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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.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)
Jan 10, 2015, 7:51 pm
#61
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Add trans-border to the list. I flew Air Canada Express YUL-ORD today and wow, why anyone would fly AA's stupid CRJ-200s on this route is beyond me. E75 had excellent IFE with on demand movies, comfy seats, lot of legroom and tasty warm snack.
Jan 11, 2015, 8:17 am
#62
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Enjoyed breakfast on this morning's 0800 IAD-LAX.
Bruschetta Omelette
Served with Sicilian red potatoes and chicken apple sausage
French Toast Strata
With cinnamon peach compote and chicken sausage
Bruschetta Omelette
Served with Sicilian red potatoes and chicken apple sausage
French Toast Strata
With cinnamon peach compote and chicken sausage
Jan 11, 2015, 11:15 am
#63
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 103
Wow that looks awful. If the quality of the food is not going to be improved you would think they could at least work on the presentation. Appearance does have an effect on perceived taste. And what happened to the salt and pepper in the little 'AA' sleeve... did they run out and have to substitute some from Wendy's?
Jan 11, 2015, 11:22 am
#64
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Run out? No. My guess is that Hector figured out that he could save money by having an intern stop of various Wendy's or McDonald's and stock up on the free salt/pepper.
Jan 11, 2015, 11:27 am
#65
Join Date: Nov 2006
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I had that the other day and I think it ruined omelettes for me forever. It was disgusting. Potatoes cold and dry and there was a puddle of water under the omelette. I would never eat anything AA serves. Just bring your own meal. If it s a free upgrade, its still a good deal. Most people who actually pay for F could care less about the food, which is why they are doing this.
Jan 11, 2015, 1:13 pm
#66
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A) It was acceptable at US Airways where 80% of the new AA management comes from
B) They think they don't have a whole lot of competition
C) They are too stupid to even know the difference
Also, it seems as though every breakfast that isn't cereal/oatmeal, etc. is now coming with the same bland potatoes and chicken sausage in some form or another.
Jan 11, 2015, 1:22 pm
#67
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C1. Management is from US and is too stupid to think that it food makes a difference.
C2. Management believes that pmAA premium pax will continue to buy AA F tickets regardless whatever crAAp they toss in front of them and would never consider buying a ticket on a foreign (read better quality service) airline.
Jan 11, 2015, 6:35 pm
#68
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 9,916
Nonsense.
This. Although I might add to C.
C1. Management is from US and is too stupid to think that it food makes a difference.
C2. Management believes that pmAA premium pax will continue to buy AA F tickets regardless whatever crAAp they toss in front of them and would never consider buying a ticket on a foreign (read better quality service) airline.
This. Although I might add to C.
C1. Management is from US and is too stupid to think that it food makes a difference.
C2. Management believes that pmAA premium pax will continue to buy AA F tickets regardless whatever crAAp they toss in front of them and would never consider buying a ticket on a foreign (read better quality service) airline.
Smart people, but just in most cases i have found a different mindset -- hard for them to get their head around spending money to make money. They tend to have the assumption you can decrease quality and maintain revenue - which is probably always true to a degree - but knowing where to stop seems to be a needed talent.
Jan 11, 2015, 9:06 pm
#69
Original Poster
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Location: USA
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Jan 11, 2015, 11:22 pm
#70
Join Date: Oct 2009
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I'm touched by Tom's attempt to remain positive in the face of changes. I've status matched to VX for my internal flying, beyond that it will be cheapest most convenient Y routes. The notion that you would pay for F for a seat that is basically not distinguishable from anyone else's, with a service that is poor in every way, is silly.
Back on topic, had my first F meal on AA that was not an SFO-JFK-SFO since Nov 1st. Breakfast, which as many have reported has been cut less dramatically perhaps; it's a cheap meal in the first place. All the known issues were there to be seen, esp. the biscuit, but whatever. It's the last one I've got booked this year, looks like it will stay that way. I was on SFO-MIA and, while the meal itself has been cut from pre-November standards, there still was a snack basket passed out three and a bit hours into the flight.
Back on topic, had my first F meal on AA that was not an SFO-JFK-SFO since Nov 1st. Breakfast, which as many have reported has been cut less dramatically perhaps; it's a cheap meal in the first place. All the known issues were there to be seen, esp. the biscuit, but whatever. It's the last one I've got booked this year, looks like it will stay that way. I was on SFO-MIA and, while the meal itself has been cut from pre-November standards, there still was a snack basket passed out three and a bit hours into the flight.
Jan 12, 2015, 11:03 am
#71
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
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Posts: 5,292
Two meals today and I enjoyed them both. Only issue would be that the green beans were served in water. Certainly made them taste better, but the water doesn't go away after you're done with them. Food was just fine and I'd order both items again.
From the 1500 DFW-IAD:
Beef in a Mustard Sauce
Served with Twice Baked Potato with Horseradish and Italian Green Beans
Cheese Tortelloni
Served with an Arrabiatta Sauce
From the 0800 SFO-DFW:
Pepper Jack Cheese and Broccoli Strata
Served with Tuscan roasted potatoes and chicken apple sausage
Cheese Blintzes
With peach and pineapple sauce and chicken sausage
From the 1500 DFW-IAD:
Beef in a Mustard Sauce
Served with Twice Baked Potato with Horseradish and Italian Green Beans
Cheese Tortelloni
Served with an Arrabiatta Sauce
From the 0800 SFO-DFW:
Pepper Jack Cheese and Broccoli Strata
Served with Tuscan roasted potatoes and chicken apple sausage
Cheese Blintzes
With peach and pineapple sauce and chicken sausage
Jan 12, 2015, 11:09 am
#72
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The strata is an exact match to a meal AA served in January, 2014, so it's not new. PHOTO The 2015 version actually looks better.
Jan 12, 2015, 12:40 pm
#73
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The strata is an exact match to a meal AA served in January, 2014, so it's not new. PHOTO The 2015 version actually looks better.
Jan 13, 2015, 7:15 pm
#74
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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From today's 1320 SFO-DFW:
Beef with Demi Glace sauce
Served with mac and cheese and steamed broccoli
Vegetable Manicotti
With a Tomato Cream Sauce
One spectacular City view coming out of SFO:
Tom at DFW Lisbon-bound
Beef with Demi Glace sauce
Served with mac and cheese and steamed broccoli
Vegetable Manicotti
With a Tomato Cream Sauce
One spectacular City view coming out of SFO:
Tom at DFW Lisbon-bound
Jan 13, 2015, 9:18 pm
#75
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I've seen frozen meals MUCH better than that Manicotti. Cake looks great though!