At long last, United Airlines is bringing its business class catering on premium transcontinental flights back up to pre-pandemic levels with the return of appetizers and an enhanced pre-arrival service. I’ve updated this post to include full menus.
United Airlines Brings Back Linens, Appetizers To Premium Transcontinental Routes
While United has widely restored its pre-pandemic catering to both domestic and international routes, its premium transcontinental routes between Newark (EWR) and San Francisco (SFO) / Los Angeles (LAX) have curiously remained stuck in a twilight zone.
Yes, the dessert cart has returned–reminiscent of an international flight–but menu choices have remained more limited than other domestic routes and there have been no appetizers served with meals. Meanwhile, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and JetBlue Airways offer far heartier meals on their premium domestic routes.
Starting November 15, 2024, United will elevate the premium transcontinental dining experience for business class passengers including the addition of linens, an “elevated” wine selection, and the addition of an appetizer. A larger pre-arrival meal with both hot and cold options plus a side salad will also be served.
A memo reviewed by Live And Let’s Fly outlines the new service flow:
- Main meal service
- Introduction of pre-meal beverage cart with linen placement and cocktail snacks
- Choice of elevated wine selections
- Adding an appetizer to the main meal tray setup
- Pre-order for customers with four entrees to choose from
- Pre-arrival
- Introduction of hot towel service
- Full-size tray delivery with:
- Salad, appetizer, and choice of entree pre-plated in casserole dish
- Introduction of three choices of entrees, including two hot options and one cold
Currently, United offers a small tapas plate (meat and cheese or Medieterian) on afternoon and evening flights and a warm croissant with yogurt on redeye flights as the pre-arrival snack.
Sample Menu – Wow!
PTahCha on FlyerTalk shared the following menu from his upcoming December flight (United now posts menus in advance) and I must say that this appears to be a genuine upgrade. The addition of an appetizer and heartier pre-arrival meal is appreciated, but the big upgrade to me appears to be the main courses…these look great and represent a huge upgrade over standard domestic premium cabin meals.
Considering American Airlines and Delta Air Lines only offer cookies or a snack basket after the main meal service, United may actually be offering a superior meal… that will depend, of course, on the quality of the food.
United also sent me a look at what the menus will look like as of November 15, 2024. Take a look:
- Entrees
- East Coast
- Pan-seared mid-Atlantic rockfish with sauteed green beans, roasted Yukon gold potato wedges and vierge
- Garlic roasted chicken with calabrian chili butter, caramelized carrots and thyme roasted fingerling potatoes
- Seared beef filet with steak fries, green beans and peppercorn sauce
- Spinach and ricotta cannelloni with rustic tomato sauce and parmesan sauce
- West Coast
- Sauteed beef filet with green beans, sweet potato gratin and thyme demi glaze
- Pan roasted Chilean Seabass with braised red wine lentils, roasted asparagus and bordelaise sauce
- Chili garlic roasted chicken breast with fingerling potatoes and charred broccolini
- Creamy wild mushroom ragout with mascarpone polenta, garlic spinach and roasted cherry tomatoes
- East Coast
- Pre-Arrival Meals
- East Coast
- Maryland style crabcakes with succotash and remoulade sauce
- Cavatelli pasta with forest mushroom cream sauce and topped with fresh arugula
- Tuscan kale romaine salad with roasted heirloom tomatoes, focaccia croutons, side of grilled chicken and creamy roasted garlic dressing
- West Coast
- Radiatori pasta with rustic tomato sauce, roasted zucchini and goat cheese
- Cod fritter with minted smash peas and grilled lemon slices
- Mixed green salad with heirloom tomatoes, bacon, egg, side of grilled chicken and green goddess dressing
- East Coast
No Meals In EconomyPlus
Prior to the pandemic, United Airlines served complimentary meals in EconomyPlus, United’s extra-legroom economy class section, on these routes, something American Airlines still does on its premium transcontinental routes from New York (JFK). The memo does not mention any change in economy class catering. In addition to free sweet and savory snacks, United offers several fresh and pre-packaged foods for sale on longer flights.
CONCLUSION
United appears to be on the cusp of restoring its premium transcontinental service to 2019 levels (and perhaps even surpassing it with a larger pre-arrival meal). This change is long overdue and applauded, especially considering the prices United is charging for these flights. I look forward to reporting on what the new meal service is like.
This is good to hear, but considering eastbound flights can be less than 5 hours in the winter, I would rather UA allocate the budget for the pre-arrival snack to the main meal service.
What would be ideal (but I suppose current staffing levels makes it impossible) is a wholly on-demand service with a wide range of menu items that could be requested at any time during the flight. That would really distinguish United nicely on these premium routes.
Staffing and aircraft configuration . There is not enough ovens to be running that service .
Airlines attempted that on demand service to Australia and it failed . They went back to standard service to “align with othe market service standards “. It is not happening .
@Matthew … I notice the menu has airline fish , cheese , eggs , bacon , etc . All icky . What happened to normal food ?
Icky? This menu looks great to me.
@Matthew … Fine . I would select the roast chicken .
I would also select the JAL menu you reported on other post .
given that there is an O cabin, I can see why no meals in E+. You get a J meal in O. Want a meal? Buy O
Will this also apply to the Long Haul Hawaii flights? Those are the only flights that really need 2 full meal services
Hawaiian flights to/from Denver/Houston/Chicago/Newark/Washington already service a second meal before landing.
While you’re right about premium economy, United flies may 757-200 and 777-200 jets on these premium transcon routes without a premium economy cabin.
I meant the appetizer and the elevated first meal. Would those also apply to Hawaii?
Nope. No changes to those flights in this memo.
Derek,
Currently, the long haul Hawaii (DEN,IAH,ORD,EWR,IAD, & GUM) have two full meals in first plus a snack basket available between meals.
They usually are either full breakfast or lunch that you can preorder. The landing meal is either a teriyaki burger or a noodle salad both with a side of fruit and desert.
It’s not quite ‘Polaris’ quality but you are fed a good amount of food. (Plus you can request whatever you want from economy.)
Was on a long haul HI in April. Yes, they do feed you quite a bit
Just wish the sundae cart would return to those flights
sure would be nice if they improved their meals/service in international Polaris ….
United would certainly be better than Delta with these changes. Delta serves a pre arrival cookie and that’s it. I’ve flow BOS-LAX a lot recently in D1 and I think more than a cookie is warranted for a pre arrival snack on a 6.5 hour flight.
AA is the same with just a pre-arrival cookie. Now the big question is, does UA still consider BOS-LAX a premium transcon route, and will it be getting these catering improvements?
No. BOS-LAX ws never considered by UA to be premium transcon and BOS-SFO no longer is considered premium transcon by United.
Great to see the investment, but would rather the larger prearrival be allocated to a proper appetizer and salad / soup course for the main meal and the beverages. I’d hate to see them roll it out, get feedback, and think that they can just cut the pre-arrival and not reinvest in the main service.
And let me clarify – separate app/salad/soup kind of course from the main course, like on Polaris intl
Thank goodness. I was on LAX-EWR this summer, and the meal was the same disgusting slop I had on my non-premium flights (DCA-DEN, DEN-SBA) that I had on my way out to Southern California. The one distinguishing feature was the dessert cart, but other than that, trash. I did enjoy the Polaris seat on the 787 though – that was comfortable as always.
Couldn’t UA have Tom Colicchio create the starter with scallops, main including crispy rice with gochujang and lamb by Bobby Flay and dessert by Martha Stewart?
Having already made reservations from IAD to HNL this February and having been appalled at what they had to offer when I went a few months ago all I can say is we’ll see.
I racked up millions of miles on UAL from IAD to LHR and SYD when the food and service was awesome. It is now abysmal. I now take the ME3 overseas instead and skip LHR and LAX/SFO.
Qatar, ANA, Etihad or Emirates blow UAL and any other US airline out of the water when it comes to leaving the US from IAD and heading to Australia, Asia or Africa. For the same or less $.
As you can guess IAD is my home airport hence I fly UAL a lot domestically. I wish I didn’t have to.
My millions of miles might get my wife and I business to Sydney. I’d rather go through the ME and just pay for it. I can give the miles to a charity that needs them.
I really wish UAL would get it back together and rise above again. Alas.
United still has the worst catering of the US3.
“I look forward to reporting on what the new meal service is like.”
While it’s good to see an increase in quantity of food served, it would be even nicer to see an increase in quality as well.
Yes indeed.
“something American Airlines still does on its premium transcontinental routes from New York (JFK)”
American does not offer food service to main cabin extra.
There’s no premium economy on transcontinental American flights out of JFK
AA offers food to all economy class passengers on the A321T between LAX/SFO/SNA-JFK.
Nice to see the actual menu, and better quality, just wish they could deliver the app/salad separately before the main so there isn’t a rush to eat it. That would make this a winner and best in the market.
Seeing the Italian touch from Mr Nocella, also vibes of Delta circa 2012.
Agreed that serving the salad and appetizer separately would be nice, at least on daytime flights.
I think the pre-arrival meal will be a big hit on the breakfast flights.
Still prefer AA transcon business class menu selection and especially the ice cream sundae with all toppings!
I just traveled to AMS from IAD and noticed the dessert cart and you are correct that the meal was much better than in recent years.
AA in theory offers more on transcontinental flights but my last few didn’t. No pre-arrival snacks. Hell, no PDB even. One didn’t have bread or dessert. I know PHL doesn’t get the same service as MIA or JFK but it has been worse than a mid-con lately. I complAAined and they don’t care. Switching to United for LA flights.