U.S. Airplane Food Is Getting Better, If You’re Flying First Class

Some of the 30 million passengers expected to fly domestically over this Thanksgiving holiday may be stunned by what’s available to eat and drink 30,000 feet up in the sky.

To entice more travelers to pay premium fares and better stand out from the competition, major U.S. carriers have been significantly expanding their food and beverage offerings to elite-class passengers, providing menus created by celebrated chefs, wine pairings selected by master sommeliers and specialty meals available for preorder. There are onboard espresso martinis, dessert carts and even tapas service. Some passengers believe the complimentary meal and beverage service in the most expensive cabins is the best it’s ever been, both in breadth of options and in taste.

“The competition for your business is more intense and each airline is hoping for a piece of the travel resurgence pie, and that has helped in pushing airlines to enhance their menus and wine lists,” said Bobby Laurie, a former flight attendant and a co-host of the travel show “The Jet Set.”

The rest of us in economy class, where the food hasn’t changed much, will still be dreaming of Grandma’s roast turkey and trimmings, or even simply a fresh salad. From the standard pretzels and Biscoff cookies to pricey cheese plates and sandwiches, the chasm between premier and main cabins continues to widen. First, it was reduced seat space and extra fees. Now, it’s in-flight dining.

Wine vs. waffles

What is available to eat and drink on board has always varied widely by airline, and depends on both the class and distance traveled. International flights generally include complimentary meals and beverages regardless of class, and the in-flight catering — particularly on foreign carriers — is known to be more elaborate and generally considered to be of higher quality.

But any budget traveler knows not to expect food in economy cabins on domestic flights — if available, it’s usually a snack box or sandwich, for purchase. On low-cost carriers like Frontier Airlines, there are no complimentary meals or snacks at all. In its latest update to its menu of packaged snacks for purchase, the airline added an Eggo waffle, costing around $5.

As economy passengers weigh ready-to-eat waffles against growling stomachs, premium passengers, increasingly important to revenue growth for U.S. carriers, will be considering terroir and bouquet.

Last month, Delta Air Lines announced that 17 new wines, curated with the master…