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

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Old Jan 1, 2020, 8:30 pm
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Last edit by: JDiver
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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.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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Old Dec 8, 2020, 8:31 pm
  #316  
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
There has got to be a better way for AA to announce their non-service for YC but something better for FC...I’ve witnessed too many FC pax upset about these announcements because they don’t know better.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, on today's flight there will be no food or beverage service in the main cabin" should work. I used to hear that (pre-COVID) on really short flights that still had service in F.
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Old Dec 8, 2020, 8:34 pm
  #317  
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Originally Posted by chrisny2
"Ladies and Gentlemen, on today's flight there will be no food or beverage service in the main cabin" should work. I used to hear that (pre-COVID) on really short flights that still had service in F.
On one of my flights this week the lead FA did the exact announcement you mentioned: "Ladies and Gentlemen, on today's flight there will be no food or beverage service in the main cabin".
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Old Dec 8, 2020, 8:37 pm
  #318  
 
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Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
On one of my flights this week the lead FA did the exact announcement you mentioned: "Ladies and Gentlemen, on today's flight there will be no food or beverage service in the main cabin".
Ditto on DCA-MIA.
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Old Dec 22, 2020, 5:27 pm
  #319  
 
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No food at all in "first class"?

I'm flying from DFW to LAX and return next Thursday (31st), taking the 7 AM flight outbound and the 2:49 PM flight on the return, in domestic "first class".
The flight info on AA.com shows nothing about any food of any kind on either flight.
Is this what I can expect, or is their web page just uninformative?
Thanks.

Edit: My internet connection is almost unusable at the moment, so it took me a long time to get to their "service update" page, but when I got there I saw that I can expect "fresh snacks" on both flights.

Last edited by stheller; Dec 22, 2020 at 5:43 pm
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Old Dec 22, 2020, 5:45 pm
  #320  
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Originally Posted by stheller
I'm flying from DFW to LAX and return next Thursday (31st), taking the 7 AM flight outbound and the 2:49 PM flight on the return, in domestic "first class".
The flight info on AA.com shows nothing about any food of any kind on either flight.
Is this what I can expect, or is their web page just uninformative?
Thanks.

Edit: My internet connection is almost unusable at the moment, so it took me a long time to get to their "service update" page, but when I got there I saw that I can expect "fresh snacks" on both flights.
It lists “Refreshments” but what you’ll get is actually a decent fresh snack. In the morning it’s Chobani + blueberries on the side or a turkey + cheese on a croissant (heads up it is really dry so try to travel with mayo, mustard etc to help it out).
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Old Dec 22, 2020, 5:48 pm
  #321  
 
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
It lists “Refreshments” but what you’ll get is actually a decent fresh snack. In the morning it’s Chobani + blueberries on the side or a turkey + cheese on a croissant (heads up it is really dry so try to travel with mayo, mustard etc to help it out).
So they don't even have mayo or mustard? Wow.
Thanks for the tip!
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Old Dec 22, 2020, 5:50 pm
  #322  
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Originally Posted by stheller
So they don't even have mayo or mustard? Wow.
Thanks for the tip!
Mine did come with Dijon mustard but my mothers didn’t so I would plan accordingly....even with just the mustard it’s not enough as the croissant sammie is pretty big.

Lunch/Dinner is a F&C plate (very filling and comes with mixed nuts) or either a turkey sammie or chicken sammie which are both very filling IMO.
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Old Dec 22, 2020, 5:51 pm
  #323  
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Originally Posted by stheller
So they don't even have mayo or mustard? Wow.
Thanks for the tip!
Also check the COVID-19 food thread as there are lots of photos there including mine recently.
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Old Dec 22, 2020, 6:28 pm
  #324  
 
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
Mine did come with Dijon mustard but my mothers didn’t so I would plan accordingly....even with just the mustard it’s not enough as the croissant sammie is pretty big.

Lunch/Dinner is a F&C plate (very filling and comes with mixed nuts) or either a turkey sammie or chicken sammie which are both very filling IMO.
Sounds pretty good, although I'll probably also have time to drop by the Centurion Club in LAX (and maybe even DFW although it will be very early there and I don't know if it will be open yet), so I probably won't starve either way.
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Old Dec 23, 2020, 8:00 pm
  #325  
 
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Originally Posted by stheller
Sounds pretty good, although I'll probably also have time to drop by the Centurion Club in LAX (and maybe even DFW although it will be very early there and I don't know if it will be open yet), so I probably won't starve either way.


I flew AA 4 LAX-JFK last weekend and asked if J on the 772 qualifies for lounge access. I was told yes by the check-in agent but due to the new restrictions, actual lounge access is closed. Lounge agents were just beyond the doors with bags of snacks and to give help to passengers that needed help. Other than that, couldn't go inside. Just based on what I experienced, I wouldn't count on getting a meal at the Centurion Lounge due to the restrictions.
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Old Dec 23, 2020, 8:15 pm
  #326  
 
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Originally Posted by xjaehyun
I flew AA 4 LAX-JFK last weekend and asked if J on the 772 qualifies for lounge access. I was told yes by the check-in agent but due to the new restrictions, actual lounge access is closed. Lounge agents were just beyond the doors with bags of snacks and to give help to passengers that needed help. Other than that, couldn't go inside. Just based on what I experienced, I wouldn't count on getting a meal at the Centurion Lounge due to the restrictions.
Right, I know I won't be able to go in but I believe the Centurion clubs are handing out box lunches to Amex Platinum card holders.
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Old Dec 25, 2020, 11:36 am
  #327  
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Originally Posted by xjaehyun
I flew AA 4 LAX-JFK last weekend and asked if J on the 772 qualifies for lounge access. I was told yes by the check-in agent but due to the new restrictions, actual lounge access is closed. Lounge agents were just beyond the doors with bags of snacks and to give help to passengers that needed help. Other than that, couldn't go inside. Just based on what I experienced, I wouldn't count on getting a meal at the Centurion Lounge due to the restrictions.
LAX JFK continues to be sold as Flagship Business so even on a 772 you would qualify for AC access unless the airport has to follow more strict Covid rules outside AA's control
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Old Dec 25, 2020, 11:36 am
  #328  
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Please visit our new 2021 Domestic Meals thread here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html

Thanks! /Moderator
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Last edited by JY1024; Jan 3, 2021 at 5:35 pm
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