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You can now pre-order your inflight meal on select United flights

Dec. 11, 2019
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4 min read
United 777-300ER Polaris Business Review EWR-NRT ZH
You can now pre-order your inflight meal on select United flights
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The days of United flight attendants running out of your preferred meal selection are coming to a close.

United now lets you choose your inflight meal on select routes within a window of five days to one day before departure. If you happen to be flying an eligible flight, the carrier will email you five days before departure to invite you to pre-order your meal. If you don't receive an email, you can try choosing your meal on UA's dedicated website using your confirmation number and last name.

United tested a similar service on a single route earlier this year, and I'm really glad to see that it's being expanded. For now, only certain premium-cabin itineraries departing from the carrier's hubs in Los Angeles (LAX) and Washington, DC (IAD) are eligible for this service. If you're flying from elsewhere or to LAX or IAD, you won't yet receive the option to pre-order your meal.

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Once you've entered your information, you'll be brought to a page where you can choose an entree for your upcoming flight. If you're not happy with any of the entree choices, this could be a great time to order one of United's special meals.

In order to test the service, we tried accessing the meal-selection portal with a number of flights the TPG team had booked from IAD and LAX, but weren't able to pre-order meals on any.

According to a United spokesperson, the airline is incrementally expanding the flights that have access to this new service. United will be adding markets in January and February of next year, with the goal of having the entire network covered soon after that. We'll be sure to share more details once we learn more the carrier's rollout plans.

Note that you'll want to be very careful when choosing your preferred meal. Once you make your choice, you won't be able to change your meal preference until you get on the plane. Once onboard, you may have luck asking a flight attendant for another meal option.

Although you can't make changes to your preselected meal, your meal order will be canceled if your itinerary changes. So if you end up changing your flight, make sure to go back into the portal to select your meal again.

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United Japanese meal (Photo by Zach Honig/The Points Guy)

This development won't be helpful for users of UA's same-day change policy or for those whose upgrades clear on the day of departure. Since you cannot make meal choices within 24 hours of departure, you'll need to wait until you get onboard to order your meal if you make a same-day change or confirm a last-minute upgrade.

Overall, this is great news for United fliers. I can't wait for this service to be expanded, especially as Delta and American passengers have enjoyed this benefit for a while. In the meantime, if you're booked on an eligible flight, check your email and login to the web portal to make your pick. Your taste buds will thank you later.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Go to review

Rewards Rate

4XEarn 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.
4XEarn 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.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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.