United Upgrades First Class Food Offerings

United Airlines has unveiled new, improved lunch, dinner and beverage choices for domestic first-class customers, offering travelers chef-inspired meals and premium beverages designed to elevate their in-flight experience.

Among the changes…
• New, premium salads for customers flying United First and United Business within North America;
• New, premium sandwiches and wraps for United First and United Business customers within North America;
• Addition of Prosecco sparkling wine in premium cabins;
• Introduction of premium-cabin meals to flights of shorter duration beginning in 2015; and
• Fresh meal options for premium-cabin customers on United Express flights, also beginning in 2015.

United has begun offering customers in premium cabins on North America flights four new salad entrée choices—a Southwestern salad, an Asian-style noodle salad, a seasonal greens with roast beef and blue cheese salad and a Strawberry Fields salad—replacing the previous chicken and shrimp salad options.

In September, premium-cabin customers on flights within North America will be able to get new chilled sandwiches and wraps—Italian prosciutto on tomato focaccia, a Thai-style chicken wrap, Cobb salad wrap and caprese on Asiago baguette—as well as new warmed options—turkey and Swiss on cranberry baguette, ham and Swiss on pretzel baguette, chicken and mozzarella on tomato focaccia and roast beef and cheddar on Asiago baguette.

Designed by United's team of chefs, the new salads and sandwiches will be made fresh daily and paired with a gluten-free soup, along with United's signature service elements, including warmed nuts, premium snacks and warmed cookies.

On transcontinental flights and on longer mid-continental dinner flights, the airline will continue to offer customers a choice between a pasta dish and a chicken or beef option.

"These changes mark the beginning of an extensive overhaul of our North America and international food service, offering travelers a level of service above that offered by our peers," says Lynda Coffman, United's vice president of food services. "Our new selections offer customers more of what they tell us they want when they travel—variety, bold flavor combinations and higher quality."

By mid-2015, United says it plans to further enhance its in-flight dining by launching completely redesigned menu concepts and expanding premium-cabin meals within North America to flights that are more than two hours and 20 minutes, or 800 miles; upgrading premium-cabin meal service on domestic and international United Express flights, replacing snack boxes with freshly prepared food; and significantly enhancing United Economy meals and beverages on long-haul international flights.