When you pay for First Class, whether with cash, miles or an upgrade, you generally expect more than a wider seat and an earlier boarding group. On flights long enough to include meal service, you also hope the food will be at least somewhat better than what you would receive if you were in the back of the plane.
But there’s a problem: even when an airline serves meals in First Class, you may not get the option you wanted by the time the flight attendant reaches your seat. That is especially true if you’re seated toward the back of the cabin or on a flight where one meal choice is far more popular than the others.
I previously wrote about this after looking at the preorder options for an American Airlines domestic First Class flight. The lesson was simple: if an airline lets you choose your meal ahead of time, there’s very little reason to leave that decision until you’re already on the plane.
American isn’t alone in offering this option. Several U.S. airlines allow First Class or other premium-cabin passengers to select their meals before departure, and in some cases, preordering may provide access to choices that aren’t available once you’re onboard.
Why Preordering Your First Class Meal Matters
Preordering doesn’t magically turn an airplane meal into a restaurant-quality dinner. However, it can improve your odds of getting something you actually want to eat.
Depending on the airline, passengers who preorder may see more choices than those who wait until they’re onboard. In other cases, preordering simply reserves your preferred option before the limited number of meals loaded for onboard selection are gone.
Either way, if you receive an email or see an option in the airline app asking you to select your meal before a First Class flight, it’s worth taking a few minutes to look at the menu.
American Airlines
American Airlines was the reason I originally wrote about preordering domestic First Class meals. The airline calls its program Premium Dining, and eligible premium-cabin passengers can order online beginning 30 days before departure and no later than 20 hours before takeoff.
If your flight is eligible, American says a “Reserve a meal” option will appear when you access your trip online or through the American app. The problem for anyone trying to plan ahead is that American doesn’t publish a full list of domestic First Class meals that applies across all routes. Its public First Class page only gives general examples, including short rib, charcuterie plates, grain bowls and entrée salads.
There are, however, some current examples that American has officially announced. As part of its 100th anniversary celebration, American introduced a limited-time domestic First Class menu featuring Beef Wellington with roasted vegetables, asparagus and béarnaise sauce, along with Waldorf salad and pecan tart. Those dishes are scheduled to be available through August 2026. American has also announced that its Classic American Sliders and Fries, now served with Smash Kitchen condiments, are available to domestic First Class passengers when preordered through aa.com or the American app.
That’s an important distinction: on American, preordering may not simply mean selecting between the two meals being offered onboard. It can mean gaining access to an option that must be requested in advance.
American preorder window: 30 days before departure until 20 hours before takeoff on eligible flights.
Delta Air Lines
Delta also lets eligible First Class passengers choose their meal in advance. According to Delta’s information about its inflight meal program, First Class customers can make and edit their entrée selection beginning seven days before departure, using the Fly Delta app or a link provided by email. Selections must be completed at least 24 hours before departure.
Delta has also used advance meal selection to offer choices that passengers might specifically seek out. For example, the airline’s Shake Shack Cheeseburger is available as an entrée choice for eligible Delta First passengers on routes over 900 miles from participating airports.
That is the kind of selection where preordering makes a difference. If you know you’d prefer the burger over whatever standard choices might remain during onboard service, it makes sense to reserve it when the option appears.
Delta preorder window: Beginning 7 days before departure until 24 hours before takeoff on eligible flights.
United Airlines
United’s preorder meal page states that advance meal ordering is available in United First, United Business, United Premium Plus and Economy on certain flights. For an eligible United First flight, passengers can access their trip through the United app or website to see whether preorder meals are available.
United is also an interesting example because its preorder program is no longer limited to premium cabins. In January 2026, United announced that Economy passengers on eligible longer flights could preorder fresh Bistro on Board meals and retail items before departure. For First Class passengers, however, the basic reason to preorder remains the same: selecting in advance gives you a better chance of receiving the entrée you actually prefer.
United preorder availability: Offered in United First on eligible meal-service flights; check your reservation through the United app or website for available choices and deadlines.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines has one of the most straightforward preorder programs. According to Alaska’s First Class dining page, First Class passengers can preorder food through the Alaska app or alaskaair.com from two weeks before departure until 20 hours before the flight.
Alaska says vegan and gluten-free items are available for preorder on most First Class flights. The airline has also leaned into advance meal selection across multiple cabins, with many fresh food items in Main Cabin and Premium Class requiring preorder rather than simply being available for purchase once onboard.
This is particularly helpful if you are looking for something lighter, vegetarian or simply more appealing than waiting to find out what remains during inflight service.
Alaska preorder window: 2 weeks before departure until 20 hours before takeoff.
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines now belongs to the same airline group as Alaska, but it continues to operate its own onboard dining program. In a recent announcement about its inflight meal service, Hawaiian confirmed that First Class meal preselection is already available.
Hawaiian says First Class passengers will still receive a meal even if they don’t select one ahead of time. However, the airline recommends preselecting to improve the chance of receiving your preferred choice. Orders can be made through the Alaska Hawaiian mobile app or through the “My Trips” section of Hawaiian’s website from two weeks before departure until 20 hours before the flight.
Hawaiian is also expanding advance meal ordering beyond First Class. Beginning July 1, 2026, Main Cabin passengers on most domestic flights between Hawaii and the continental United States will be able to preorder meals for purchase, although the Honolulu-New York/JFK route is excluded from that change.
Hawaiian First Class preorder window: 2 weeks before departure until 20 hours before takeoff on eligible flights.
What About JetBlue Mint?
JetBlue is a little different. Mint offers one of the more distinctive premium-cabin dining experiences among U.S. airlines, and JetBlue publishes Mint dining menus online.
However, I couldn’t find a standard advance entrée-selection program for Mint that works the same way as the programs offered by American, Delta, United, Alaska and Hawaiian. JetBlue does allow eligible passengers to request special meals through Manage Trips at least 24 hours before departure, but that’s intended for dietary needs rather than simply reserving your preferred regular menu choice.
Which U.S. Airlines Let First Class Passengers Preorder Meals?
| Airline | Advance Meal Selection | Window Or Details |
| American Airlines | Yes, on eligible premium-cabin flights | 30 days until 20 hours before departure |
| Delta Air Lines | Yes, on eligible First Class flights | 7 days until 24 hours before departure |
| United Airlines | Yes, on eligible United First flights | Check reservation for availability and deadline |
| Alaska Airlines | Yes, in First Class on eligible flights | 2 weeks until 20 hours before departure |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Yes, in First Class on eligible flights | 2 weeks until 20 hours before departure |
| JetBlue Mint | Special meals only | Dietary-request meals available at least 24 hours before departure |
Not Every First Class Flight Includes A Meal
There’s one other important point to remember: booking First Class doesn’t automatically mean you’ll receive a full meal. Eligibility generally depends on factors such as flight distance, time of day, route and whether the airline offers meal service for that particular flight.
So even if an airline offers advance meal selection, you’ll only see the option when your particular flight qualifies. The easiest way to check is to pull up your reservation in the airline’s app or website as your travel date approaches.
Final Thought
When I originally wrote about preordering First Class meals, I focused on American Airlines because I could see the expanded menu choices for one of my flights. The lesson still holds, but it applies to more than one airline.
If you’re flying First Class on American, Delta, United, Alaska or Hawaiian and your flight includes meal service, check your reservation before departure. You may have more choices than you would receive onboard, and even if the menu is the same, reserving your preferred meal in advance means you’re less likely to hear the disappointing words: “Sorry, we’re out of that one.”
Cover Photo courtesy of American Airlines
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