Guide to onboard food & beverage service during the pandemic (August 2020)
One of Alaska Airlines’ Signature Fruit and Cheese Platter, alongside Biscoff cookies.
Image: The Window Flyer
Reduced Airline Food Service during Covid-19
Flying soon or thinking about booking an upcoming flight? Your onboard food and beverage service will most likely be modified throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since March, numerous airlines began temporarily cutting back and suspending onboard food and beverage offerings in an effort to limit contact between passengers and flight attendants, and to also trim their costs during a time of steep travel decline. As we continue to learn more about how the virus is transmitted and as passenger traffic numbers recover, some of that service has since been gradually restored, however, airlines are still running a modified or reduced service.
On-board food service beginning to be restored
So what is food and beverage service currently like onboard each of the major air carriers in the U.S.? Each airline has separate and varying policies on level of service provided, but they are generally guided by how long a flight is.
The information below is as of August 16, 2020. Airlines are updating their offerings from time-to-time; for example, from the time we began our initial research for this post to the time of publishing it, Alaska swapped out their snack box offering in First Class with their fresh Signature Fruit & Cheese Platter (pictured above in pre-pandemic times). In other words, be sure to check your airline’s website for any updated info before you book or fly.
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Alaska’s modified onboard service is currently determined by the length of flight and cabin.
For flights under 350 miles
No food or beverage service is available.
For flights above 350 miles
First Class
Limited selection of sodas, water, orange juice, coffee, and tea
Selection of several beers and wines
Snack basket service
Alaska’s Signature Fruit & Cheese Platter (only available on flights over 670 miles departing 5:00am – 8:00pm)
Premium Class
Limited selection of sodas, water, orange juice, coffee, and tea
Selection of several beers and wines
No food
Main Cabin
Limited selection of sodas, water, orange juice, coffee, and tea
No food
Allegiant Air
Allegiant has a 100% buy-on-board program. Per its website, the airline does not appear to be limiting its onboard offerings, instead touting that it has placed its inflight menu on its mobile app and that all inflight food and beverage items are pre-packaged and factory-sealed when served. We’ve reached out to Allegiant for additional comment and will update this post as needed.
Update 8/17: We’ve received a response from Allegiant via Twitter that confirms they have their full buy-on-board offerings.
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American’s service is based on flight length and destination:
For flights under 900 miles
First Class
Water, canned drinks, and juice by request only
Alcohol by request only
Main Cabin
Water, canned drinks, and juice by request only
No food or alcohol available
For flights between 900 and 2,199 miles, and up to 4.5 hours
First Class
Pretzels or Biscoff and bottled water during boarding
Fruit and cheese plate (except on American Eagle flights)
Breakfast box (except on American Eagle flights) before 9:45am
Drinks, including alcohol, by request only
No pre-departure beverage
Main Cabin
Pretzels or Biscoff and bottled water during boarding
No food or alcohol during flight
Water, canned drinks, and juice by request only
For flights over 2,200 miles or over 4.5 hours
First and Business Class:
Pretzels or Biscoff and choice of water, canned drinks, or juice
Alcoholic beverages
No pre-departure beverage
Fruit and cheese plate
Breakfast box before 9:45am, including on transcontinental and Hawaii flights
Meals served on a single tray. Some flights may substitute with a fruit and cheese plate and snack basket service
Main Cabin:
Pretzels or Biscoff and choice of water, canned drinks, or juice
No food or snacks for purchase
No alcohol or meals, except on long-haul international flights
Delta AIr Lines
Delta’s offerings vary by flight length and destination.
U.S. Domestic and International flights to Mexico, Canada, Caribbean, and Central America
Flights under 350 miles:
No service
Flights 350 to 900 miles
Snacks provided
Small water bottle only
Complimentary beer and wine (only on flights longer than 500 miles in Delta Comfort+ and First Class cabins)
Flights 900 to 1,500 miles
Snacks and snack box (First Class)
Snacks (Main Cabin or Delta Comfort+)
Small water bottle only
Complimentary beer and wine (Delta Comfort+ and First Class cabins)
Flights longer than 1,500 miles
Snacks and snack box (First Class or Delta One)
Snacks (Main Cabin or Delta Comfort+)
Small water bottle only
Complimentary beer and wine (Delta Comfort+ and First Class cabins)
On all other international flights, service varies by cabin
Delta One
Pre-departure beverage is bottled water only
Entrée, bread, and dessert
Full selection of beverage offerings, alcoholic and non-alcoholic
Delta Premium Select
Entrée, salad, bread, and dessert
Full selection of beverage offerings, alcoholic and non-alcoholic
Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin
Entrée and dessert
Full selection of beverage offerings, alcoholic and non-alcoholic
Frontier AIrlines
Frontier, which has a 100% buy-on-board service, has limited the beverage items for purchase, and appears to have eliminated food service.
jetBlue Airways
JetBlue has temporarily suspended its usual beverage service, including hot and iced drinks, as well as its usual snack basket service and Grab & Go snacks from its Pantry. Additionally, it has suspended its buy onboard food and beverage offerings. In its place, the airline is providing a snack and bottle of water in a pre-sealed bag.
ADVERTISEMENTSouthwest AIrlines
Southwest’s service changes are pretty straightforward and depend on flight length.
Flights under 250 miles
All service is suspended
Flights above 250 miles
Water and a snack are the only offerings
Spirit Airlines
Spirit has a 100% buy-on-board program. While they do not have information posted on their website specifically pertaining to food and beverage service during the pandemic, we reached out to Spirit via Twitter and they confirmed that they have their full offerings available for purchase.
Sun Country Airlines
Per their website, Sun Country has suspended all inflight food and beverage until further notice, including complementary beverage service and buy-on-board service. The airline encourages its customers to bring their own food and non-alcoholic beverages on board and reiterates that per FAA regulations, passengers are prohibited from consuming their own alcohol on board.
United Airlines
United’s offerings vary depending on flight duration and destination
Beverages
Sealed beverages on all flights
On flights under 1 hours, beverages must be requested
Coffee and tea available on flights departing before 9:45 am and on all international and premium transcontinental flights
Alcoholic beverages available; pricing depends on cabin
Domestic flights
Economy
Flights under 2 hours and 20 minutes: No snacks
Flights over 2 hours and 20 minutes: Snack bag with sanitizing wipe, small water bottle, and two snacks
First Class
Flights under 1 hour: No snacks
Flights between 1 hour and 2 hour and 20 minutes snack bag with sanitizing wipe, small water bottle, and two snacks
Snack box for flights over 2 hours and 20 minutes
Premium transcontinental flights
Economy or Economy Plus
Snack bag with sanitizing wipe, small water bottle, and two snacks
Premium cabin
Entrée
Pre-packaged snack before arrival
International flights
Economy
Entrée, snack, and dessert, as well as pre-packaged items during mid-flight and before arrival
Premium Plus and Polaris
Entrée, dessert, and bread, as well as pre-packaged snack during midflight, and a fresh packaged meal before arrival on select flights
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