Airline food has long been caught between two worlds: a logistical marvel and a culinary challenge. Yet, for decades, in-flight dining has been seen as underwhelming to say the least — but things are changing. Airlines around the world are transforming meals into genuinely memorable experiences. From regionally-inspired dishes to chef-curated menus and wine pairings, in-flight dining has quietly evolved into a competitive arena of its own.
If you value a good in-flight menu, Canstar analysed over 125,000 passenger reviews to rank the top 100 airlines in the world for inflight dining*, from the overall top airlines to the best in first-class dining.
The best airlines for in-flight dining
Fending off competition from the biggest airlines, Greek carrier Aegean topped the rankings with a score of 7.82 out of 10. Operating a modest fleet of approximately 83 aircraft (compared with over 1,000 at United Airlines) Aegean impressed travellers with fresh, regionally-inspired dishes and authentic Greek hospitality.
The airline’s menu philosophy draws on the Greek concept of ‘filema’ — a Greek word meaning the sharing of love and kindness through food and hospitality. Passengers in all cabin classes will enjoy authentic Greek flavours, while those in business class experience meals crafted by top Greek chefs and sommeliers.
Other top performers included Qatar Airways, Asiana Airlines, EVA Air and Singapore Airlines, with Asian carriers dominating the rankings, claiming seven of the top 10 spots. South Korea and Japan were the only countries with multiple top-10 entries: Asiana (3rd) and Korean Air (6th) for South Korea, and All Nippon Airways (ANA) (7th) and Japan Airlines (8th) for Japan.
Several lesser-known airlines also punched above their weight: Kuwait Airways (9th), Garuda Indonesia (10th), Air Algerie (14th) and Azerbaijan Airlines (21st) all made the global top 25.
By contrast, some major carriers struggled to impress. Qantas (51st), British Airways (54th), Air France (70th), and Air New Zealand fell outside the top 50, while American Airlines and United Airlines barely scraped the top 100, placing 93rd and 94th respectively.
See full results below.
Best in-flight dining for Australian and Oceanian airlines
In Australia, Virgin Australia leads the pack with a score of 6.54, placing 39th globally, ahead of Qantas (51st) and Jetstar (75th). One notable omission was Rex, which didn’t appear in the ranking due to limited reviews, although the small sample available suggests it would have scored an impressive 6.91.
What are the best airline meals in economy?
Rank | Airline | Total | Number Of | Airline Meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Turkish Airlines | 7.56 | 602 | 7.63 |
2 | Air Algerie | 7.45 | 76 | 7.99 |
3 | Emirates Air | 7.45 | 429 | 7.54 |
4 | Thai Airways International | 7.39 | 366 | 7.49 |
5 | Aegean Airlines | 7.29 | 130 | 7.55 |
6 | Etihad Airways | 7.25 | 96 | 7.52 |
7 | Qatar Airways | 7.23 | 291 | 7.36 |
8 | Swiss Int Air Lines | 7.23 | 129 | 7.33 |
9 | Korean Air | 7.21 | 146 | 7.48 |
10 | Asiana Airlines | 7.18 | 138 | 7.13 |
Flying with more of a budget in mind doesn’t always mean you’re sacrificing a quality meal on your travels, with some airlines putting in just as much care to their economy menu as the business and first class menus.
For economy passengers, Turkish Airlines took the crown with a 7.6, followed closely by Air Algerie (7.5) and Emirates (7.5), then Thai Airways (7.4) and Aegean (7.3).
Which airlines have the best business-class meals?
Rank | Airline | Total | Number of | Airline Meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gulf Air | 8.30 | 83 | 8.86 |
2 | Aegean Airlines | 8.15 | 81 | 8.66 |
3 | Kuwait Airways | 8.14 | 55 | 8.87 |
4 | Turkish Airlines | 8.04 | 256 | 8.18 |
5 | Qatar Airways | 7.95 | 185 | 8.13 |
6 | Austrian Airlines | 7.81 | 185 | 7.96 |
7 | Jetblue | 7.73 | 57 | 8.15 |
8 | Aero Mexico | 7.71 | 61 | 8.1 |
9 | Asiana Airlines | 7.66 | 91 | 7.89 |
10 | Lufthansa City Line | 7.62 | 72 | 7.9 |
Business class meals are often a big jump from economy, with some airlines offering chef-designed menus plated up for service,
Serving up the best business-class dining experience was Gulf Air with an 8.3 rating, followed by Aegean Airlines (8.15), while the third-place rated airline was Kuwait Airways (8.14).
Which airlines serve the best first-class food?
Rank | Airline | Total | Number of | Airline Meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lufthansa | 8.41 | 128 | 8.70 |
2 | Qantas | 8.41 | 92 | 8.80 |
3 | Swiss International Air Lines | 8.41 | 61 | 9.00 |
4 | China Airlines | 8.12 | 52 | 8.60 |
5 | Etihad Airways | 8.01 | 53 | 8.40 |
6 | All Nippon Airways | 7.98 | 86 | 8.20 |
7 | Singapore Airlines | 7.75 | 186 | 7.80 |
8 | Japan Air Lines | 7.64 | 93 | 7.70 |
9 | Emirates Air | 7.50 | 102 | 7.50 |
10 | Delta | 7.50 | 265 | 7.50 |
First-class flights come with a premium, and airlines pull out all the stops to ensure passengers at the front of the plane are truly spoiled. Elevated menus are plated up beautifully, with luxury wine lists alongside, and in some cases, on-demand dining.
The airlines that topped first-class dining was a three-way tie between Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines and Qantas, each scoring 8.4 out of 10. Others performing strongly were China Airlines (8.1), Etihad Airways (8.0) and All Nippon Airways (8.0).
Where luxury meets altitude
The best flights routes worth flying just for the food
Though airlines typically standardise their food offerings across flights, individual options and service can vary depending on the route you fly. Economy passengers flying from Australia get some of the best dining experiences overall, with Emirates’ Melbourne–Singapore route rated the best.
Can airline food make you ill?
Airline meals are subject to strict global food-safety regulations, so foodborne illness from an in-flight meal is rare. However, any meal carries some risk, whether it’s on a plane, at an airport, or at a local restaurant abroad.
If you find yourself ill, taking out a travel insurance policy, which can be from $4.58** a day, may be able to cover unexpected medical costs if you require treatment.
How to score a first-class upgrade without the hefty price tag
If you’re looking to upgrade your seat (and meal) on your next flight, there are some ways you could bag an upgrade.
Upgrade with airline points
Most major airlines reward loyalty with frequent-flyer or points programs. Every flight earns points, which can then be redeemed for seat upgrades, lounge access, or even complimentary flights. Many carriers' frequent flyer programs, including Qantas and Virgin Australia, also allow you to earn points on everyday spending through affiliate stores and services.
There are also rewards credit cards, where you’ll earn a certain number of rewards or frequent flyer points for using the card. These cards will often be attached to just one specific rewards program, so choose a card affiliated with your preferred rewards scheme.
Bid for an upgrade
Some airlines now run auction-based systems where passengers can bid on seat upgrades. If you’re flexible, this could mean nabbing a first-class seat for a fraction of the retail cost. However, there are a couple of catches.
Availability and pricing vary by flight and status tiers can play a part in this bidding process, so someone with a higher status tier may outweigh someone with a lower tier on the same bid.
The other downside is that you usually only find out whether your bid was accepted around 24 hours before departure. But if you’re successful, the savings can be significant.
Be flexible with dates
Flight pricing is heavily influenced by demand: not just for economy, but for first class too. Shifting your travel by just a few days can save you hundreds, sometimes even thousands, off your ticket or upgrade.
How Canstar crunched the numbers
*In November 2025, Canstar analysed 125,849 passenger reviews from sites including Airlinemeals.net and Skytrax. Airlines with fewer than 50 total reviews were excluded. Review scores were standardised, with Bayesian smoothing applied to weight each airline’s rating by review volume.
