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ARCHIVE: 2018 AA Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

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Old Jan 1, 2018, 1:30 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JDiver
AA/US Domestic Dining (including Canada, Mexico, & the Caribbean)


See here for the 2019 domestic meal thread.


Note: this thread is about meals served on domestic AA flights.

Link to Combined 2018 AA International Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.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 2018 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.
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ARCHIVE: 2018 AA Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

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Old Jul 3, 2018, 9:40 pm
  #556  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
Originally Posted by Cityflyer10


i don’t think I have ever bothered to stay up to eat on the Tcon red eyes and neither of those three items would make me change that. Best bet is to eat before, avoid the garbage on the plane, and use the whole flight to sleep.
I just did that last month on a LAX-JFK-LAX run. Pre-ordered the Asian Vegetarian. Had dinner in the Flagship Lounge, and Champagne in the Qantas F lounge.

Boarded the 10:30pm LAX-JFK flight, and slept from the safety video until the Flight Attendant handed me a smoothie as we descended into New York.
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Old Jul 4, 2018, 11:33 am
  #557  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Empire State
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum; Marriott Platinum
Posts: 461
Looks like AA is now rotating cookie offerings in F; had a choice between chocolate chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin on today’s LGA-MIA.

Last edited by AAEmpireState; Jul 4, 2018 at 6:37 pm
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Old Jul 4, 2018, 2:35 pm
  #558  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Posts: 3,217
Does anyone have a picture of the chicken meatball meal option?
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Old Jul 4, 2018, 7:24 pm
  #559  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
Originally Posted by USFlyerUS
Does anyone have a picture of the chicken meatball meal option?
It crossed the road.......
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Old Jul 5, 2018, 11:04 pm
  #560  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA- EXP UA - Silver SPG- PLT Marriott- PLT
Posts: 760
I flew a coup,e 1500 mike lunch flights last week, and was served cookies for dessert. Have they stopped serviing other desserts, like key lime pie, on these longer flights?
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Old Jul 6, 2018, 6:19 am
  #561  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: Delta, AA-Gold, Hilton-Gold
Posts: 93
Originally Posted by chicagoflyer1976
I flew a coup,e 1500 mike lunch flights last week, and was served cookies for dessert. Have they stopped serviing other desserts, like key lime pie, on these longer flights?
I had Key Lime Pie CUN-CLT a month ago.
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Old Jul 6, 2018, 8:03 am
  #562  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
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Originally Posted by AAEmpireState
Looks like AA is now rotating cookie offerings in F; had a choice between chocolate chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin on today’s LGA-MIA.
AA has been doing this for awhile IME (at least when the FAs actually complete all of the service elements). On BOS-ORD for example, choice has been between snicker doodle and chocolate cookies. Last time I can recall, because the cabin lights were low for the evening flight, the FA brought me a chocolate instead of a snicker doodle and I asked, is this snicker doodle? She replied, I really can't tell, it's pretty dark. LOL. No harm no foul though; FAs were actually fantastic on that flight.
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Old Jul 6, 2018, 9:07 am
  #563  
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Has anyone seen this when trying to choose your meals?

Information about Entrée Reservations

  • Due to seasonal availability, entrée menus will be available between 30 days and 24 hours prior to travel.
  • Any changes to your original itinerary will require re-selection of entrée preferences.

Flight is from ORD-LGA 1330 departure. Date of departure is 8-2-2018
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Old Jul 6, 2018, 10:59 am
  #564  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Empire State
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum; Marriott Platinum
Posts: 461
Originally Posted by CHOPCHOP767
AA has been doing this for awhile IME (at least when the FAs actually complete all of the service elements). On BOS-ORD for example, choice has been between snicker doodle and chocolate cookies. Last time I can recall, because the cabin lights were low for the evening flight, the FA brought me a chocolate instead of a snicker doodle and I asked, is this snicker doodle? She replied, I really can't tell, it's pretty dark. LOL. No harm no foul though; FAs were actually fantastic on that flight.
Ha! I’ve seen those options for a while, but the oatmeal raisin/double chocolate choices were a first for me.
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Old Jul 6, 2018, 1:57 pm
  #565  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 11
Delay in online meal reservation?

Is it common for aa to delay access to menu reservation within the 30 day window? EWR-CLT-AUA departing on August 3. First leg is “first” second is business.

I got the error message when I tried to begin the selection process. AA informed me that they haven’t loaded the menu.
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Old Jul 6, 2018, 3:22 pm
  #566  
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Originally Posted by newtravels99
Is it common for aa to delay access to menu reservation within the 30 day window? EWR-CLT-AUA departing on August 3. First leg is “first” second is business.

I got the error message when I tried to begin the selection process. AA informed me that they haven’t loaded the menu.
The first leg is loaded, not the second. I choose the Asian Vegetarian meal for the breakfast flight thinking about doing Muslim for the lunch flight
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Old Jul 6, 2018, 3:52 pm
  #567  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
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Programs: AS, AA, UA, Hilton, Marriott, Caesars DE
Posts: 2,070
AA 2462
DEN - ORD
7/5 17:21
Domestic First


Delayed due to weather in ORD and DEN, but was provided amble PDBs (!!!) while sitting on the tarmac. Choices of:





Nuts to start. Pretty good beef, tender and could almost be pulled off with just a fork, with a greek side salad, feta, olives, pepperoncini. Bread served from bread basket, potato wasn't as good as the ones I have had before with this dish but who needs carbs. Chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Mint to finish before landing, all in all great crew, decent enough meal, more than enough drinks.
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Old Jul 6, 2018, 6:44 pm
  #568  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: DFW
Programs: UA, AA, DL, WN, HHonors Diamond, Marriott
Posts: 76
Breakfast DFW-ORD

AA 2761
DFW-ORD
First Class- Seat 6E
Boeing 737-800 (with AVOD)
Breakfast

Full PDB, choices were omelet or fruit/yogurt granola
I went with the omelet, it was very good. (I put the water on the tray)


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Old Jul 6, 2018, 6:51 pm
  #569  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: DFW
Programs: UA, AA, DL, WN, HHonors Diamond, Marriott
Posts: 76
AA 2615
DFW-BZN
First Class- Seat 6A
Boeing 737-800
Breakfast

Another Breakfast flight, no PDB
Choices were egg sandwich or fruit plate, I went with egg sandwich.
I have had this several times before.
Crew was great.

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Old Jul 6, 2018, 6:56 pm
  #570  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: DFW
Programs: UA, AA, DL, WN, HHonors Diamond, Marriott
Posts: 76
AA 2615
BZN-DFW
First Class- Seat 6A
Boeing 737-800
Lunch

No PDB, No choices- flight attendant stated they were miscatered out of DFW. Only time to bring one entree.
Poblano Peppers it is! I thought it was good, slightly spicy. Crew was pretty good otherwise.

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