Airlines With The Best Meals

Despite the stereotype of all airline food being bad, it is sometimes possible to find a good meal set on the tray in front of you.  Unfortunately, a majority of the food you are likely to come across while flying will be of poor quality.

Sometimes it seems that the only way to get a good meal on an airplane is to spring for a first-class ticket.  In order to earn repeat fliers in the premium classes, airlines go all out by offering gourmet foods and wines for their over-paying first-class customers.  However, even in first class, it is sometimes difficult to find a quality meal.

But not all airlines have poor food.  In fact, some serve great meals, even to those sitting in economy class.  While few domestic airlines in the US are known for their in-flight edibles (how many even serve meals on domestic flights anymore?), international airlines often serve superior food.

Here are the best airlines to fly if you want to get a good in-flight meal.

Singapore Airlines:

Singapore Airlines is consistently rated one of the world’s best airlines. It takes its food service more seriously than most airlines.  The airline revisits its premium class meal offerings several times each year, trying to improve the finer points of its menu.  First class passengers also have access to fine wines and Champaign.  Though economy class fare is not as high quality (no lobster for the masses), Singapore does pay special attention to the combination of foods and presentation of the meal.  So at least your food looks reasonably nice as you munch away in your economy class seat.

Turkish Airlines:

This airline’s food rates highly in surveys.  There is nothing too special about the dishes: no celebrity chefs’ recipes or frequent menu redesigns.  They serve mostly classic Turkish/Mediterranean food.  The good thing about Turkish Airlines is that it does not try to be fancy or cutting edge.  It merely strives to produce Turkish favorites that still taste good after being re-warmed by the flight attendants.  Of course, if you are not fond of pastas or lamb, you may disagree with the rave reviews.

Etihad Airways:

Etihad Airways consistently rates as one of the best airlines in the world.  Its first-class meals are decidedly upscale with fine wines and dishes that would not be out of place at a four-star sit-down restaurant.  All passengers get food that at least sounds interesting (quiche, ratatouille, omelets with watercress salad).  These economy class eats have earned the U.A.E.-based airline almost universally positive reviews.

Cathay Pacific:

Cathay Pacific: This Hong Kong-based powerhouse is consistently atop the heap when it comes to quality.   Its premium-classes feature meals that can hold their own against the world’s other high-end airlines.  Cathay is one of the first airlines to have rice cookers and skillets on board their aircraft.  This gives at least the possibility of something besides re-warmed, plastic wrapped food.  Freshness is always a good thing, even if it is as basic as hand-made rice.>

A little closer to home:

Virgin America:

With snacks like soft chocolate cookies and fruit and cheese dishes, Virgin beats the peanuts and pretzels offered by the competition.  Cubano sandwiches and artichoke chicken sandwich wraps give the menu a little out-of-the-ordinary appeal.

Continental Airlines:

Continental Airlines was the last of the legacy carriers to give up free meals in economy class on domestic flights.  Still, its offerings, such as fried chicken and salad, are above average.  When it comes to first class food, Continental still pulls out all the stops, and is considered the best amongst domestic carriers.
Midwest Airlines serves the standard array of sandwiches and snacks.  One major difference about this airline is their baked-on-board cookies, which do not have the typically stale, cardboard-like taste that can be used to describe cookies on most other flights.  When it comes to airline food, a little freshness can make all the difference.

AirCanda:

AirCanada’s food can perhaps be described as slightly above average.  But in these times of a la carte air travel, when passengers are charged extra for just about everything from checking baggage to eating lunch while in-flight, Air Canada is tying to make it easier.  They are instituting a program where passengers can pre-pay for meals online.  They are given a meal voucher which can be used in lieu of cash or credit cards when they are on the plane.  Passengers also get a discount of 20% when they pre-pay online.  Decent food and a convenient way to pay: what more could you ask for in this era of airline mediocrity.

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