Sky dining: the world's best airline food in 2019

Plane amazing

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Planes aren't known for great food, especially in economy. But for those in first class, the dining experience is completely different – think Michelin-starred dishes, celebrity executive chefs and in-flight sommeliers. Here are some of the most incredible first-class menus in the world.

Air France

If you’re travelling via Air France La Première (first class) in 2019, dishes served up will be the work of two and three Michelin-starred chefs Anne-Sophie Pic, Régis Marcon, Guy Martin and Michel Roth. Alternating every three months, fillet of quail with foie gras, salmon and ricotta tortellini, and turbot in wine sauce have featured. Plus the wine and champagne list created by Paolo Basso, named the world’s best sommelier in 2013, is updated every two months.

Emirates

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Emirates is one of the most luxurious airlines, so it’s no surprise its first-class à la carte menu is sublime. As well as a comprehensive cocktail, wine and spirits list, there’s fancy food aplenty. Canapés of confit duck with curried pineapple, poached prawn and guacamole tartlets, and parmesan and truffle arancini are served alongside flutes of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2008 shortly after take-off. A caviar course, rack of lamb, monkfish, smoked chocolate fondant and boutique cheeses will fill the space you have left.

Luxaviation

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If you’re lucky enough to be travelling by private jet with Luxaviation, you can choose whatever you want to eat. Whether you’re craving croissants, canapés or sushi – it’s no problem – the ‘in-flight dining choreographer’ will sort it out. There's even a special ‘doggie menu’ for those travelling with pets.

La Compagnie

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To keep the menu fresh and interesting, French all-business-class airline La Compagnie changes its menu every month. On board flights from Paris to New York passengers are served soft boiled egg with salted caramel, corn cream and popcorn, roasted duckling in quince juice and pumpkin, and a seasonal cheese selection, courtesy of chef Christophe Langrée. Feeling thirsty? The airline offers a lengthy beverage list with champagne, wine, cognac and digestifs.

Air Canada

Air Canada's 'Signature Class' and business class menus are prepared by Canadian chef David Hawksworth and vary seasonally. Dishes take inspiration from around the world and the 2019 menu includes lobster salad, grilled beef tenderloin and barbecue salmon. Toast the journey with a glass of Laurent-Perrier champagne and sit back while you browse the drinks menu curated by sommelier Véronique Rivest.

Etihad First class

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Meals in Etihad’s first class cabin are positively decadent with dishes influenced by the airline’s destinations. Dishes on the à la carte menu on flights from New York to Abu Dhabi in 2019 include Arabic mezze which is a selection of hot and cold Arabic appetisers, fillet of beef with potato fondant, carrots and mushrooms, and pear frangipane with caramelised pear and vanilla sauce.

Etihad Residence

Etihad

For guests staying in Etihad’s luxe, three-bedroom Residence onboard its A380, no demand is too big – there’s even a butler on hand. To ensure every wish and whim is met, guests are contacted for dining requests before travelling. Alternatively, order from the à la carte menu which includes Russian oscietra caviar with traditional garnishes and steak cooked as you like. Fully-trained in-flight chefs are also available to rustle up something special using fresh ingredients from the pantry.

Alerion Aviation

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Private charter jet company Alerion Aviation flies celebrities and billionaires so it's used to personalised requests from as small as preparing a cup of tea exactly-how-you-like-it to purchasing a birthday cake and accompanying birthstone bracelet.

Philippine Airlines

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On board Philippine Airlines flights in business class the flight attendants have no problem catering to customers’ requests. First up is a welcome drink of Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve champagne or a non-alcoholic sugarcane and kaffir lime infusion. Then there are the canapés: shrimp with anchovy, as well as chorizo with onion jam and chilli. Main courses might include creamy prawns in fresh turmeric sauce or spicy beef with pickled cauliflower and bok choy. Room for more? Get your fill of chocolate pudding with caramelised banana from the dessert platter.

Finnair

Finnair business class passengers on long-haul flights from Helsinki can pre-order chef-prepared gourmet meals. Options include ‘Wellness and Energy’ – honey and sesame marinated tofu with rice – and ‘Food-Lovers Treat’ – grilled white fish with carrot puree, asparagus and poached spinach. ‘Chef’s Gourmet’ – reindeer tenderloin served with barley risotto, porcini mushrooms, roasted artichoke and thyme sauce – is a traditional Finnish dish. Let the staff know if there’s a special occasion as champagne and chocolates can be made available.

TAP

Portuguese airline TAP offers a luxurious menu as part of its “Taste the Stars” programme. Meals have been developed by seven of Portugal's best chefs – Henrique Sá Pessoa, José Avillez, Miguel Laffan, Rui Paula, Rui Silvestre, Victor Sobral and George Mendes. The menu aims to showcase typical Portuguese dishes with an emphasis on flavour, fresh produce and healthiness. Veal, gnocchi, runner beans and mushrooms is a prime example.

Air New Zealand

If you’re travelling business class with Air New Zealand, you’ll enjoy food developed by native chefs Peter Gordon and Michael Meredith. On the menu is beef short rib with mashed mascarpone potatoes or salmon dusted with New Zealand lemon kelp and sesame. Top-drawer desserts include a salted chocolate dulce de leche tart. Wine connoisseurs won't be left out as Air New Zealand also has a wine shop where you can purchase drinks you've sampled onboard after the flight.

All Nippon Airways

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The food and drink offering in first class on All Nippon Airways has been created by over 20 chefs and sommeliers. Passengers can eat dishes inspired by international cuisine, or make the most of the fact they’re on Japan’s largest airline. There's a range of Japanese specialities including deep fried pork in breadcrumbs, seared blowfish, and tonkotsu (pork broth ramen). Complete the meal with sake, shochu or Charles Heidsieck champagne.

Lufthansa

In first class on a Lufthansa flight, food is served on fine china, there’s high-quality cutlery and drinks are poured from glass carafes. The food is suitably swanky too, with a caviar service, seasonal small dishes inspired by the airline's routes and a monthly-changing wine list. A sample menu looks like saddle of veal in tuna sauce, followed by pear sorbet presented with champagne, cod with beurre blanc for mains, layered chocolate crème brûlée and a selection of fine cheese.

Garuda Indonesia

Luxury airline Garuda Indonesia promises a “private feast above the clouds” once you step into its first-class cabin. Before take-off you will be served with champagne and shortly after a caviar service will commence. Dishes vary from Indonesian favourites to modern European plates like pan-fried wagyu tenderloin and lobster sandwiches. The drinks selection includes vintage wines, cocktails, liqueurs, champagne and premium teas and coffees from Indonesian plantations.

EVA Air

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EVA Air’s Royal Laurel cabin brings a touch of class to mealtimes in the air. As well as enjoying champagne, cold-pressed fruit juice and fine wine, passengers dine on steak, fresh lobster, local specialities, and buttery almond cake layered with fromage blanc and fresh raspberry jam.

Singapore Airlines

With eight famous chefs on Singapore Airlines’ culinary panel, including Alfred Portale of Gotham, New York, dishes have global influences. Also, the fact we perceive taste differently under cabin pressure was taken into consideration when developing the dishes. On first-class flights from New York, the menu might include lobster thermidor and sirloin steak. The drinks selection is also top notch, with Krug, Dom Pérignon and more on the menu.

Japan Airlines

Michelin-starred chefs are behind the menus served at ‘JAL BEDD’, Japan Airlines’ exclusive restaurant in the sky. In first class, caviar, egg yolk cream and crispy rice wafers, and scallop mousse with truffle are served as hors-d'oeuvres, while braised beef cheek in red wine and steamed lobster, foie gras and winter vegetables are the mains. Plus, there’s Louis Roederer Cristal, one of the world’s oldest prestige champagnes.

Thai Airways

On Thai Airways, passengers are treated like royalty in first class. After an amuse-bouche, there are a number of courses including caviar, soups and salads and main courses like scallops, lobster or rack of lamb. Afterwards, guests are treated to cheese and dessert courses such as mango with butterfly pea flowers served with sticky rice. All the while, the champagne, top wines and brandy are free-flowing.

Qantas

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For those who fly with Qantas in first class, the airline has been working in collaboration with scientists to create a menu that encourages relaxation, sleep and hydration. There’s sparkling kombucha, probiotic-infused lemonade and bespoke herbal tea, alongside restaurant quality dishes: caviar, cauliflower puree on brioche, seared barramundi (Asian sea bass), garlic potatoes and broccolini. A particular highlight is the gingerbread with baked rhubarb, meringue and vanilla yogurt dessert.

Qatar Airways

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In Qatar Airways’ smart Qsuite cabins, champagne is served on arrival, as well as fruity mocktails and freshly brewed coffee and tea. Guests can request their meal at anytime during the flight. Feast on French toast with red berries and crème fraîche, gnocchi with walnuts and blue cheese, stir fried wagyu beef, and a mezze platter with warm flatbreads. Linen tablecloths and delicate fine-bone china are a nice touch too.

Virgin Atlantic

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Book a seat aboard Virgin Atlantic’s upper class cabin to indulge in delicious cocktails, a great selection of dishes and plenty of scrumptious desserts. Highlights include chicken satay with cashew dipping sauce, seafood linguine and warm chocolate salted caramel pudding. But if you want extra sleep time, order off the express menu on night departures. Either way, everything’s beautifully presented, with designer linen and elegant tableware.

Austrian Airlines

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Coffee is serious stuff in Austrian Airlines' business class. As well as sumptuous food there’s a selection of 10 Viennese speciality coffees to choose from, served alongside traditional Austrian cakes. If you’re in the market for something a little stronger, the skilled crew is pleased to advise on Austrian wines and international reds and whites to accompany your appetiser and main course.

SWISS

While dining in SWISS’ first-class cabin is luxurious all year round, choose the time you fly wisely and you could be part of the SWISS Connoisseur Experience. Taking place four times a year for two weeks, the experience allows passengers to enjoy seafood in February, caviar in May, steak in August and white truffles in November. The rest of the year is no less lavish, with new menus being launched every three months showcasing the best of Swiss cuisine. Until March 2019 enjoy food from the Canton of Bern.

Cathay Pacific

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First class passengers aren't tied to set mealtimes on Cathay Pacific. The award-winning wines and dishes created in partnership with Michelin-starred chefs can be ordered at any time during the flight. Expect a caviar course with Krug champagne, warmed blinis and traditional garnishes, both international and Asian main dishes, including prime Angus beef striploin with béarnaise sauce and peking duck salad with almond and black truffle.

American Airlines

In American Airlines’ first-class cabin, meals are created by top chefs. If you’re off to Australia, it’s celebrity chef Sean Connolly, meanwhile if you’re heading to Hawaii it’s Sam Choy, the James Beard Award winner, you have to thank for the delicious dinners. Recent menus have included sriracha crab, blue cheese salad, pork chop with dijon gravy, and chocolate ice cream sundaes, along with premium beer, wine and spirits.

British Airways

With British Airways, those in first class get beautiful white tablecloths, fine bone china, champagne and decadent main courses. A highlight from the airline's menu is its afternoon tea, complete with sandwiches, cakes, scones, cream and jam, and, of course, plenty of tea.

Hawaiian Airlines

In the upper-class cabins on Hawaiian Airlines you’ll find island inspiration in the food and drinks, all designed by Hawaii’s top chefs. In the style of Hawaiian hospitality, expect a Mai Tai cocktail on arrival and lychee vodka martinis at your request. The dinner menu is also packed with regional cuisine: there’s smoked salmon and beet poke, soy braised beef short rib with bok choy, decadent chocolate hazelnut cheesecake and orange cream pies.

Oman Air

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The national carrier of the Sultanate, Oman Air treats all its customers nothing short of first class. Expect Laurent-Perrier Brut, Louis Roederer Cristal champagne and a range of Omani, Arabic and international dishes on demand. But for those who want to plan in advance, pre-select meals online through the ‘choose your own chef’ programme. Either way, expect the most elegant presentation and bespoke dinnerware.

SAUDIA

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Onboard Saudi Arabian Airlines, the food served is among the best in the world. First-class customers are treated to a lavish four-course meal which starts with Iranian sevruga caviar with traditional accompaniments and appetisers such as smoked salmon, dill marinated prawns and Arabic mezze. Decadent mains include chicken stuffed with feta and spinach, grilled steak and lobster Newburg. The grand finale is tiramisu gateau or warm chocolate brownies with ice cream, plus Arabic tea and coffee.

Asiana Airlines

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On Asiana Airlines, meals have been worked on with the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine and have both traditional Korean and Italian influences. First-class guests on long haul flights can pre-order from 10 options. Highlights include a traditional Korean dish of pan-fried beef, beans and tofu skewers, sea bream soup, roasted butterfish, bibimbap (rice bowl) and beef rib wrap. All accompanied by the finest quality wines and eco-friendly coffee.

China Southern Airlines

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In first class on China Southern Airlines, guests can enjoy both Western and Cantonese cuisine. The Chinese main courses highlight south China specialities such as “big bowl” beef noodles, Cantonese hot pot rice and Guangdong-style rice noodles, while Western dishes might include French-style eggs and pastries. But the highlight of the culinary offering is the “In-Flight Tea Garden”, a chance to experience China’s traditional tea ceremony culture.

Korean Air

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“Farm to flight” is the mantra on Korean Air, where you can enjoy rib-eye steak, beef ribs and chicken dishes from the Jedong pastures of the Jeju Island from the comfort of first class. Luxury Korean specialities include bibimbap (rice bowls), marinated crab, stir-fried spicy octopus, kimchi noodle soup and ginseng chicken soup. To top off the experience, there’s Perrier-Jouet champagne and quality wines.

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Delta Air Lines

In Delta One, one of the most exclusive cabins in the sky, expect chef-curated menus that highlight local specialities and change with the seasons. On flights from Atlanta to Europe, chef Linton Hopkins dishes up regional Southern plates: Carolina Gold rice and grits, local cheeses, charcuterie and pork, mountain trout, and fruits and vegetables. Drinks-wise, Lanson Black Label Brut champagne is the order of the day.

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Vietnam Airlines

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As well as a selection of meals from around the world, Vietnam Airlines' business class menu includes traditional Vietnamese dishes like phở bò, the restorative beef broth with fragrant herbs. There's also a selection of cocktails inspired by the country like the Hello Vietnam, Red River and Saigon Sunlight. On special occasions such as Christmas or Oktoberfest, the airline makes the effort to include seasonal dishes within the offering.

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