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

July 28, 2021
3 min read
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.

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(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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Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.

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  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
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  • Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
  • SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
  • Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
  • Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
  • Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
  • New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
  • Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
  • Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
  • Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
  • Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
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  • $250 Annual Fee.
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees