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Combined 2020 AA Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

Old Jan 1, 20, 9:30 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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AA/US Domestic Dining (including Canada, Mexico, & the Caribbean)

Link to The Official American Airlines Onboard Service Policy Guide, by Gary Leff on January 22, 2020. Comprehensive charts and information.

Link to Combined 2020 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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.

Welcome to the 2020 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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Combined 2020 AA Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

Old Feb 24, 20, 11:11 pm
  #151  
 
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It was ok. My neighbor had the oatmeal, and I think mine was a bit more appealing.
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Old Feb 24, 20, 11:45 pm
  #152  
 
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Originally Posted by coke_cans_and_winglets
Anyone had the scrambled eggs benedict breakfast? I have it pre ordered for my upcoming SLC-DFW flight on Saturday.
It's good. I've had it several times recently.
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Old Feb 25, 20, 6:22 am
  #153  
 
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Originally Posted by USFlyerUS
It's good. I've had it several times recently.
Agreed.
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Old Feb 25, 20, 7:21 am
  #154  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
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My choices from FLL to PHL are:

Grilled chicken breast with picata sauce, white and wild rice and haricots vert

Mezzi rigatoni with tomato ragu sauce

Any suggestions? :-).
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Old Feb 25, 20, 11:02 am
  #155  
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Originally Posted by Chiro1979
My choices from FLL to PHL are:

Grilled chicken breast with picata sauce, white and wild rice and haricots vert

Mezzi rigatoni with tomato ragu sauce

Any suggestions? :-).
These seem new to me....finally some new options!
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Old Feb 25, 20, 11:22 am
  #156  
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
These seem new to me....finally some new options!
Let's just hope it's better than the first attempt at chicken piccata back in 2014...
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Old Feb 25, 20, 11:33 am
  #157  
 
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Originally Posted by Chiro1979
My choices from FLL to PHL are:

Grilled chicken breast with picata sauce, white and wild rice and haricots vert

Mezzi rigatoni with tomato ragu sauce

Any suggestions? :-).
Go with the chicken piccata. (Did AA misspell piccata?) The pasta will be very boring.

Originally Posted by cmd320
Let's just hope it's better than the first attempt at chicken piccata back in 2014...
I don't remember that one. I do remember an excellent chicken marsala before the catering debacle that began in Sep 2014, and continues to this day.
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Old Feb 25, 20, 11:52 am
  #158  
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Originally Posted by Stripe
I don't remember that one. I do remember an excellent chicken marsala before the catering debacle that began in Sep 2014, and continues to this day.
It was this lovely little critter...
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Old Feb 25, 20, 12:48 pm
  #159  
 
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Originally Posted by Stripe
Go with the chicken piccata. (Did AA misspell piccata?) The pasta will be very boring.
No..that would be me typing before my morning coffee!! Thats what I selected. I figured the pasta sounded kind of blah. Plus I always travel with some crushed red pepper to spice things up, so I can always add some heat which Im sure will be necessary.

Just as an FYI, my choices for the flight to FLL are the ones listed a few messages up....scrambled eggs benedict or steel cut oatmeal. I went with the eggs.
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Old Feb 25, 20, 3:51 pm
  #160  
 
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Thumbs up

Originally Posted by Chiro1979
No..that would be me typing before my morning coffee!! Thats what I selected. I figured the pasta sounded kind of blah. Plus I always travel with some crushed red pepper to spice things up, so I can always add some heat which Im sure will be necessary.

Just as an FYI, my choices for the flight to FLL are the ones listed a few messages up....scrambled eggs benedict or steel cut oatmeal. I went with the eggs.
Just gave me an idea on what to do with the trove of crushed red pepper packets from various delivery pizza joints I save for some reason or another. Going to put some in my backpack right now.
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Old Feb 25, 20, 5:38 pm
  #161  
 
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Originally Posted by AeRoSpaceman
Just gave me an idea on what to do with the trove of crushed red pepper packets from various delivery pizza joints I save for some reason or another. Going to put some in my backpack right now.
I keep a stash of True Lime, True Lemon, Red Pepper, Tony Chachere's, mini tabasco packets, and Mrs Dash to put on food.
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Old Feb 26, 20, 10:00 am
  #162  
 
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About that "grilled" chicken picata.
This was on a DFW-MIA flight Feb 24th.

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Old Feb 26, 20, 12:04 pm
  #163  
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Originally Posted by Nomorepretzels
About that "grilled" chicken picata.
This was on a DFW-MIA flight Feb 24th.

Oh dear, so it hasn't improved since late 2014...
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Old Feb 26, 20, 11:03 pm
  #164  
 
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Originally Posted by cmd320
Oh dear, so it hasn't improved since late 2014...
If you look closer, there ARE grill marks on that slab of "grilled" chicken.
They simply forgot to "paint" the brown food coloring into the pressed grill marks

I'm still looking for the "piccata". I honestly don't know exactly what I should be looking for, but at a minimum, wouldn't it include capers
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Old Feb 27, 20, 9:40 am
  #165  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Originally Posted by steve64
If you look closer, there ARE grill marks on that slab of "grilled" chicken.
They simply forgot to "paint" the brown food coloring into the pressed grill marks
I think I found my new calling in life. Grill Line Artist. Maybe I can setup some social media accounts and use my Grill Line influence to gain sponsors and fame.
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