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United passengers can now pre-order meals, snacks and drinks on select flights

July 28, 2021
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3 min read
Pre-Order Phone Screen
United passengers can now pre-order meals, snacks and drinks on select flights
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In late-2019, United began testing a new meal request tool, letting select travelers make their pick of options up until a day before departure. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, food and beverage offerings were scaled back and we didn't hear another peep about the new customer-friendly feature — until this week.

As of Wednesday, pre-order meals are back on select United flights. And this time the option isn't just limited to premium-cabin flyers — even travelers in economy will be able to request specific meals, snacks and beverages in advance.

Preorder Multiscreen Hero
(Photo courtesy of United Airlines)

As of now, the option is available on United flights from Chicago to Honolulu (HNL) in Hawaii, along with Orange County (SNA), Sacramento (SMF) and San Diego (SAN) in California. It'll roll out to all flights over 1,500 miles early this fall.

United explains how the new option works below:

  • Five days prior to departure, customers on eligible flights will see an option in the Reservation Details section of the United app or on United.com to pre-order food and beverage items available for their specific flight. Customers will also receive an email notifying them when pre-order is available.
  • In economy cabins, customers can pre-order snacks and beverages from United’s buy-on-board menu. They will be asked to enter their credit card information but will not be charged until the items are served to them onboard.
  • In premium cabins, customers can select their meal option directly from the United app or website. Once they make their selection, they will get a receipt emailed to them.

If you successfully order an item in advance, it'll be "reserved" for you specifically — you won't have to worry about the crew running out before reaching your row. Some items might not be loaded on certain flights, but that's unlikely to be a frequent occurrence — if you place an order in advance, you should expect to typically receive it onboard.

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United Premier 1K and Global Services members will continue to receive one free snack and adult beverage — they won't be charged, even if they see prices displayed during the ordering process.

All other travelers won't have their card charged until they receive their order on the flight. Economy flyers can also save their payment information in their "digital wallet" on United.com or the airline's app and use that stored card to pay for additional items selected onboard.

American Airlines economy flyers have been able to reserve meals for several years and Alaska Airlines recently began offering a pre-order tool for travelers in all cabins, but options are currently limited to meals and snacks — United's pre-order tool is the first I've seen to let flyers specify their beverage selections as well.

Featured image by Wayne Slezak
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Why We Chose It

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Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.