United Airlines is making in-flight dining more convenient for millions of travelers by expanding its United Economy® meal preorder program to shorter flights across North America and the Caribbean.
The airline has lowered the distance threshold for fresh food preorders from over 1,190 miles down to over 900 miles, opening the popular feature to 420 additional flights per day. The update gives up to 65,000 additional customers daily the opportunity to secure their preferred onboard meals in advance, including key hub-to-hub routes such as Chicago to Houston, Denver to San Francisco, and Houston to Washington, D.C.
“We want our customers to have more of what they value when they fly – more choice, more convenience and a better experience onboard,” United’s Chief Customer Officer, David Kinzelman, said. “Expanding Economy meal preorder to millions more customers is one way we’re delivering on that…”
Travelers can use the United website or mobile app to choose from a rotating monthly menu of fresh Bistro on Board selections—ranging from a pork mojo burrito and hot honey chicken and waffle sandwich to a Chicago patty melt created by Chef Jeff Mauro of Mauro Provisions.
How to preorder
- Window: Preorders open five days and up to 24 hours before scheduled departure.
- Access: Customers can browse options via the “Trips” section on united.com or through push notifications on the United mobile app when preordering becomes available for their flight.
The meal preorder rollout is part of a larger, ongoing series of passenger-focused upgrades across United’s fleet aimed at improving the travel experience in every cabin class. Key initiatives include:
- Fast, Free Starlink Wi-Fi: Rolling out across regional and mainline aircraft for MileagePlus members, with full fleet completion expected in 2027.
- Expanded Entertainment & Live Sports: Installing 4K OLED seatback screens (up to 27 inches) across up to 1,000 aircraft by the end of 2027, alongside live streaming options including TBS for fall playoff baseball and major networks.
- Refreshed Onboard Snacks: Introducing updated fan-favorite snackboxes (Tapas, Takeoff, and Recline) beginning November 1, alongside the limited-edition Wishes snackbox benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
