Special meals

We are working hard to offer special meals on more flights across United. Standard vegetarian options are offered on all flights that have meal service, without your having to make a special request.

Right now, we offer Asian Vegetarian (AVML), Child's Meal (CHML), Gluten Intolerant (GFML), Kosher (KSML) and Vegan (VGML) meals to passengers upon request (and for pre-order) on these flights:

  • Domestic flights over 2,000 miles, including Mexico and the Caribbean
  • Premium transcontinental flights
  • Flights between Hawaii and the mainland U.S.
  • Select short and long-haul international flights to or from the U.S. (except Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean)

Frequently asked questions

  • We offer special meals on select routes when a breakfast, lunch or dinner is scheduled. A special meal can be requested at the time of booking or by adding a request to an existing reservation.

    If special meals are available on a flight, you will be able to make a special meals request during the booking process after signing in to your MileagePlus account. You can also use united.com or the United app to add a special meal request to an existing reservation.

    How to request a special meal using united.com

    1. Go to My Trips.
    2. Select a trip from the list, or search for one using your confirmation number and last name.
    3. Below the list of travelers, select “Special Meal.”
    4. Select a traveler and enter their meal preference, then select “Send request.”

    How to request a special meal using the United app

    1. Go to My United.
    2. Select a trip from the list, or search for one using your confirmation number and last name.
    3. Select “Edit traveler information.”
    4. Select “Edit” for any traveler requesting a special meal.
    5. Choose a meal option, then select “Save to reservation.”

    MileagePlus account holders can also add special meal preferences to their profiles for use with bookings made through united.com. When signed in to your MileagePlus account and making a reservation on united.com, if you have a special meal preference set in your profile, you should verify that the correct special meal has been assigned to the applicable traveler's name prior to confirming the reservation.

  • At least 24 hours before departure.

  • International flights

    Special meals are available on all international trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific and most intra-Pacific* flights. Special meals are also available on South American flights to/from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru.

    *Special meals are only available in United Business® on flights between Guam and Honolulu. Special meals are not available on flights departing from Kosrae (Micronesia), Kwajalein (Marshall Islands), Majuro (Marshall Islands), Pohnpei (Micronesia), Koror (Palau), Sendai (Japan), Truk (Micronesia), and Yap (Micronesia).

    U.S. flights

    Special meals are available on most North America premium cabin flights 2,000 miles or longer.

    Note: Some special meals may not be available in every market.

  • You will receive a meal comparable to the service scheduled for your confirmed flight based on the departure time of the flight, the length of the flight and the level of service offered.

    Please note that some special meal choices may not be available on all routes.

  • United is able to request special meals on your behalf when you are traveling on a partner or codeshare airline. However, we cannot guarantee the availability of special meals on the partner airline. You may contact the other airline directly to determine the availability of special meals and to make your request.

  • See our Customers with Food Allergies page for the answer to this question.