Last edit by: JY1024
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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.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 2017 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.
2017 Combined AA Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)
#811
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
#812
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
With all due respect (and I do respect & appreciate your contributions here ), your posting the current specs does nothing to appease me. With PHX-DFW being my #1 route many years before the HP takeover of AA, I miss the full meal service on pmAA.
...
I've had 2 calls/voice messages this year from "Exec Plat Liaison Desk" (or something like that) asking if there's "something wrong with my account" and to call back. I've ignored them.
...
I've had 2 calls/voice messages this year from "Exec Plat Liaison Desk" (or something like that) asking if there's "something wrong with my account" and to call back. I've ignored them.
#813
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,159
I've had 2 calls/voice messages this year from "Exec Plat Liaison Desk" (or something like that) asking if there's "something wrong with my account" and to call back. I've ignored them. Seriously, email is my contact, not phone (the 1990's were a looong time ago). And it's not "my acct", it's "your cheap airline".
I see so many people complaining about the meal service, but now with your example, I wonder how many people really complain to AA? Send in your receipts on other airlines. It may be especially more prominent to AA because you're choosing DL on an out-of-the-way connection in ATL vs. a nonstop from PHX to DFW.
I hope you don't feel targeted or singled out, I really don't. I just wish more people would act on their complaints. That's all.
#814
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Strikes me rather similarly.
#815
#816
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,456
I'm really sorry, but with all due respect, you're not helping the situation at all. It seems like AA really cares about your business by calling you. Why not call them back and be honest? Tell them a lack of meal service PHX-DFW made you lose interest in AA altogether.
#817
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,159
Let's be realistic here, there are no other airline that is flying PHX-DFW nonstop except maybe Spirit, There is no reason for them to change service since there is no competition, now if DL would offer service and served a meal, then you would see a meal on the flight too.
#818
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,027
#819
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
#820
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
#821
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,159
We all know about the death spiral used with airlines – cut, see lost customers, cut again to save expenses, deflections, cut... it's a cycle. This is an opportunity to stop this cycle, to make AA realize that their F product on some routes are so poor – it's not because customers are cheap, it's because they don't feel the current product is worth purchasing. pmAA F was worth purchasing, because it was substantial and had plentiful service. Current USdbaAA F does not.
#822
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
Some customers. When the AA exec department called me about my decline in flying, I told them I couldn't care less about meal service.
#823
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Francisco area
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott T
Posts: 455
SFO-JFK C
New redeye menu. Choose the Thai Beef Curry which was a good neighborhood Thai restaurant quality level.
#824
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,027
I'm on 560 again today to dfw. Looking forward to my tablespoon of hummus!
Funny part of it is 13 years ago I was complaining about cheap Parker and the hot pockets I was getting on this route. I wouldn't mind them now!
ETA: The hummus is gone. It's been replaced by some orange colored "spread" that is gross. FYI don't eat! You are now left with the cheese plate and two whole crackers to eat all that cheese.
Funny part of it is 13 years ago I was complaining about cheap Parker and the hot pockets I was getting on this route. I wouldn't mind them now!
ETA: The hummus is gone. It's been replaced by some orange colored "spread" that is gross. FYI don't eat! You are now left with the cheese plate and two whole crackers to eat all that cheese.
Last edited by enviroian; Aug 9, 2017 at 1:13 pm
#825
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: NYC/BOS
Programs: AA Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 54
8/1/2017
AA211
JFK-LAS
737-800
First Class
Dinner
Choice of:
Grilled Chicken
couscous, roasted vegetables, roasted garlic sauce
or
Cheese Cappelletti.
roasted garlic artichoke sauce
My sister and I both originally pre-ordered the grilled chicken, but switched to the earlier flight when our later flight was delayed 2 hours. We were seated in the bulkhead (3E/F) so by the time the purser got to our row there was only one chicken and one pasta left. I had the chicken. It was not terrible, but bland. It did not have any roasted garlic sauce. My sister had the pasta and said it was decent. Bread basket came with choice of sourdough, cheese, or pretzel. A made to order ice cream sundae was offered for desert with choices of hot fudge, warm butterscotch, fresh berries, nuts, or whipped cream. Snack basket was also passed around about an hour before landing.
(Sorry for the bad images)
JFK-LAS
737-800
First Class
Dinner
Choice of:
Grilled Chicken
couscous, roasted vegetables, roasted garlic sauce
or
Cheese Cappelletti.
roasted garlic artichoke sauce
My sister and I both originally pre-ordered the grilled chicken, but switched to the earlier flight when our later flight was delayed 2 hours. We were seated in the bulkhead (3E/F) so by the time the purser got to our row there was only one chicken and one pasta left. I had the chicken. It was not terrible, but bland. It did not have any roasted garlic sauce. My sister had the pasta and said it was decent. Bread basket came with choice of sourdough, cheese, or pretzel. A made to order ice cream sundae was offered for desert with choices of hot fudge, warm butterscotch, fresh berries, nuts, or whipped cream. Snack basket was also passed around about an hour before landing.
(Sorry for the bad images)