1646
DFW-TUL
3:45-4:57 pm
Seat 4E
B738
Last flight of this day, ended on a high note!
-Open Bar PDB
-Bar Service with refills and two passes of the snack basket.
Very pleasant and customer-oriented crew. : )
Jul 29, 2015, 1:24 pm
#1500
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: DE
Programs: AA, UA, Marriott, Hilton, Avis, Hertz
Posts: 57
Just realized I should be pairing these smaller posts with the larger ones, apologies.
7/23/2015
AA 1646
TUL-DFW
5:49-6:59 pm
Seat 4E
B738
Very similar experience as on 7/19, just in the opposite direction.
-PDB of water
-In flight, bar service with refills offered and two passes of the snack basket
7/23/2015
AA 2439
DFW-DCA
7:55-11:56 pm
Seat 4B
B738
So this in-flight experience was about 180 degrees from my awesome 767 flight a few days earlier.
-PDB of H2O or OJ
-Preorder recognized and confirmed on the ground.
Once we were in the air, the flight attendant in first raced through the service like her life depended on it. I fly DCA/ORD route a lot and this felt twice as harried as that service ever does.
Being near the left-front I could see many of the preparations, and thought I was going to have my first experience with having the nuts served with dinner, however they were quickly passed out along with our drinks (the mini-bottle and the can).
Below is how my tray was served to me (minus the cheese bread, which was dropped on the tray exactly as you see it). I moved the mint around so you could be sure to see it! I had the olive tapenade chicken dish and agree that someone needs to throw the chicken a life preserver, because it's drowning in olive-water.
I ate my meal at a normal pace and when finished, presented the cookie to the FA and asked if it could be warmed up, since it was now cold. ***Amazing how something that can taste so good hot can taste so bad cold. The FA looked puzzled, but said she would bring me another one, which was lukewarm at best. Honestly, she was rushing around so much I thought she was going to collapse. Only one other pass-through the cabin after collecting trays to see if drink refills were needed.
Really disappointed to be rushed like this on a flight long enough to pace the meal normally.
7/23/2015
AA 1646
TUL-DFW
5:49-6:59 pm
Seat 4E
B738
Very similar experience as on 7/19, just in the opposite direction.
-PDB of water
-In flight, bar service with refills offered and two passes of the snack basket
7/23/2015
AA 2439
DFW-DCA
7:55-11:56 pm
Seat 4B
B738
So this in-flight experience was about 180 degrees from my awesome 767 flight a few days earlier.
-PDB of H2O or OJ
-Preorder recognized and confirmed on the ground.
Once we were in the air, the flight attendant in first raced through the service like her life depended on it. I fly DCA/ORD route a lot and this felt twice as harried as that service ever does.
Being near the left-front I could see many of the preparations, and thought I was going to have my first experience with having the nuts served with dinner, however they were quickly passed out along with our drinks (the mini-bottle and the can).
Below is how my tray was served to me (minus the cheese bread, which was dropped on the tray exactly as you see it). I moved the mint around so you could be sure to see it! I had the olive tapenade chicken dish and agree that someone needs to throw the chicken a life preserver, because it's drowning in olive-water.
I ate my meal at a normal pace and when finished, presented the cookie to the FA and asked if it could be warmed up, since it was now cold. ***Amazing how something that can taste so good hot can taste so bad cold. The FA looked puzzled, but said she would bring me another one, which was lukewarm at best. Honestly, she was rushing around so much I thought she was going to collapse. Only one other pass-through the cabin after collecting trays to see if drink refills were needed.
Really disappointed to be rushed like this on a flight long enough to pace the meal normally.