Jan 1, 2018, 1:30 pm
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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.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)
May 22, 2018, 3:17 pm
#421
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: AA Gold, Bonvoy Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 1,197
DCA-LAX had the made-to-order sundae for dinner on 5/20.
May 22, 2018, 4:36 pm
#422
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
AA does the same on the SEA-PHX flights that leaves around 2:55pm. It is actually a lunch flight!
May 22, 2018, 4:39 pm
#423
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
I'm on this route all too often and the soft service from the FAs varies tremendously. On the outbound for this trip, the FA hit all of the service elements: PDB, warm towel, nuts (with refills), drink refills, meal preselection acknowledged, dessert served after clearing the trays whereas this crew went through the motions. I knew that would be an issue after there was no PDB and they waited twenty minutes after take off to start service (light chop in the area). I suspect there were cookies in the galley, they just went unserved. The return is a short flight, but not by much.
May 22, 2018, 5:20 pm
#424
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,450
I'm on this route all too often and the soft service from the FAs varies tremendously. On the outbound for this trip, the FA hit all of the service elements: PDB, warm towel, nuts (with refills), drink refills, meal preselection acknowledged, dessert served after clearing the trays whereas this crew went through the motions. I knew that would be an issue after there was no PDB and they waited twenty minutes after take off to start service (light chop in the area). I suspect there were cookies in the galley, they just went unserved. The return is a short flight, but not by much.
May 22, 2018, 9:56 pm
#425
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 146
These are my options this Saturday from JFK - LAX in U. Any recommendations? or should I try to get to the FL lounge earlier and eat there. It's already pretty early as its an 8am flight. Or anyone try the Hindu or the asian vegetarian for breakfast? From what I read, all these options are really bad.
- Steel Cut Oatmeal Steel Cut Oatmeal selected for JFK to LAX
brown sugar, various fruit garnishes - Cream Cheese Omelette Cream Cheese Omelette selected for JFK to LAX
hot smoked salmon hash, béarnaise sauce - Strawberry Rhubarb Galette Strawberry Rhubarb Galette selected for JFK to LAX
vanilla sauce, grilled asparagus, chicken chipolata sausage
May 22, 2018, 10:12 pm
#426
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
These are my options this Saturday from JFK - LAX in U. Any recommendations? or should I try to get to the FL lounge earlier and eat there. It's already pretty early as its an 8am flight. Or anyone try the Hindu or the asian vegetarian for breakfast? From what I read, all these options are really bad.
- Steel Cut Oatmeal Steel Cut Oatmeal selected for JFK to LAX
brown sugar, various fruit garnishes - Cream Cheese Omelette Cream Cheese Omelette selected for JFK to LAX
hot smoked salmon hash, béarnaise sauce - Strawberry Rhubarb Galette Strawberry Rhubarb Galette selected for JFK to LAX
vanilla sauce, grilled asparagus, chicken chipolata sausage
May 23, 2018, 3:06 am
#427
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,683
May 23, 2018, 6:39 am
#428
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,619
Granted, I have a sweet tooth, but I enjoyed the Strawberry Rhubarb Galette, I did ask for the Vanilla sauce to be served on the side which did help to make the dish less sweet.
May 23, 2018, 9:08 am
#429
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,450
These are my options this Saturday from JFK - LAX in U. Any recommendations? or should I try to get to the FL lounge earlier and eat there. It's already pretty early as its an 8am flight. Or anyone try the Hindu or the asian vegetarian for breakfast? From what I read, all these options are really bad.
- Steel Cut Oatmeal Steel Cut Oatmeal selected for JFK to LAX
brown sugar, various fruit garnishes - Cream Cheese Omelette Cream Cheese Omelette selected for JFK to LAX
hot smoked salmon hash, béarnaise sauce - Strawberry Rhubarb Galette Strawberry Rhubarb Galette selected for JFK to LAX
vanilla sauce, grilled asparagus, chicken chipolata sausage
May 23, 2018, 10:42 am
#430
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,167
AA are far from alone in this - and indeed it is not F anymore in most cases.
May 23, 2018, 10:47 am
#431
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Empire State
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum; Marriott Platinum
Posts: 461
These are my options this Saturday from JFK - LAX in U. Any recommendations? or should I try to get to the FL lounge earlier and eat there. It's already pretty early as its an 8am flight. Or anyone try the Hindu or the asian vegetarian for breakfast? From what I read, all these options are really bad.
- Steel Cut Oatmeal Steel Cut Oatmeal selected for JFK to LAX
brown sugar, various fruit garnishes - Cream Cheese Omelette Cream Cheese Omelette selected for JFK to LAX
hot smoked salmon hash, béarnaise sauce - Strawberry Rhubarb Galette Strawberry Rhubarb Galette selected for JFK to LAX
vanilla sauce, grilled asparagus, chicken chipolata sausage
May 24, 2018, 9:03 am
#432
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: AA Ex-Plat, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 670
I'm in first on the PHL-DSM tonight 7:05pm (972 miles, over 3 hours) on the E175. Is there a meal served on it? By the "rules" it should, but I want to make sure.
Thanks.
Thanks.
May 24, 2018, 5:14 pm
#433
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP, SPG / Marriott GLD, HHonors GLD
Posts: 520
Yep it's a dinner flight. No ovens on AA E75s so will be two cold options - likely a salad with cold protein on the side or some kind of wrap / sandwich
Last edited by lds89; May 25, 2018 at 10:58 am Reason: Added AA to E75s
May 25, 2018, 7:00 am
#434
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,619
Did DELTA ask the Express carriers to add ovens or are there ovens, but American does not ask the Express Carriers to use them or do the airlines own the planes in which case DELTA ordered the planes with ovens and American did not?
May 25, 2018, 7:16 am
#435
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
Admittedly, I do not know the inner workings of aircraft design/ownership, but it seems that at least on some of the E175s that fly for DELTA there are ovens or some sort of warming device, because I have been served heated meals on DELTA's E175s.
Did DELTA ask the Express carriers to add ovens or are there ovens, but American does not ask the Express Carriers to use them or do the airlines own the planes in which case DELTA ordered the planes with ovens and American did not?
Did DELTA ask the Express carriers to add ovens or are there ovens, but American does not ask the Express Carriers to use them or do the airlines own the planes in which case DELTA ordered the planes with ovens and American did not?
