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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.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)
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,076
2016 Combined AA Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)
Introduction
Welcome to the 2016 version of the combined AA meals thread, focusing on domestic. Please post your meal/service experiences, including menus, photos, reports, questions, and service anecdotes.
To help give us a clear picture of your experience, remember to include the route, time, and meal designation (breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack/refreshments/none). Photos are welcome and very helpful. Those are rudimentary guidelines, but of course, the format/style is up to you.
Format Sample
This is a format you can use when introducing your meal report. This is just a sample format; deviations are expected.
AA1: JFK-LAX: 3pm
Dinner
A321
First Class, 2A
(from here, share the menu and/or experiences and/or photos)
Historical Meal Reports
Throwback mode? Go crazy!
For the 2016 International Meals thread, click here.
Enjoy!
Welcome to the 2016 version of the combined AA meals thread, focusing on domestic. Please post your meal/service experiences, including menus, photos, reports, questions, and service anecdotes.
To help give us a clear picture of your experience, remember to include the route, time, and meal designation (breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack/refreshments/none). Photos are welcome and very helpful. Those are rudimentary guidelines, but of course, the format/style is up to you.
Format Sample
This is a format you can use when introducing your meal report. This is just a sample format; deviations are expected.
AA1: JFK-LAX: 3pm
Dinner
A321
First Class, 2A
(from here, share the menu and/or experiences and/or photos)
Historical Meal Reports
Throwback mode? Go crazy!
- 2015 - link
- 2014 (post-9/1 combined) - link
- 2014 (pre-9/1) - link
- 2013 - link
- 2012 - link
- 2011 - link
- 2010 - link
- 2009 (combined Domestic and International) - link
For the 2016 International Meals thread, click here.
Enjoy!
Last edited by MrAndy1369; Jan 4, 16 at 1:59 pm

#2
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,900
Let me be the first to play!
Flew "flagship" First today. The service was great, but the food was NOT good at all.
Started with Crab Appetizer:

This was actually quite tasty. Though I don't know why they add the Ginger to the top of the crab. Ginger is to "clean" your palate, not to add flavor to fish.
Then the salad, which was BLAND and tasteless!

I ordered the lobster Risotto. This is how it was presented-

This entree was AWFUL. The parmesan "crisp" was STALE and SOGGY. There was so much grease, i couldnt stand to eat it all. There was supposed to be some lemon sauce, but it was drowned out by all that grease.

Meh. Trying the waygy meatloaf tomorrow.
Flew "flagship" First today. The service was great, but the food was NOT good at all.
Started with Crab Appetizer:

This was actually quite tasty. Though I don't know why they add the Ginger to the top of the crab. Ginger is to "clean" your palate, not to add flavor to fish.
Then the salad, which was BLAND and tasteless!

I ordered the lobster Risotto. This is how it was presented-

This entree was AWFUL. The parmesan "crisp" was STALE and SOGGY. There was so much grease, i couldnt stand to eat it all. There was supposed to be some lemon sauce, but it was drowned out by all that grease.

Meh. Trying the waygy meatloaf tomorrow.

#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, LH Senator *Gold, AA EXP OWE Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,390
LAX-DEN
AA 5929
E75
3:00p-6:24p
January 1, 2016
Dinner
Granted that after 26 hours in SQ Suites, anything AA is going to pale in comparison. But like wearing an old shoe, it feels morbidly comfortable back in the mediocre AA saddle. Oh, joy... not one but two "emotional support" dogs today, and a clueless FA who woke people up while still at the gate to ask their meal selection, "salad with chicken" or "pastrami sandwich". No PDB until the captain announced a mechanical delay and then only after someone asked. In the air, she passed out ramekins of nuts but no drinks. Drinks came 10 minutes later on the meal tray. Chicken turned out to be the pecan crusted chicken which catering forgot to season today. Chocolate mousse cake was tasty.


Naturally, once done, trays sat on tables for at least 10 minutes as FA disappeared into Y to help out there.
On the other hand, she made two passes with mints, although I'm thinking that she forgot that she had already made a first pass.
AA 5929
E75
3:00p-6:24p
January 1, 2016
Dinner
Granted that after 26 hours in SQ Suites, anything AA is going to pale in comparison. But like wearing an old shoe, it feels morbidly comfortable back in the mediocre AA saddle. Oh, joy... not one but two "emotional support" dogs today, and a clueless FA who woke people up while still at the gate to ask their meal selection, "salad with chicken" or "pastrami sandwich". No PDB until the captain announced a mechanical delay and then only after someone asked. In the air, she passed out ramekins of nuts but no drinks. Drinks came 10 minutes later on the meal tray. Chicken turned out to be the pecan crusted chicken which catering forgot to season today. Chocolate mousse cake was tasty.


Naturally, once done, trays sat on tables for at least 10 minutes as FA disappeared into Y to help out there.
On the other hand, she made two passes with mints, although I'm thinking that she forgot that she had already made a first pass.
Last edited by SFO777; Jan 2, 16 at 9:57 am

#4
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,900
Hey I was on that flight!!
And it was me that asked. She balked at first LOL.
And it was me that asked. She balked at first LOL.

#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, LH Senator *Gold, AA EXP OWE Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,390

#6

#7
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: DFW
Programs: UA, AA, DL, WN, HHonors Diamond, Marriott
Posts: 76
I'm slightly late to the party and 2015 thread is closed.
late December
DFW-SLC
Lunch
MD-80, Seat 3F
Pre-selected Four Cheese Ravioli, Other choice was Pecan Chicken Salad
PDB of Water, OJ, or Apple Juice
Hot towels, nuts, meal, cookie, dessert.
Ravioli was good, I enjoyed it.


late December
DFW-SLC
Lunch
MD-80, Seat 3F
Pre-selected Four Cheese Ravioli, Other choice was Pecan Chicken Salad
PDB of Water, OJ, or Apple Juice
Hot towels, nuts, meal, cookie, dessert.
Ravioli was good, I enjoyed it.




#8
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: BDL, BOS, MHT
Programs: AAdvantage Gold
Posts: 13
AA1: JFK-LAX: 9 AM
1/1/2016
Breakfast
A321T
Business Class, 6A
I got lucky to get the business class upgrade after the gate agent rolled the cabins to accommodate the long list of standby coach passengers.
PDB consisted of sparkling wine, water, or OJ. I chose the sparkling wine.
Hand towels and linens were distributed before meal service. The first meal item served was the starter of biscotti sticks:

I have nothing special to mention about these biscotti sticks.

The main course was Smoked Salmon and Bagel with bibb leaf lettuce, fresh sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, caper berry, and whipped cream cheese. The salmon was delicious. However, the lettuce was a little soggy along with the rest of the vegetables.
The "dessert" was the selection of sweet treats.

The items were okay. The cream cheese cake tasted the best.
The flight attendant then offered the typical carbohydrate loaded snack basket along with a basket of healthy fresh fruit.
Warmed on board chocolate chip cookies and sparking water were served prior to landing.
Overall, the meal quality is better than what AA serves on their domestic F flights. The flight crew is also very good and provided excellent service throughout the entire flight. ^
1/1/2016
Breakfast
A321T
Business Class, 6A
I got lucky to get the business class upgrade after the gate agent rolled the cabins to accommodate the long list of standby coach passengers.
PDB consisted of sparkling wine, water, or OJ. I chose the sparkling wine.
Hand towels and linens were distributed before meal service. The first meal item served was the starter of biscotti sticks:

I have nothing special to mention about these biscotti sticks.

The main course was Smoked Salmon and Bagel with bibb leaf lettuce, fresh sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, caper berry, and whipped cream cheese. The salmon was delicious. However, the lettuce was a little soggy along with the rest of the vegetables.
The "dessert" was the selection of sweet treats.

The items were okay. The cream cheese cake tasted the best.
The flight attendant then offered the typical carbohydrate loaded snack basket along with a basket of healthy fresh fruit.
Warmed on board chocolate chip cookies and sparking water were served prior to landing.
Overall, the meal quality is better than what AA serves on their domestic F flights. The flight crew is also very good and provided excellent service throughout the entire flight. ^

#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, LH Senator *Gold, AA EXP OWE Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,390

#11
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344

#12
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SJC
Programs: AAdvantage 2MM+ Lifetime PLT; BA, CO, UA, US; SPG; HHonors Gold
Posts: 739
ORD-SFO Jan 1
AA? BA4397 (was a code share connection to LHR-ORD; can't remember AA #)
Jan 1
17:00 - 19:15
PDB: Water with ice (and without)
Linens: Yes
Pre Meal Beverage: Yes
Nuts: Yes
Was offered refills on both drink and nuts
Meal consisted of 1 salad, 1 mystery item which I liked but couldn't quite identify (it had a bread/flatbread disk with a yogurt/cream sauce). Entree was a cajun-style shrimp (slightly dry but reasonable given it was on a plane) Portion size was good (about 4 or 5 decent sized shrimp; also helped that my wife didn't want any of hers). Accompanied by a huge glob of bland polenta (letf untouched after I got the extra shrimp).
Desert was ice cream - 2 large scoops. My tastebuds must have been dead because I couldn't figure out what the ice cream was (some kind of vanilla with a few crunchy blobs). Decent but not like the old sundae service.
No warm baked chocolate chip cookies (unless that happened while I was sleeping). Pre-arrival walk through with a basket of mints.
Overall service was decent and quality of food compared favorably with previous BA C LHR-ORD flight. And breakfast at the LHR Galleries Business lounge was abysmal - tasteless croissants and the only hot offering was porridge.
Jan 1
17:00 - 19:15
PDB: Water with ice (and without)
Linens: Yes
Pre Meal Beverage: Yes
Nuts: Yes
Was offered refills on both drink and nuts
Meal consisted of 1 salad, 1 mystery item which I liked but couldn't quite identify (it had a bread/flatbread disk with a yogurt/cream sauce). Entree was a cajun-style shrimp (slightly dry but reasonable given it was on a plane) Portion size was good (about 4 or 5 decent sized shrimp; also helped that my wife didn't want any of hers). Accompanied by a huge glob of bland polenta (letf untouched after I got the extra shrimp).
Desert was ice cream - 2 large scoops. My tastebuds must have been dead because I couldn't figure out what the ice cream was (some kind of vanilla with a few crunchy blobs). Decent but not like the old sundae service.
No warm baked chocolate chip cookies (unless that happened while I was sleeping). Pre-arrival walk through with a basket of mints.
Overall service was decent and quality of food compared favorably with previous BA C LHR-ORD flight. And breakfast at the LHR Galleries Business lounge was abysmal - tasteless croissants and the only hot offering was porridge.
Last edited by rj123456; Jan 3, 16 at 3:55 am

#13
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 is a recurring issue with this dish. They should just use the polenta cake that comes with the lentil chili on this dish as well. That's actually decently palatable and would be pretty easy to add.

#14
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,587
Flying CLT to SJU later this month and noticed that the return meal is the Filet and Mac'N'Cheese or some Pasta which is fine, but a change from recent memory where the catering ex-SJU and other Caribbean destinations was a little different than the usual.
Usually the catering ex-SJU was a little better and certainly different, I think last time I had a grilled chicken breast in a Caribbean Style Curry Sauce (in a ramekin) with some grilled veggies and if memory serves there was a Citrus Shrimp App.
Is AA now down-line catering meals or have they standardized the meal choices (at least from SJU) in the Caribbean to match the domestic offerings?
I realize this is trivial and maybe hard to answer just found the change to be interesting.
Yeah the Polenta with the Shrimp is not the greatest and the Polenta with the Lentil Chili is alright if not good, but I imagine that the Polenta cake probably costs more and would throw the economics of the Shrimp and Polenta dish off.
Usually the catering ex-SJU was a little better and certainly different, I think last time I had a grilled chicken breast in a Caribbean Style Curry Sauce (in a ramekin) with some grilled veggies and if memory serves there was a Citrus Shrimp App.
Is AA now down-line catering meals or have they standardized the meal choices (at least from SJU) in the Caribbean to match the domestic offerings?
I realize this is trivial and maybe hard to answer just found the change to be interesting.
Yeah the Polenta with the Shrimp is not the greatest and the Polenta with the Lentil Chili is alright if not good, but I imagine that the Polenta cake probably costs more and would throw the economics of the Shrimp and Polenta dish off.

#15
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Empire State
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum; Marriott Platinum
Posts: 461
I was wondering the same thing - our upcoming return flight from SJU-JFK offers the herbs de provence chicken or the tamale.
