American Airlines will begin serving small, fresh dishes in first class on flights between its New York and Chicago hubs this month, the carrier said Wednesday, ending a roughly seven-year stretch in which the cabin offered only packaged snacks on the route.
Passengers will choose between two options on each flight. At breakfast, the choice is prosciutto and melon or an apple cinnamon chia pudding. For lunch and dinner, the airline will offer a Thai noodle salad or a mezze plate. American described the additions as “bites” — compact plates suited to the short flight time between the two cities rather than full meal service.
The return of fresh food marks the first time since 2019 that American has provided it to first-class customers on the New York–Chicago pair, an airline spokeswoman said. Travelers in the cabin currently receive a smaller, packaged snack.
A push for higher-spending travelers
The menu change is part of a broader effort by American to attract customers willing to pay more for the front of the plane, after the airline fell behind Delta Air Lines and United Airlines on both profit and investment in premium products. The two rivals have moved more aggressively in recent years to expand high-end cabins, airport lounges and upgraded service, and American is now trying to close that gap.
American has been rebuilding its premium offerings through new cabin designs, added lounge space and plans to install seatback screens across its narrow-body fleet. Food service in first class represents a smaller but highly visible piece of that strategy, since short-haul routes are where carriers have historically trimmed amenities most sharply.
Even in first class, airlines generally keep food options limited on shorter flights, where limited galley space and brief time at cruise altitude constrain what crews can prepare and serve. The New York–Chicago market is one of the busier business corridors in the United States, connecting American’s hubs at John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport with O’Hare International Airport.
The fresh options roll out this month, and the airline has not said whether similar service will extend to other short-haul routes in its network.