Airlines have been slow to take off when it comes to serving vegan meals.
Every vegan traveler knows the frustration of dealing with airline food. Even when a vegetarian option is available, it's not always possible to 'veganize' it. And if you're always on the go, you're probably like me and forget to call airlines ahead of time to book their 'special meals'.
However, a few airlines are breaking ground, offering up vegan-friendly meals on flights - so let's jump right in to the best airlines for vegan food.
Related: Ultimate Vegan Airport Guide
Pre-Booking Vegan Food
Unfortunately, it's rare to score a full vegan meal on a flight without pre-booking. In fact, of all the flights I've taken, I've only had one all-vegan meal served to me without a pre-booking request - that was with Qatar Airways.
When booking flights directly with an airline, you'll often have a choice of meal. This is typically hidden slightly and can be found under a term like 'Specialty Meals' or 'Dietary Requests'. If you still can't find vegan options, it may be in the 'Religious Meal' section.
However, if you're budget conscious like me and use deal-finding booking sites like Skyscanner & Trip.com then you might not receive a choice to book meals in the booking process. This requires you to contact them directly (I know, who doesn't love calling airlines?) and request a vegan meal at least 24 hours before.
Note, it's common for airlines to forget special meal orders - I'm looking at you Delta. I recommend bringing backup snacks, especially on long-haul flights to be safe.
9 Best Airlines for Vegan Food
1. Jetstar
The Australian airline, Jetstar, has been hailed as the most vegan-friendly airline after introducing a vegan menu on international and domestic flights.
Food isn't included in Jetstar fares, so you'll need to pre-book or make the purchase on board.
PETA praised the move, naming Jetstar Australia's most vegan-friendly airline.
2. Cathay Pacific
Major Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific is now serving plant-based meat on board.
The airline announced its aircraft will serve Omnipork, vegan minced pork made from non-GMO soy, pea protein, shiitake mushrooms, and rice.
Unfortunately, vegan meals are still listed under "special meals" and thus must be booked in advance.
View Cathay Pacific's vegan and vegetarian menus here.
3. Etihad
Etihad has a good selection of vegan meals available via its specialty meals menu.
They list vegan meals as vegetarian on their website but do specify which meals contain animal by-products and which do not.
Like most airlines, you'll need to book a vegan meal at least 24 hours before you fly.
4. British Airways
British Airways offer a vegan menu, which you can pre-book prior to flying.
Make sure to specify "vegan" when booking. They state on their website, they may serve food containing dairy if failure to do so.
A downside to British Airways is that vegan options are not available on all flights.
5. Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways is another airline that gets good vegan food.
Their vegan menu is listed in the vegetarian section of their "special meals" section.
They serve Indian food onboard certain flights, which is incredibly delicious.
6. American Airlines
American Airlines has recently improved its menu to include vegan options after growing passenger demand.
They have since expanded their special menu to include vegan meals on international and most domestic flights.
You'll need to pre-book vegan food at least 24 hours ahead of time.
7. Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines offer vegan options on request.
While the meals are listed as vegetarian, the menu specifies which meals are dairy and egg-free, which helps narrow down the vegan options.
You'll need to pre-book the meal 24 hours prior to flying.
8. Emirates Airlines
Emirates has adapted its menu to include vegan meals after seeing a surge in demand for plant-based food options. Emirates states they have breakfast, dinner, and dessert options for vegan travelers now.
The Emirates vegan menu includes grilled vegetable crêpes with spinach and tomato concassé, Mediterranean vegetable ravioli, and tagine vegetables with couscous. For desserts, caramel baked rice is served with coconut cream and pineapple with pomelo and ginger syrup. Emirates also offers vegan choices for breakfast such as coconut oat and chia pudding served with mango and passion fruit compote.
You'll need to pre-book the meal 24 hours prior to flying.
View Emirates vegan menu.
9. Qantas
Qantas is another airline that has added plant-based options to its menu due to growing demand. The Aussie airline giant now states it offers a wider range of vegan food options on its flights including mock meats and pasta bolognese. You can see Qantas' vegan menu here.
You'll need to pre-book the meal 24 hours prior to flying.
3 thoughts on “9 Best Airlines For Vegan Meals in 2023”