10 Airlines That Offer Free Meals On Longer Flights

While we can be overly critical when it comes to the restaurants that we choose and how we rate their cuisine, something seems to change as soon as we cross the 30,000 feet threshold. We're of course referring to in-flight dining experiences. In many cases, it's not about the quality of the food but rather if it comes free with the seat ticket or not.

Complimentary economy class dining used to be a standard across the U.S. many years ago, with some serving your meal on white tablecloths and with enthusiastic stewardesses. It was luxurious airline dining at its best. Now, as airlines continue to trim their in-flight offering to cut costs and drive profits, free meals in many cases are a thing of the past. Unless, of course, you have the spare cash to purchase a Business or First Class seat. It's not all doom and gloom for economy travelers, as there are still a few airlines flying in and out of the U.S. where you'll get the much-loved complimentary in-flight meal — you just have to fly a little further. Whether you're crossing the country or hopping continents, some airlines understand that a decent meal can be a deciding factor for who you choose to fly with, especially when it's free.

If you're looking for a little more than the usual bag of peanuts or pretzels, here are ten airlines where you'll still get a complimentary meal with your seat ticket. If it's the drinks trolley that you're really interested in, we cover that as well.

While American Airlines hasn't been ranked as the number one domestic airline in the U.S. for some time, it does still offer some perks. A deciding factor for many travelers when it comes to who to fly with is the airline's AAdvantage loyalty program, where you can earn miles and loyalty points to redeem for flights and other benefits. It may be one of the more popular loyalty programs for air travel, but there's something else that is a big magnet — complimentary meals and drinks on long-haul flights.

If you're traveling American on a long-distance international flight, you'll get to enjoy a free meal and drinks service as part of the seat cost — no matter where you're sitting. For travelers to Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, the Middle East, or certain South American cities, you'll receive complimentary snacks and a hot dish before you reach your destination. For the thirsty, you'll be pleased to hear that this includes beer, wine, and spirits. The same applies if you're traveling to Hawaii from either Dallas-Fort Worth or Chicago.

For transcontinental flyers, you'll receive complimentary meals as part of your ticket but you won't get free drinks, unfortunately. Also, this only applies if you're departing selected airports, like JFK, LAX, BOS, and MIA. For other flights within the U.S., you'll only get free snacks and soft drinks, but you need to be jetting further than 250 miles. While other carriers scale back, American continues to serve up a full dining experience on many of its longer routes.

United Airlines is also not the first choice for all Americans, coming in at 7th place in last year's Condé Nast Traveler's Reader's Choice Awards, in the U.S. airlines category. The airline was even humorously featured in a music video created by the Canadian award-winning singer-songwriter Dave Carroll, who used his lyrics to share the time United broke his guitar. To date, the video, which you can watch here, has been viewed over 27 million times. Still, as with American, there's one area where it continues to deliver: long-haul dining.

For travelers flying internationally from American shores to destinations across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, the South Pacific, and select parts of Latin America — the airline still includes complimentary meal and drink service in economy. This includes bread, a salad, a main, and a dessert. If you're in the air for 12 hours or longer, you'll also get a complimentary mid-flight sandwich and meal before arrival. You'll also get to enjoy free house beer and wines, but you'll need to pay for spirits and liqueurs.

It's a little less lavish if you're flying domestic, though. On flights over 300 miles, you'll only get free snacks, soft drinks, and coffee/tea. If you're willing to pay, you can only buy premium snacks and snackboxes when flying distances over 500 miles within North America, the Caribbean, and most of Latin America. So, if you're traveling domestic, you might want to pack your own in-flight snacks if you're not willing to whip out your card mid-flight.

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Well done is better than well said", something that Delta knows a thing or two about. By staying true to their 1994 tagline, "You'll Love the Way We Fly" the airline has garnered a lot of publicity by having the American people and media sing their praises. The Wall Street Journal ranked them the top U.S airline of 2024 and in the same year, Delta came in first place in Condé Nast Traveler's Reader's Choice Awards. Does Delta offer complimentary in-flight catering, though?

The good news is that if you're flying international long-haul, no matter the class of your seat, you'll get to enjoy free meals and alcoholic beverages. From Delta Main (economy) to Delta One (the best available seat), you'll get to choose an appetizer, main meal, and dessert. For drinks, you'll have free airline booze — beers, wine, and spirits. On Delta One you'll have the added luxury of a pre-departure beverage to savor.

If you're travelling domestic, though, as well as on flights from the U.S. to Canada, Mexico, Central America, or the Caribbean, you'll only get a complimentary hot meal if you're in Delta One. For everyone else, you'll only get snacks and you have to be traveling over 251 miles for that. For booze, it's only travelers in Delta Comfort (one level up from economy) and higher who will get that for free. If you're in economy and looking for something more substantial or alcoholic, you'll need to pull out your card, unfortunately.

Alaska Airlines may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of in-flight fine dining, but the airline has built up a loyal following over the years thanks to a variety of factors. On-time arrivals, affordable seat rates, and an attractive loyalty program are a few of the reasons why time and time again flyers opt for Alaska. What about the catering, though?

According to Reddit, it's a bit of a mixed bag of views. In this thread, one user says, "Some of the best First food I've ever had!", while others had a slightly different view. "Most of the food on Alaska is horrendous. Only the cookies are good," said one user, while another took a more comedic approach on the thread, saying "How long were you in prison?" The golden question, though — is the catering free? The short answer is that you'll need to fork out for a First Class ticket if you're after complimentary dining.

If you're flying in Main Cabin or Premium Class, you'll have to pay for your meals and these are limited depending on the distance you're flying. For example, Alaska's breakfast bowl and French toast breakfast are only available for purchase if you're flying over 1,100 miles. In First Class, you'll get to choose from a curated menu which includes flatbreads, salads, crabcakes, grilled chicken, and more. As for the drinks trolley, all classes get complimentary non-alcoholic drinks but in economy, you'll need to pay for anything with an alcoholic kick.

JetBlue is often praised for its legroom and friendly service, but it's also carved out a name for itself when it comes to in-flight food — especially on transatlantic routes. If you're flying to Europe or the U.K. in JetBlue's Main Cabin, you'll enjoy a complimentary farm-to-tray-table meal curated by New York's Dig Inn. Depending on the time of your flight, this would either be breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

You'll also get to choose for yourself, with the morning options including croissants, chai seed pudding, overnight oats, and more. For lunch and dinner, you can choose antipasto, vegetarian dishes, a chicken grain bowl, sesame noodles, and more. Each comes with a side but you don't have the luxury of choice here. They also offer a pre-arrival light meal where you'll get to choose from a few options.

If you're traveling transatlantic in Mint, the airline's premium class, the options are a bit more extensive and luxurious. For breakfast, you'll get to choose three out of four small dishes, two of which are chilled, and you'll get light bites. It's the same for lunch and dinner but you'll have a dessert thrown in for good measure. On to the drinks — all travelers, regardless of class, get to enjoy free wine and beer, as well as spirits. If you're flying domestic, it's a far more simplistic approach in that you only get snacks and non-alcoholic drinks with your economy ticket. You can purchase food, but the options are limited.

If you're the type of traveler who starts dreaming of your destination the moment you step onboard, Hawaiian Airlines is probably your vibe. Unlike many U.S. carriers that treat inflight meals as a mere afterthought, Hawaiian leans hard into its island identity — and it shows on the food tray. Does Hawaiian Airlines offer complimentary meals, though? It's a yes for all passengers if you're flying routes between North America, the South Pacific, and Asia. Yes, even if you're in economy.

According to Hawaiian, you'll receive island-inspired meals created by the award-winning Hawaiian executive chef Wade Ueoka. The type of meal you'll receive depends on the route you're taking to the islands, with some providing options while on others you get what you receive. If you're flying from New York, for example, you can currently choose between the fusilla pasta and the Chicken Adobo. From the West Coast, there's only one brunch, lunch, or dinner served, depending on what time you depart. The other good news is that you can also bring your own meals onboard if you want.

Outside of the Hawaiian islands, there are exceptions to the complimentary meal. For example, if you're flying between Seattle and Anchorage you'll have to pay for your lunch or dinner, unless you're in First Class. As for drinks, you'll get complimentary beverage service, including beer and wine. Economy passengers can purchase spirits, while guests in First Class enjoy a full drink selection on the house — including island-themed cocktails like the ever-popular Mai Tai.

Air Canada may be headquartered north of the U.S. border, but for American travelers looking for a more elevated economy experience, it's worth keeping on your radar — especially when flying internationally. While not always at the top of domestic U.S. airline rankings, Air Canada has earned praise as the world's leading airline to North America in the World Travel Awards. It's the airline's innovation, service, and customer experience that achieved this recognition. While it's won a bunch of other awards, if the deciding factor for you is free food when flying domestic, this may not be the airline.

For all flights in North America and the Caribbean, you'll have to buy a meal in economy and they're only available on flights of two hours or more. The good news though is that you'll receive free beer and wine when flying within Canada and the U.S regardless of the seat. In Premium Economy, the meal is free, but you'll only get this if you're flying longer than two hours. With a Business Class seat, you'll get to enjoy a premium meal tray on the house. If you're flying further afield, complimentary meals for all classes are offered on all direct non-stop international flights.

How much do meals cost when flying between Canada and the U.S.? According to Air Canada, you're looking at $11.95 for a chicken wrap or smoked meat sandwich, and $17.95 for a Business Class meal. This is another case of it depends on your seat class and where exactly you're flying.

When it comes to flying between the U.S. and Europe, as one of the largest airlines in the world, British Airways is a popular option. It doesn't feature very high on the best airlines across the globe list, though. Earlier this year it was ranked in 13th place in the 2025 World Airline Awards in the Top 20 category. It did, however, rank in second place in the most family-friendly category. You're not here to find out where it sits in the airline awards list, though — so is the catering free or not?

While some international airlines have pared down their in-flight offerings in economy, British Airways continues to serve full complimentary meals and drinks in their World Traveller cabin (that's their version of economy) on all long-haul flights to and from the United States. Once you're in the air, expect to be handed a starter, a main course, and dessert. If you're flying on longer flights, you'll also get mid-flight snacks and a second meal. Being British, you can also expect complimentary tea.

You'll typically be given a choice between two or three main dishes, including a vegetarian option. The airline updates its menu offerings regularly to reflect seasonal ingredients and regional influences. They're also big on making sure that flyers don't go thirsty. All passengers are offered a selection of hot beverages, soft drinks, and alcoholic options, including red and white wine, beer, and a limited selection of spirits — all at no extra charge.

Hailing from the Middle East, Qatar often features right at the top of the best airlines in the world list. Described as the "Oscars of the aviation industry", the Skytrax World Airline Awards gave them top spot this year. It's not the first time either — Qatar has been named the best global airline by Skytrax a total of nine times. What is their in-flight catering like, though? It's rated as a 5-Star Airline, with food and drink service forming a key component to this certification. Also, in Food & Wine's list of the 2025 top international airlines for food and drink, the airline came in third place.

So, yes, the food and drink service is pretty good. Their approach to offering this on flights is even better, with all seats worthy of complimentary in-flight catering, including flights in and out of the U.S. This includes freshly prepared meals where you can choose from a few options, covering both Middle Eastern and international dishes. You also get the full package on drinks, where even in economy you'll get to enjoy free beer, wines, and spirits.

If you're lavish enough to fly First Class, you'll be treated to an on-demand à la carte menu. That's right – meals whenever you want and more than enough space around your seat to enjoy them. This includes starters, mains, dessert, and even a cheese platter. There's a good reason they're often rated the best airline in the world.

When it comes to flying between the U.S. and Asia, ANA (All Nippon Airways) continues to raise the bar in both hospitality and in-flight dining. As Japan's largest airline, it's certified as a 5-star airline by Skytrax and came in at number five on the world's Top 10 airlines of 2025 awards. As with many other leading airlines, it also offers complimentary meals and drinks on all international flights, regardless of class.

When flying between the U.S. and Asia, in economy you'll get to enjoy up to two meals depending on the length of the flight, where you can choose from Japanese or Western cuisine. The options depend on the route, but if you're going from LAX to Tokyo for example, a few choices include chicken and eggs over steamed rice, beef stew in red wine, chicken penne, and more.

If you're flying First Class, a wide variety of premium Japanese dishes will await you, including starters, soups, mains, and desserts. As for the drinks, while all the usual options will be available in all classes, you'll also be able to get your hands on the fermented rice drink, Sake, even in economy. You can also sit back and enjoy a Japanese hot or cold tea if that's your thing, or the Kayanoya vegetable soup (made from Japanese soup stock), which oddly enough is on the drinks menu.