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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.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)
#1262
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,735
#1263
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 170
I wish they had trivia though like pm-pmUS.
Anyways, back to food....
#1264
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP , Delta Gold Medallion, "Credit Card" status for various hotels
Posts: 672
I have a transcon F flight coming up in a few weeks from JFK-LAX.
Does anyone have any advice on these menu items?
Grilled Beef Fillet
Pork Osso Buco
Panko Crusted Mahi Mahi
Turmeric Paneer
Thank you
Does anyone have any advice on these menu items?
Grilled Beef Fillet
Pork Osso Buco
Panko Crusted Mahi Mahi
Turmeric Paneer
Thank you
#1265
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,453
I've had the mahi mahi on a previous transcon and it was pretty good by (my) airplane food standards. I've got it prebooked for my transcon next month as well.
#1267
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
HNL-DFW
763 (1-2-1 Config)
Dinner (I went with the short ribs)
PDB of sparkling wine, water or OJ.
AC secured me in 2J after multiple plane swaps during the day from 1-2-1 to 2-2-2 and back to 1-2-1.
Plane had no running water in the lavs so we were delayed slightly while they stocked the lavs with wet naps.
Not really impressed with this meal (all served at once on the tray.....didn't they used to do the salad + app first and then bring the main entree later even after the 9/1/14 changes?)....it looked like a long haul coach main dish just plated. The mashed potatoes were bad and weird tasting. That salad was gross and almost wilted. I don't even know what that appetizer was and didn't touch it.
763 (1-2-1 Config)
Dinner (I went with the short ribs)
PDB of sparkling wine, water or OJ.
AC secured me in 2J after multiple plane swaps during the day from 1-2-1 to 2-2-2 and back to 1-2-1.
Plane had no running water in the lavs so we were delayed slightly while they stocked the lavs with wet naps.
Not really impressed with this meal (all served at once on the tray.....didn't they used to do the salad + app first and then bring the main entree later even after the 9/1/14 changes?)....it looked like a long haul coach main dish just plated. The mashed potatoes were bad and weird tasting. That salad was gross and almost wilted. I don't even know what that appetizer was and didn't touch it.
#1268
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
Not really impressed with this meal (all served at once on the tray.....didn't they used to do the salad + app first and then bring the main entree later even after the 9/1/14 changes?)....it looked like a long haul coach main dish just plated. The mashed potatoes were bad and weird tasting. That salad was gross and almost wilted. I don't even know what that appetizer was and didn't touch it.
In stark contrast, I flew four UA domestic flights in the last 2 days including HNL-EWR. Meals on all 4 flights were delicious... better than anything I remember on AA this year, or last year for that matter. HNL-EWR meal was served course by course entirely from the galley. Didn't see a single cart the entire flight. Open bar PDB on each and every flight.
#1269
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: DCA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 2,085
HNL-DFW
763 (1-2-1 Config)
Dinner (I went with the short ribs)
PDB of sparkling wine, water or OJ.
AC secured me in 2J after multiple plane swaps during the day from 1-2-1 to 2-2-2 and back to 1-2-1.
Plane had no running water in the lavs so we were delayed slightly while they stocked the lavs with wet naps.
Not really impressed with this meal (all served at once on the tray.....didn't they used to do the salad + app first and then bring the main entree later even after the 9/1/14 changes?)....it looked like a long haul coach main dish just plated. The mashed potatoes were bad and weird tasting. That salad was gross and almost wilted. I don't even know what that appetizer was and didn't touch it.
763 (1-2-1 Config)
Dinner (I went with the short ribs)
PDB of sparkling wine, water or OJ.
AC secured me in 2J after multiple plane swaps during the day from 1-2-1 to 2-2-2 and back to 1-2-1.
Plane had no running water in the lavs so we were delayed slightly while they stocked the lavs with wet naps.
Not really impressed with this meal (all served at once on the tray.....didn't they used to do the salad + app first and then bring the main entree later even after the 9/1/14 changes?)....it looked like a long haul coach main dish just plated. The mashed potatoes were bad and weird tasting. That salad was gross and almost wilted. I don't even know what that appetizer was and didn't touch it.
#1270
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Empire State
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum; Marriott Platinum
Posts: 461
Yep - looks exactly what the meal I had looked like a month or two ago on the same route. The FAs admitted that the service flow does indicate that the meal service should be served in courses, however that they served it all at once due to "customer preference on these overnight flights." I didn't mind being served all at once since I did want to get straight to sleep, however yes, it should be done in courses.
#1271
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,453
Not really impressed with this meal (all served at once on the tray.....didn't they used to do the salad + app first and then bring the main entree later even after the 9/1/14 changes?)....it looked like a long haul coach main dish just plated. The mashed potatoes were bad and weird tasting. That salad was gross and almost wilted. I don't even know what that appetizer was and didn't touch it.
#1272
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: DCA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 2,085
Clearly not intended for passenger service. I guarantee the service guides instruct the FA to pour the nuts and dressing over the appetizer prior to serving it to the customer, however the FAs clearly didn't for whatever reason.
Until AA decidedly choses to address the MASSIVE service inconsistencies and failures across its system on a daily basis, NONE of this will ever change. They committed to doing this back with the last "major" round of service upgrades, where the current menus were introduced last summer sometime (you know, the one that accompanied a major press event where all the entrees were presented on black linens but then those linens were never used in the actual tray service on the planes...). However, it's clear that no effort has been made to address FA training and extremely poor execution.
Until AA decidedly choses to address the MASSIVE service inconsistencies and failures across its system on a daily basis, NONE of this will ever change. They committed to doing this back with the last "major" round of service upgrades, where the current menus were introduced last summer sometime (you know, the one that accompanied a major press event where all the entrees were presented on black linens but then those linens were never used in the actual tray service on the planes...). However, it's clear that no effort has been made to address FA training and extremely poor execution.
Last edited by GotCalcio4; Jun 24, 2016 at 1:50 am
#1273
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
This crew just wanted to get the service done and sit in the galley. I went up to ask for a refill of wine and was asked "Don't you just want to go to sleep?" (not the best tone either)
Ummmmm.....it's not even 730pm ma'am and I had a full night sleep in Hawaii.....do you go to bed at 730pm?
I just said "No" and took my refill back to my seat
Ummmmm.....it's not even 730pm ma'am and I had a full night sleep in Hawaii.....do you go to bed at 730pm?
I just said "No" and took my refill back to my seat
#1274
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
This crew just wanted to get the service done and sit in the galley. I went up to ask for a refill of wine and was asked "Don't you just want to go to sleep?" (not the best tone either)
Ummmmm.....it's not even 730pm ma'am and I had a full night sleep in Hawaii.....do you go to bed at 730pm?
I just said "No" and took my refill back to my seat
Ummmmm.....it's not even 730pm ma'am and I had a full night sleep in Hawaii.....do you go to bed at 730pm?
I just said "No" and took my refill back to my seat
#1275
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
This crew just wanted to get the service done and sit in the galley. I went up to ask for a refill of wine and was asked "Don't you just want to go to sleep?" (not the best tone either)
Ummmmm.....it's not even 730pm ma'am and I had a full night sleep in Hawaii.....do you go to bed at 730pm?
I just said "No" and took my refill back to my seat
Ummmmm.....it's not even 730pm ma'am and I had a full night sleep in Hawaii.....do you go to bed at 730pm?
I just said "No" and took my refill back to my seat
I may have thrust back some sort of subtle reply of, "I want to sleep about as much as you want to provide F cabin service..."
At any rate, definitely smells of lAAziness all around, meal service included.