For this year’s final Meal of the Week, I count down my top 10 airline meals of 2018.
To be clear, these are only the best meals I have enjoyed over the last year, not my top 10 all-time list. You’ll notice three of the ten on the list are from United. Understand one reason is because I traveled over 65 segments on United this year…a few meals were bound to appear on the list.
10. United Airlines, LAX-DEN
My second best domestic breakfast of the year goes to a United flight that clocked in under two hours. The kale-egg white puff pastry was extremely flavorful. Served piping hot with Cholula hot sauce, it was an excellent breakfast and the best in the current United rotation.
9. Malaysia Airlines First Class, KUL-NRT
An even better breakfast was enjoyed on a Malaysia Airlines A350 in first class (now foolishly called “Business Suites”) from Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo. It was a multi-course feast that included fresh fruit and yogurt, freshly scrambled eggs onboard, and delicious pancakes.
> Read More: Malaysia Airlines A350 First Class Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo Review
8. United Airlines Business Class, EWR-LAX
Perhaps the winner of the unhealthiest breakfast of the year, I certainly appreciated the delicious icing and sweet berry sauce the French Toast was drenched in. Definitely a fat/carb bomb, but totally worthwhile.
> Read More: An Addictive, Delicious Breakfast in United Business Class
7. Hong Kong Airlines, LAX-HKG
My rack of lamb of main course was superb…brimming with flavor, limited in fat, and cooked a very nice medium. The cheese course on this flight was even better than Air France first class…at least I enjoyed it more.
> Read More: Hong Kong Airlines A350 Business Class Los Angeles To Hong Kong
6. Lufthansa First Class, IAH-FRA
While it is often detrimental to order any sort of meat dish on Lufthansa, you cannot go wrong with the pasta. I enjoyed a wonderful pasta dish from Houston to Frankfurt with roasted vegetables and pesto sauce.
> Read More: Lufthansa A380 First Class Houston to Frankfurt
5. Middle East Airlines Business Class, BEY-FRA
Kanafeh for breakfast…what more could I ask for? I love Kanafeh and Middle East Airlines offered a very delicious version.
> Read More: Middle East Airlines A330 Business Class Beirut To Frankfurt
4. United Airlines Business Class, NRT-LAX
My best steak of the year goes to United Airlines. I enjoyed a superb filet mignon from Tokyo Narita to Los Angeles. Well-done, er medium-rare, United!
> Read More: Wow! A Perfect Steak on United Airlines
3. Lufthansa First Class, LAX-MUC
I love that the crew tried so hard to accommodate my medium rare request for this beef-bison combo. While it still came out on the medium well side (after they ruined the first one), it was a very delicious main course and excellent meal overall.
> Read More: Lufthansa A380 First Class Los Angeles to Munich
2. Air France Business Class, CDG-DXB
Air France knows how to do food well. My cod with fennel and leeks from Paris to Dubai was my best fish dish of the year. The entire meal was excellent.
> Read More: Air France 777-300ER Business Class Paris To Dubai
1. Air France First Class, LAX-CDG
It certainly wasn’t the main course–I had better steaks on Lufthansa and United. But the combo of soup, caviar, salad, cheese, and dessert together made this the best meal of the year.
> Read More: Air France First Class: Wow, Wow, Wow!
CONCLUSION
Air France took both the top slot and first-runner-up this year and it’s really not a short-term infatuation with the French carrier. I loved the food on both flights. But I also enjoyed nice meals on Lufthansa, United, Malaysia Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, and Middle East Airlines this year. Here’s to more great dining in 2019!
What was your favorite airline meal in 2018?
Someone should start a blog about only airline food. Maybe call it flightbites? Anyone?
Why not you?
No Japan Airlines?
Pretty much all of my on-board meals were unmemorable, except for one – breakfast before landing in CDG on AF F. They served this delightful warm bread pudding with berry sauce. It was spectacularly delicious. I don’t even eat breakfast all that often, so if I’m impressed by it, you know it’s good.
My top 10 this year:
* – economy class
10. Air Canada YYZ-TLV
9. Qatar DOH-HKG*
8. Singapore Airlines NRT-SIN*
7. SWISS BOS-ZRH
6. KLM AMS-HKG
5. Qantas HKG-SYD
4. Cathay Pacific HKG-YVR
3. JAL JFK-NRT
2. Alitalia JFK-FCO
1. Air France DFW-CDG
And top 10 worst:
10. Aeroflot SVO-JFK
9. Delta SFO-JFK
8. Brussels Airlines IAD-BRU*
7. Korean Air ICN-SFO
6. Egyptair CAI-YYZ
5. United (too many to list, but especially the gross meal I received EWR-LHR)
4. Air India JFK-DEL*
3. British Airways (2 awful ones, JFK-LHR and LHR-YYZ*)
2. SAS (couldn’t even stomach it, SFO-CPH*)
1. American (many here, mainly domestic, but one particular bad one DFW-LHR)
Would love to see if your worst meals list included UA’s disgusting “protein bowl” breakfast. I’m not sure whether it or the malevolent FA that served it was worst.
Hi !
As an Air France staff, I was delighted to read your comments.
I wish you many more nice and yummy flights onboard Air France in the futur.
Best regards.
One of the best airline meals was Auckland to Doha on Qatar Airways. What an amazing meal in the flight both business and economy class.