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ARCHIVE: Combined 2019 AA Domestic Meal, Meals, menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

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Old Jan 2, 2019, 10:33 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JDiver
AA/US Domestic Dining (including Canada, Mexico, & the Caribbean)

Link to Combined 2019 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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.

MrAndy1369 originated this thread. Other posts in this topic have been merged here, throwing his post to #4. For members’ easy reference, we have reproduced that guidepost in its entirety. /Moderators

Originally Posted by MrAndy1369
Introduction
Welcome to the 2019 version of the combined AA meals thread, focusing on domestic service. 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 2019 International Meals thread, click here.

Enjoy!
[COLOR="Navy"]Welcome to the 2019 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!)
American Eagle flights do not offer pre-ordering of meals.

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.

  • At this time, pre-ordered meals are not available on American Eagle flights.

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.

Thanks to MrAndy1369 for starting the thread and for the guidelines.
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ARCHIVE: Combined 2019 AA Domestic Meal, Meals, menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

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Old Feb 11, 2019, 9:47 am
  #106  
 
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
The chicken was supposed to be Adobo seasoned too and there is clearly no such seasoning. This was one of AA's weaker salads, and I usually am a fan of them. Dressing should have been ranch or the cilantro ranch eagle serves but it's the same old olive oil and vinegar.
@AANYC1981

You seem to know your way around ordering the Diabetic Meals... How does one go about ordering a Diabetic meal and is there any way at all to know what it is before it is brought to you in flight?

Lastly, would they offer the diabetic meal from PHL-MBJ?
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 10:10 am
  #107  
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Originally Posted by Bruce Delaney
@AANYC1981

You seem to know your way around ordering the Diabetic Meals... How does one go about ordering a Diabetic meal and is there any way at all to know what it is before it is brought to you in flight?

Lastly, would they offer the diabetic meal from PHL-MBJ?
Assuming you're in the premium cabin, you just select Diabetic from the other meal choices in your reservation via AA.com

If it's a lunch flight, PHL actually has one of the better diabetic lunch offerings, similar to the one posted earlier departing MIA. If it's a breakfast flight I usually just stick with the AA egg option as the diabetic breakfasts can tend to get weird.
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 10:26 am
  #108  
 
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
Assuming you're in the premium cabin, you just select Diabetic from the other meal choices in your reservation via AA.com

If it's a lunch flight, PHL actually has one of the better diabetic lunch offerings, similar to the one posted earlier departing MIA. If it's a breakfast flight I usually just stick with the AA egg option as the diabetic breakfasts can tend to get weird.
You got that right....
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 2:29 pm
  #109  
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
The chicken was supposed to be Adobo seasoned too and there is clearly no such seasoning. This was one of AA's weaker salads, and I usually am a fan of them. Dressing should have been ranch or the cilantro ranch eagle serves but it's the same old olive oil and vinegar.
I hate to say this but you are incorrect, I see Adobo Seasoning in the stores.
Segments likes this.
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Old Feb 12, 2019, 8:26 am
  #110  
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When did AA cut out meals in mainline F at mealtime? Flew MSY-CLT at 12:10pm and CLT-LGA at 4pm. Mainline 738 on one and A321 on the other. Nothing but snack basket.
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Old Feb 12, 2019, 8:35 am
  #111  
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Originally Posted by FlightNurse
I hate to say this but you are incorrect, I see Adobo Seasoning in the stores.
was it next to the Amazon Cod?
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Old Feb 12, 2019, 8:36 am
  #112  
 
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Originally Posted by GetSetJetSet
When did AA cut out meals in mainline F at mealtime? Flew MSY-CLT at 12:10pm and CLT-LGA at 4pm. Mainline 738 on one and A321 on the other. Nothing but snack basket.
Flights less than 699 miles only get snack basket whether mealtime or not.

When have you experienced AA serving meals on these short flights? Has AA ever served meals on such short flights?
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Old Feb 12, 2019, 8:41 am
  #113  
 
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
The chicken was supposed to be Adobo seasoned too and there is clearly no such seasoning.
Did you mean to say the chicken as served was unseasoned, or are you unfamiliar with Adobo seasoning?
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Old Feb 12, 2019, 8:57 am
  #114  
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Originally Posted by Segments


Flights less than 699 miles only get snack basket whether mealtime or not.

When have you experienced AA serving meals on these short flights? Has AA ever served meals on such short flights?
Not sure. Almost all of my flights are int'l, transcon or NYC-Florida. Just assumed mainline flights would have something.
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Old Feb 12, 2019, 9:06 am
  #115  
 
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Originally Posted by GetSetJetSet
Not sure. Almost all of my flights are int'l, transcon or NYC-Florida. Just assumed mainline flights would have something.
See the wiki for details on what to expect based on length of flight and time of day.
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Old Feb 12, 2019, 11:24 am
  #116  
 
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
Assuming you're in the premium cabin, you just select Diabetic from the other meal choices in your reservation via AA.com

If it's a lunch flight, PHL actually has one of the better diabetic lunch offerings, similar to the one posted earlier departing MIA. If it's a breakfast flight I usually just stick with the AA egg option as the diabetic breakfasts can tend to get weird.
@AANYC1981

We are flying paid business class (I assume that's what you mean by premium cabin), and yes it's a lunch flight. I will see what I can do when I get within the 30 day window I guess. Thanks for the advice. Lunches have been hit and miss on this flight for us in the past.
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Old Feb 12, 2019, 4:43 pm
  #117  
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Anyone have any common wisdom on the special meal options on an MCO-LGA evening flight? The wife and I have one in a few weeks and the following are the main options as a guide for parallels.



My wife had done the Asian Vegetarian/Hindu meals quite a few times after special meals first came online but then became bored of them but really dislikes short rib in general so was curious to see what the current crop of special meals look like.

Thanks!
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Old Feb 12, 2019, 9:02 pm
  #118  
 
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Originally Posted by Segments
Flights less than 699 miles only get snack basket whether mealtime or not.

When have you experienced AA serving meals on these short flights? Has AA ever served meals on such short flights?
Back in the day, US would have. I remember getting a meal SDF-CLT at 335 mi. It was a cold chicken sandwich circa 2001 (yes, a long time ago).
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Old Feb 13, 2019, 7:05 am
  #119  
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Originally Posted by USFlyerUS
Back in the day, US would have. I remember getting a meal SDF-CLT at 335 mi. It was a cold chicken sandwich circa 2001 (yes, a long time ago).
Except US then went to one of the stingiest meal window offerings. I think at one stage they only offered meals if flights were more than 3.5hrs or something absurd. My wife flew cross country in F (RIC-SAN via CLT and PHX, IIRC) and ended up mealless the entire way with no time to grab anything during the connections, this was in the late 2000s.
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Old Feb 13, 2019, 10:46 am
  #120  
 
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Originally Posted by Fraser
Except US then went to one of the stingiest meal window offerings. I think at one stage they only offered meals if flights were more than 3.5hrs or something absurd. My wife flew cross country in F (RIC-SAN via CLT and PHX, IIRC) and ended up mealless the entire way with no time to grab anything during the connections, this was in the late 2000s.
3.5 hours, yes. With a few small exceptions/carveouts for competitive reasons (ie, IAH-CLT).

As for AA, I think pre-merger AA's meal guidelines was 1.5 or 2 hours (around 600-700 miles). I do remember meal service on flights as short as ORD-PHL and DEN-DFW, though, and am sure others can point out examples of shorthaul meals that pmAA used to serve.

What we're seeing today is a juncture of pmUS and pmAA, kind of meeting halfway, you'd say.
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