United Airlines economy meal pre-order policy draws complaint from business traveller
Written by AI from thetravel.com's report. Not checked by a person.
United now requires economy passengers to pre-order fresh meals. One frequent business traveller who paid more than $800 for a last-minute ticket complained on Reddit that only snacks were available to them.
United Airlines' mandatory pre-order policy for fresh economy meals has drawn a complaint from a frequent business traveller. Since March 1, 2026, economy passengers must order fresh entrées ahead of time rather than buy them on board. Snack boxes, packaged snacks and drinks can still be bought during the flight.
On Reddit, the passenger said they booked a last-minute ticket of about $800 for a flight from Chicago O'Hare to San Diego and sat in the middle seat in Economy Plus. With no time to pre-order, they said the only choices were snack boxes, chips or candy, while basic economy passengers who paid about $150 and ordered in advance received hot food. They said the airline should look after its best customers.
Some commenters agreed, calling the decision a poor one. Others said travellers can buy food at the airport and that the system reduces waste. One commenter said they would like to see data on food waste.
According to United's website, ordering opens five days before departure and closes 24 hours before the flight, or 48 hours on select flights. Orders can be placed on the website or app. United says the system improves catering efficiency and should keep more than 100,000 pounds of unused food out of landfills each year. In October 2026, it lowered the minimum flight distance for economy pre-ordering from 1,190 to 900 miles. TheTravel, which published the report, has contacted United for comment.
