Jan 1, 2016, 11:58 pm
Last edit by: Genius1
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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.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 2016 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.
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.
2016 Combined AA Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)
May 7, 2016, 7:06 am
#1066
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SFO, LON
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, Bonvoy Tit, Hilton Dia etc etc
Posts: 2,354
If these questions are not appropriate - please feel free to move - I have not really used AA for some time so my knowledge is dated.
1) Has FEBO gone since one can order on line?
2) Is ordering on line always succesful - I will be travelling with someone who simply cannot eat pasta as it makes him ill, and I want to avoid that if I can
3) Is there someway to find which brands of gin or Champagne (if any) are being used to International or Domestic.
Many Thanks in advance
1) Has FEBO gone since one can order on line?
2) Is ordering on line always succesful - I will be travelling with someone who simply cannot eat pasta as it makes him ill, and I want to avoid that if I can
3) Is there someway to find which brands of gin or Champagne (if any) are being used to International or Domestic.
Many Thanks in advance
2) Pretty much. I haven't had a fail since the very early days. There are sporadic reports of it not working out, things can always happen, but it's about as safe as it can be reasonable to expect these days.
3) There are occasional full menus pasted on these threads which include lists of alcohol. There have been sightings of LPGS in Intl F (!!!) and the champagne has been changing on and off quite a bit, Taittinger shows up in F, Lanson has been seen in J I believe. Last time I had a G&T it was Sapphire, I think. Note: they almost always serve some cheaper stuff pre-departure.
May 7, 2016, 9:39 am
#1067
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,092
Upcoming LAX-RDU next month. Options are the filet w/ lobster mac and cheese or the lentil chili w/ polenta cake. Leaning towards the lentil chili, but should I do the filet?
May 7, 2016, 10:10 am
#1068
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,511
If these questions are not appropriate - please feel free to move - I have not really used AA for some time so my knowledge is dated.
1) Has FEBO gone since one can order on line?
2) Is ordering on line always succesful - I will be travelling with someone who simply cannot eat pasta as it makes him ill, and I want to avoid that if I can
3) Is there someway to find which brands of gin or Champagne (if any) are being used to International or Domestic.
Many Thanks in advance
1) Has FEBO gone since one can order on line?
2) Is ordering on line always succesful - I will be travelling with someone who simply cannot eat pasta as it makes him ill, and I want to avoid that if I can
3) Is there someway to find which brands of gin or Champagne (if any) are being used to International or Domestic.
Many Thanks in advance
To add to MarkedMan's answers, I also haven't had a fail with pre-ordered meals for months now (the first few months were a bit dodgy) and indeed, FEBO is as much here and as complicated as ever so I really recommend pre-ordering.On 3) while I have indeed heard that some people have had LGPS in F on AA recently, my experience has always been of poor Champagne in J. The last was a seemingly random Charles Ellner that was best forgotten. There is no Champagne on domestic flights (but some prosecco of sorts. I think it was Ca Bolani on my last domestic but it was a transcontinental flight and I think it is a different brand on regular flights).
I think their gin is Bombay Sapphire at least on some flights.
May 7, 2016, 10:39 am
#1069
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,926
The lentil was very good last October. I will be able to tell you about the filet tomorrow evening but the standalone lobster mac and cheese has elicited favourable comments.
May 7, 2016, 10:44 am
#1070
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,673
May 7, 2016, 11:04 am
#1071
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,511
Yes both are good. Note that the fillet in the fillet with lobster mac&cheese is really tiny.
May 7, 2016, 8:53 pm
#1072
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, NH, DL, AA, BA, Global Entry/Nexus, APEC..
Posts: 18,877
May 8, 2016, 7:25 pm
#1073
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: AA Platinum
Posts: 50
ATL-DFW
AA 1087
MD-80
Sat May 7, 2016
Here's what their snack offering looks like on a tray. Choices were between fruit/cheese or this charcuterie shown below.
AA 1087
MD-80
Sat May 7, 2016
Here's what their snack offering looks like on a tray. Choices were between fruit/cheese or this charcuterie shown below.
May 8, 2016, 7:32 pm
#1074
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Boston, MA (BOS)
Programs: AA PLT Pro 2MM, DL Gold, UA Silver, Marriott Ambassador + LT Plat, COFC Venture X, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 5,587
IMO this whole mini YC sized tray is just a calculated move by Hector & Co to give the impression and try to pass this sludge off as a "meal". Same pig new lipstick IMO.
May 8, 2016, 7:43 pm
#1075
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
May 8, 2016, 8:49 pm
#1076
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: AAdvantage, Hilton
Posts: 3,191
The FA on my last red-eye said the warm nuts are no longer catered, replaced by the new lite bites.
On the same flight previously, it has mixed nuts and lite bites without the fancy new mini tray.
On the same flight previously, it has mixed nuts and lite bites without the fancy new mini tray.
Last edited by sukn; May 8, 2016 at 8:55 pm
May 8, 2016, 9:15 pm
#1077
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,296
No one is trying to pass it off as a meal. It's not coded as a meal internally, it's not listed as a meal online, and it's not presented as a meal by flight attendants. It was done in response to complaints about how awkward it is to simply hand a plate to a passenger.
May 8, 2016, 9:18 pm
#1078
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
No one is trying to pass it off as a meal. It's not coded as a meal internally, it's not listed as a meal online, and it's not presented as a meal by flight attendants. It was done in response to complaints about how awkward it is to simply hand a plate to a passenger.
May 9, 2016, 12:27 am
#1080
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Dallas, Texas
Programs: AA, Southwest, Hilton, Hyatt
Posts: 237
The new presentation for "refreshment" flights is indeed better but I'm not sure why the nuts were removed nor why rolls are being served in plastic bags. It always seemed weird to serve a roll in a plastic bag, even intl Y. Something about it is very off putting.