A new study has ranked the best and worst airline based on their inflight meal, based on thousands of customer reviews.
To discover the best and worst airline food, MoneySuperMarket’s travel insurance team analysed over 27,000 passenger reviews of meals across more than 100 airlines, finding the best first class meals and business class meals, along with the best routes for in dining at 30,000ft.
| Rank | Airline | Number of Reviews | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SWISS INT AIR LINES | 61 | 9.02 |
| 2 | QANTAS | 92 | 8.80 |
| 3 | LUFTHANSA | 128 | 8.66 |
| 4 | CHINA AIRLINES | 52 | 8.55 |
| 5 | ETIHAD AIRWAYS | 53 | 8.37 |
| 6 | ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS | 86 | 8.19 |
| 7 | SINGAPORE AIRLINES | 186 | 7.75 |
| 8 | JAPAN AIR LINES | 93 | 7.68 |
| 9 | EMIRATES AIR | 102 | 7.52 |
| 10 | DELTA | 265 | 7.48 |
Explore the full, searchable list with 100 providers on the study page
With first class flights costing as much three to four times more than an economy fare, it’s no surprise that the in-flight meal service is a significant factor in the luxury experience.
In addition to an elevated menu and crockery, most first and business class providers, such as ANA, also offer an additional on-demand menu alongside their standard meal service, allowing passengers to order what they want, when they want. But which airlines are best in class, and which struggle to cut the mustard?
For those looking for the best first-class dining experience, Swiss International Air Lines should be their first port of call, scoring 9 out of 10 among passengers.
Other airlines scoring particularly highly in the first-class meal rankings were Qantas (8.8), Lufthansa (8.7), China Airlines (8.6), Etihad Airways (8.4) and All Nippon Airways (8.2).
At the bottom end of the list was Air France (5.70), providing the least appealing meal service to passengers, with United and Qatar also falling to the bottom of the list, despite the latter’s respectable score in its economy offering.
Top 10 Airlines for Business Class Meals
| Rank | Airline | Number of Reviews | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KUWAIT AIRWAYS | 55 | 8.87 |
| 2 | GULF AIR | 83 | 8.86 |
| 3 | AEGEAN AIRLINES | 81 | 8.66 |
| 4 | TURKISH AIRLINES | 256 | 8.18 |
| 5 | JETBLUE | 57 | 8.15 |
| 6 | QATAR AIRWAYS | 185 | 8.13 |
| 7 | AERO MEXICO | 61 | 8.10 |
| 8 | AUSTRIAN AIRLINES | 185 | 7.96 |
| 9 | LUFTHANSA CITY LINE | 72 | 7.90 |
| 10 | ASIANA AIRLINES | 91 | 7.89 |
Explore the full, searchable list with 100 providers on the study page
The Best First Class Routes for In flight Dining
| Rank | Airline | Route | Outbound Airport | Outbound Country | Inbound Airport | Inbound Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ASIANA AIRLINES | JFK to ICN | New York – John F. Kennedy (NY) | USA | Incheon, Incheon International Airport | Korea South | 10.00 |
| 2 | SWISS INT AIR LINES | ZRH to MIA | Zurich (Zürich) – Kloten | Switzerland | Miami (FL) | USA | 10.00 |
| 3 | JAPAN AIR LINES | CGK to NRT | Jakarta – Soekarno-Hatta International | Indonesia | Tokyo – Narita | Japan | 9.75 |
| 4 | QANTAS | DXB to LHR | Dubai – Dubai International Airport | United Arab Emirates | London – Heathrow | United Kingdom | 9.73 |
| 5 | CHINA AIRLINES | AMS to BKK | Amsterdam – Amsterdam Airport Schiphol | Netherlands | Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi International | Thailand | 9.64 |
| 6 | LUFTHANSA | SEA to FRA | Seattle/Tacoma (WA) | USA | Frankfurt/Main – Frankfurt Airport (Rhein-Main-Flughafen) | Germany | 9.43 |
| 7 | QANTAS | SYD to LAX | Sydney – Sydney Airport | Australia | Los Angeles (CA) – International | USA | 9.08 |
| 8 | CATHAY PACIFIC | LAX to HKG | Los Angeles (CA) – International | USA | Hong Kong – International Airport (HKIA) | Hong Kong | 8.60 |
| 9 | ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS | HNL to NRT | Honolulu (HI) – Honolulu International Airport | USA | Tokyo – Narita | Japan | 8.60 |
| 10 | CATHAY PACIFIC | HKG to YYZ | Hong Kong – International Airport (HKIA) | Hong Kong | Toronto – Toronto Pearson International Airport | Canada | 8.58 |
While airlines generally have a standardised menu across their flights, food options can vary dependent on the route you fly.
Based on passenger reviews across 266 flight routes, just three in-flight meal services picked up top marks from travellers, scoring 10 out of 10.
In first class, both the Asiana Airlines New York to Seoul, and Swiss International Airlines’ Switzerland to Miami flights scored a perfect score among passengers.
However, while the former boasts premium traditional Korean dishes made with “premium ingredients”, such as beef rib Ssambap, passengers can expect to pay in the region of £2,500 for the 15-hour flight.
Alicia Hempsted, travel expert at MoneySuperMarket, said “A memorable inflight dining experience can elevate your overall travel experience, particularly in first and business class where passengers are paying a premium or using a large number of points to fly. According to passenger, Airlines like Swiss International Air Lines and Asiana Airlines have set the bar high with their exceptional meal services, providing passengers with gourmet cuisine at 30,000 feet.
Due to how closely regulated the airline industry is,generally speaking inflight meals are safe to eat, however it still is possible to become unwell, even in some of the highest rated rated restaurants and hotels or planes. That’s why it’s important to take out travel insurance with sufficient medical cover to protect your trip should the worst happen.
The full study, with more information is available at: https://www.moneysupermarket.com/travel-insurance/the-best-and-worst-airline-food/