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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.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.
ARCHIVE: 2018 AA Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)
#571
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: DFW
Programs: UA, AA, DL, WN, HHonors Diamond, Marriott
Posts: 76
Continental Breakfast LAX-OKC
AA 6014
LAX-OKC
First Class- Seat 3D
Embraer E175
Continental Breakfast
Full PDB, choices were meat and cheese platter or cranberry muesli.
LAX-OKC
First Class- Seat 3D
Embraer E175
Continental Breakfast
Full PDB, choices were meat and cheese platter or cranberry muesli.
#572
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: DFW
Programs: UA, AA, DL, WN, HHonors Diamond, Marriott
Posts: 76
Snack PHL-ORD
AA 878
PHL-ORD
First Class- Seat 3D
Airbus A321
Snack
Full PDB, Tomato and Basil Cream cheese with crackers or a fruit plate. I went with the fruit plate.
PHL-ORD
First Class- Seat 3D
Airbus A321
Snack
Full PDB, Tomato and Basil Cream cheese with crackers or a fruit plate. I went with the fruit plate.
#573
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 11
Still the same error message for me. My first leg would only have snacks as it's an 8:15 and the second leg is lunch, so we might be talking about different flights.
#574
Moderator: Alaska Mileage Plan
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,316
I received the error message on several lunch flights on several routes on several post-August 1 dates.
(Edited to add) AA Twitter's reply to DM about problems selecting meals for August flights:
"Our team is aware of some hiccups while trying to assign a special meals and we're working on a fix. Please continue to check online for updates."
(Edited to add) AA Twitter's reply to DM about problems selecting meals for August flights:
"Our team is aware of some hiccups while trying to assign a special meals and we're working on a fix. Please continue to check online for updates."
Last edited by dayone; Jul 9, 2018 at 2:00 pm Reason: Add reply from AA Twitter.
#575
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
Following Starbucks' lead (no more plastic straws):
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ameri...181631950.html
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ameri...181631950.html
#576
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,453
I received the error message on several lunch flights on several routes on several post-August 1 dates.
(Edited to add) AA Twitter's reply to DM about problems selecting meals for August flights:
"Our team is aware of some hiccups while trying to assign a special meals and we're working on a fix. Please continue to check online for updates."
(Edited to add) AA Twitter's reply to DM about problems selecting meals for August flights:
"Our team is aware of some hiccups while trying to assign a special meals and we're working on a fix. Please continue to check online for updates."
#577
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: Aegean Gold
Posts: 14
Any recommendations for August LAX-JFK business class lunch.
Thai Beef Red Curry
With stir fried vegetables and coconut rice
Lobster Roll
sweet potato chips
Zucchini 'Meatballs'
zucchini Parmesan pesto spaghetti, tomato jam
Thai Beef Red Curry
With stir fried vegetables and coconut rice
Lobster Roll
sweet potato chips
Zucchini 'Meatballs'
zucchini Parmesan pesto spaghetti, tomato jam
#578
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
LGA-ORD
LAA 738
Lunch
PDB - only water/OJ
Choice of Vietnamese chicken salad or the Rotolo/Ricotta pasta dish. Pasta was way overcooked and border line hard:
Also had the 'pleasure' of looking at these feet in front of me:
LAA 738
Lunch
PDB - only water/OJ
Choice of Vietnamese chicken salad or the Rotolo/Ricotta pasta dish. Pasta was way overcooked and border line hard:
Also had the 'pleasure' of looking at these feet in front of me:
#579
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP (AC), DL G (SC), Bonvoy LTP, & IHG AMB
Posts: 1,798
Assuming no dietary restrictions, I would go with Thai Beef Red Curry: the dish has a decent spice to it and it's generally a hard item to screw up. Aside from the rice, of course, which has been hard a few times, the rest of the dish is generally salvageable in that case. The zucchini meatballs (generally not salvage if they're over-cooked) are kind of a mess and I'm not trusting AA to give me a lobstah' roll
#580
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 214
Assuming no dietary restrictions, I would go with Thai Beef Red Curry: the dish has a decent spice to it and it's generally a hard item to screw up. Aside from the rice, of course, which has been hard a few times, the rest of the dish is generally salvageable in that case. The zucchini meatballs (generally not salvage if they're over-cooked) are kind of a mess and I'm not trusting AA to give me a lobstah' roll
#581
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,210
So last week, a friend of mine and I booked and flew First class to MIA. In the interest of full disclosure, he almost never flies, for work or pleasure. He had the poblano pepper entree. He LOVED it and said it was far better than the "airplane meal" he was expecting. He asked the F/A if there were any leftover. It just goes to show what others apparently hate, others may like. I had a bite of his and also thought it was quite good.
#582
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP (AC), DL G (SC), Bonvoy LTP, & IHG AMB
Posts: 1,798
So last week, a friend of mine and I booked and flew First class to MIA. In the interest of full disclosure, he almost never flies, for work or pleasure. He had the poblano pepper entree. He LOVED it and said it was far better than the "airplane meal" he was expecting. He asked the F/A if there were any leftover. It just goes to show what others apparently hate, others may like. I had a bite of his and also thought it was quite good.
I also enjoy the Poblano Pepper, so you're friend is not alone. I'll take that a million times out of a million, especially over the chicken haricots verts...
#585
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,453
AA2100
DTW-PHX
Seats 3D-F
Meal - Dinner
Open bar on the ground and FC FA Colleen greeted each passenger by name and a smile.
Once in the air, Colleen came around again greeted each passenger by name and a smile and took drink orders and either confirmed pre-order or took dinner order. There was an aircraft substitution on the PHX-DTW from an A320 to an A321, however, AA never notified catering in DTW, so the lucky 4 people who got upgraded to FC did not get a meal this also meant that BOB had limited quantity of food. The gate agent did make that announcement before boarding started.
Dinner Choices were Poblano Peppers or Chicken Meatballs.
I ordered a Muslim meal and I have to say it was OUTSTANDING, I got more food than Hubby I'm not 100% sure what I got except for the rice, but the main dish was spicy and had a lot of flavor. My only issue was the pita rounds should have been headed they are ice cold. The dessert on the tray was excellent, I eat the dates, but hubby ate everything else
Hubby didn't want a special meal but he pre-ordered the Poblano Peppers which he liked, he said it had a nice kick to them and the corn salsa was excellent.
About 45 minutes after all dishes were cleared Colleen served dessert which was Cherry Ice Cream or Warm and Gooey Choc Chip cookies. Sorry, no pictures of that. I have to say Colleen did an outstanding job in total flight service, the meal service was not rushed, it had a very relaxed pace. The bread basket had multi type of bread.
Colleen got an A&B from me!
Next flights PHX-ORD - Kosher meal, ORD-LGA - Asian Meal
DTW-PHX
Seats 3D-F
Meal - Dinner
Open bar on the ground and FC FA Colleen greeted each passenger by name and a smile.
Once in the air, Colleen came around again greeted each passenger by name and a smile and took drink orders and either confirmed pre-order or took dinner order. There was an aircraft substitution on the PHX-DTW from an A320 to an A321, however, AA never notified catering in DTW, so the lucky 4 people who got upgraded to FC did not get a meal this also meant that BOB had limited quantity of food. The gate agent did make that announcement before boarding started.
Dinner Choices were Poblano Peppers or Chicken Meatballs.
I ordered a Muslim meal and I have to say it was OUTSTANDING, I got more food than Hubby I'm not 100% sure what I got except for the rice, but the main dish was spicy and had a lot of flavor. My only issue was the pita rounds should have been headed they are ice cold. The dessert on the tray was excellent, I eat the dates, but hubby ate everything else
Hubby didn't want a special meal but he pre-ordered the Poblano Peppers which he liked, he said it had a nice kick to them and the corn salsa was excellent.
About 45 minutes after all dishes were cleared Colleen served dessert which was Cherry Ice Cream or Warm and Gooey Choc Chip cookies. Sorry, no pictures of that. I have to say Colleen did an outstanding job in total flight service, the meal service was not rushed, it had a very relaxed pace. The bread basket had multi type of bread.
Colleen got an A&B from me!
Next flights PHX-ORD - Kosher meal, ORD-LGA - Asian Meal