Before you even pick a seat, you can now peek at the caviar service on Emirates, the Shake Shack burger on Delta, or the vegan curry on Singapore Airlines—all from your phone. Most global carriers publish digital menus 7–14 days before departure, and AwardFares now surfaces many of them in a single click. This guide rounds up every major airline’s menu portal, when each one unlocks, and the quirks you need to know.

TL;DR – Quick Summary

  • Digital menus are live on 12+ marquee airlines; typical release window is 7-14 days pre-flight.
  • Emirates, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Iberia, Qatar Airways, Delta, JAL and others all let you look up food and wine with just a flight number.
  • Delta, Emirates Business, and Qatar let you pre-order entrées once menus open.
  • AwardFares’ new Onboard Menu feature aggregates wine lists from Emirates, Delta, Singapore Airlines, and Iberia, with more carriers in the pipeline.

Why Bother Checking a Menu in Advance?

  1. Cabin comparison: Knowing Business Class serves Krug while Premium Economy pours prosecco can justify a mileage splurge.
  2. Dietary peace-of-mind: Verify vegan, halal, gluten-free, or allergy-friendly options ahead of time.
  3. Pre-order perks: Some carriers reserve the signature dish for those who choose early.
  4. Wine pairings: Serious oenophiles can align travel dates with limited-edition pours (e.g., the Emirates Vintage Collection).

How to Check the Menu on Your Next Flight? (In-Flight Menu)

1. AwardFares Onboard Menu Tool (Beta)

AwardFares now surfaces airline wine lists directly in search results. At launch it supports Emirates, Delta, Singapore Airlines and Iberia, with more carriers rolling out each month. Simply hit the 🍷 icon next to your flight and a pop-up shows the latest PDF or HTML list—no hunting through airline sites.

How To Use the Onboard Menu Tool?

  1. Enter your flight details (Origin, Destination, Flight number, Departure date, Cabin). Works for Emirates, Delta, Singapore Airlines and Iberia.
  2. Tap on Search
  3. The onboard wine lists will display on the right pane.
Check your onboard menu and wine list with AwardFares Onboard Menu tool

2. Airline Websites & Apps

Pro tip: Many portals need both flight number and departure date. If your record locator isn’t ticketed yet, search by route.

3. Third-Party Menu Trackers

The best independently curated resource for airline food is Inflight Feed, which features up-to-date photos, menu screenshots, and passenger reviews—especially useful when airlines only offer limited PDFs or regional menu samples.

Inflight Feed: The best independent airline food directory

Limitations & Gotchas

  • Delta only shows menus 7 days out and requires an issued ticket for pre-ordering.
  • Qatar Airways currently displays Economy-class menus online; Premium cabins still rely on PDFs or seat-back browsing.
  • Iberia updates its Business wine list quarterly—older PDFs can linger on Google. Double-check the date stamp.
  • Finnair locks pre-selection at 24h before departure, so edits after that require phone support.
  • Air France is experimenting with buy-on-board on some short-haul routes, so free meal assumptions may be outdated.

Airline-by-Airline Deep Dives

Aer Lingus

Cuisine Snapshot – Taste of Ireland
Aer Lingus Business menus lean into modern Irish fare—think Kilkeel crab, Hereford beef, and farmhouse cheeses—curated in partnership with the famed Irish caterer Gate Gourmet.

Cabins covered: Business Class (long-haul only)
How to access: A sample menu is available for long-haul Business Class directly on Aer Lingus’ website. No flight number is needed.

Air Canada

Cuisine Snapshot – Canada on a Plate
Partnering with chefs David Hawksworth and Vikram Vij, Air Canada blends Pacific-Northwest flavors with Canadian comfort staples.

Cabins covered: Economy, Premium Economy, Business (Signature) Class
How to access: Separate pages exist for each cabin. You can preview menus up to 7 days ahead by searching your route.

Air India

Cuisine Snapshot – Masala Meets Modern
Expect Awadhi biryani, Goan fish curry, and onboard rotis. First Class guests enjoy mithai and traditional desserts.

Cabins covered: Economy, Business, First Class (international only)
How to access: Enter your flight number or route to preview menus for the current and following month.

All Nippon Airways (ANA)

Cuisine Snapshot – Washoku with a Twist
Seasonal kaiseki sets with Hokkaido seafood and wagyu, curated by a panel of top chefs and sommeliers.

Cabins covered: Economy, Premium Economy, Business, First Class
How to access: Download PDFs for your exact flight’s food and drink menus via ANA’s search tool.

Austrian Airlines

Cuisine Snapshot – Viennese Coffee-House in the Sky
From schnitzel to strudel, DO & CO delivers iconic Austrian flavors—complete with a Flying Chef in Business.

Cabins covered: Economy, Premium Economy, Business Class (long-haul only)
How to access: Input your flight number or route to see monthly menu offerings per cabin.

Delta Air Lines

Cuisine Snapshot – Southern Roots, Global Reach
Look for Atlanta BBQ, Union Square recipes, SweetWater brews, and curated wines by Andrea Robinson.

Cabins covered: Premium Economy, Business (Delta One), First Class
How to access: Enter your flight number and passenger info to view menus for upcoming flights (within a week).

Emirates

Cuisine Snapshot – Gulf Gourmet & Beyond
Caviar in First, mezze in Business, regional meals in Economy—paired with wines from a billion-dollar cellar.

Cabins covered: Economy, Premium Economy, Business, First Class
How to access: Use your flight number and cabin to view multi-course food and wine menus, up to 11 months ahead.

Finnair

Cuisine Snapshot – Nordic Flavours, Clean Design
Expect rainbow trout, rye bread, and blueberry juice, served on Marimekko china in long-haul Business.

Cabins covered: Business Class (long-haul from Nordic hubs only)
How to access: PDF menus available by cycle; updated monthly or seasonally on Finnair’s website.

Hawaiian Airlines

Cuisine Snapshot – Island Aloha at Altitude
Showcasing local chefs, Maui chips, and Pau Hana rum cocktails in First Class.

Cabins covered: Economy and First Class
How to access: Browse current menus by route. Updated biannually.

Iberia

Cuisine Snapshot – Tapas & Tempranillo
Spanish classics meet curated wines by Pedro Ballesteros in Business.

Cabins covered: Economy, Premium Economy, Business Class
How to access: Input your flight or route to preview full food and drink service by cabin.

ITA Airways

Cuisine Snapshot – La Dolce Vita Above the Clouds
Menus feature Italian icons—Parmigiano, olive oil, DOCG wines—served with Lavazza espresso.

Cabins covered: Business Class (long-haul only)
How to access: PDF menus available for current rotation, only for long-haul Business Class.

Japan Airlines (JAL)

Cuisine Snapshot – Harmony of Japanese Hospitality
Multi-course washoku, premium sake, and caviar in First. Michelin-starred chefs lead the curation.

Cabins covered: Economy, Premium Economy, Business, First Class
How to access: Search by route/month to get PDF menus up to 3 months in advance.

JetBlue

Cuisine Snapshot – NYC Hip Meets Healthy
Mint menus feature Dig bowls and Perry St dishes. Economy on TATL routes offers tapas boxes.

Cabins covered: Economy and Mint (Business)
How to access: No login or flight number required—just browse current menus by route on JetBlue’s site.

Korean Air

Cuisine Snapshot – Bibimbap to Bordeaux
Signature bibimbap in all cabins. Château Margaux and samgyetang in First.

Cabins covered: Economy, Business (Prestige), First Class
How to access: Input your route or flight number to preview current and next month’s menus.

Lufthansa

Cuisine Snapshot – From Bavaria to Bangkok
Menus celebrate German regions, and First Class passengers enjoy exclusive caviar and wine pairings.

Cabins covered: Economy, Premium Economy, Business, First Class (long-haul only)
How to access: Enter your flight and class to view detailed menus and full beverage lists.

Malaysia Airlines

Cuisine Snapshot – Satay Masterclass
Satay carts with peanut sauce in all cabins, plus nasi lemak and Peranakan sweets in Business.

Cabins covered: Economy and Business Class
How to access: Search by origin, destination, and class to preview menus up to one month ahead.

Philippine Airlines

Cuisine Snapshot – Filipino Comfort Food
From arroz caldo to ube desserts, with San Miguel beer and calamansi juice onboard.

Cabins covered: Economy, Premium Economy, Business Class
How to access: Use PAL’s e-menu portal to check menus for the current and next two months.

Singapore Airlines

Cuisine Snapshot – Golden Standard of Asian Dining
From lobster thermidor to laksa, paired with wines by Asia’s first Master of Wine.

Cabins covered: Economy, Premium Economy, Business, First Class, Suites
How to access: Use your flight number and date to view full menus and beverage lists for all cabins. Includes “Book the Cook” preview for premium classes.

Vietnam Airlines

Cuisine Snapshot – Scent of Lemongrass
Dishes like pho bo and mango salad paired with Dalat wine and Bia Saigon.

Cabins covered: Economy, Premium Economy, Business Class
How to access: Use the airline’s e-menu system to preview food and drinks for this and next month by flight number or route.

AwardFares Power-Tip

Inside AwardFares Timeline or Search views, look for the 🍷 Onboard Menu icon. A single tap launches the airline’s PDF or HTML list in a modal, so you can decide if those 60,000 mile Q-Suites seats come with Krug before you transfer points.

FAQ

Do all airlines publish menus online? No. A handful—especially low-cost or regional carriers—still reveal menus only on board. But every full-service member of the *Big 3* alliances now offers at least a sample or seasonal PDF.
When is the best time to check? Most portals refresh at midnight local-time on the first eligible day (7–14 days out). For flights departing just after midnight, wait until 06:00 to be safe.
Can I see wine lists in Economy? Only a few airlines (e.g., Emirates, Qatar) publish full drinks lists for Economy; others restrict them to Premium cabins.

Maximize Every Mile with AwardFares

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