guides
The Business Class Food and Wine Guide: What to Expect on Every Major Airline
From JAL's kaiseki to Air France's Michelin-starred dishes, we review the dining experience in business class across 12 airlines with menu highlights.
The airlines with the best business class food
Japan Airlines: The multi-course kaiseki menu is the finest airline food we have experienced. Seasonal ingredients, beautiful presentation, and premium sake pairing. The JAL curry rice is also legendary.
Air France: Michelin-starred chefs design the menus, and the wine list — curated by sommelier Paolo Basso — is outstanding. The cheese course is a highlight.
Turkish Airlines (DO&CO catering): Restaurant-quality food prepared by DO&CO. The Turkish breakfast service is exceptional. The meze selection is outstanding.
Singapore Airlines (Book the Cook): Pre-order from an extensive menu including lobster thermidor and wagyu beef. The ability to choose in advance means you get exactly what you want.
Emirates (Dine on Demand): Eat when you want, not when the airline decides. The bread is baked on board on A380 flights. The Arabic dishes are particularly good.
Wine and Champagne in business class
The Champagne served in business class varies significantly by airline:
Emirates: Moët & Chandon (standard) or Krug (selected routes) Qatar Airways: Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle (selected routes) Singapore Airlines: Charles Heidsieck or Taittinger Air France: Pommery (standard flights) or Grand Cru (select routes) British Airways: Castelnau or Henriot
The wine programs at Air France, Singapore Airlines, and Qantas are the best in aviation — each employs dedicated wine consultants or panels of experts to curate their lists.
Tips for the best dining experience
1. Pre-order your meal where available (Singapore Airlines Book the Cook, JAL pre-order). This guarantees you get your first choice. 2. Try the local cuisine option. Japanese food on JAL, Turkish mezze on Turkish Airlines, and Arabic dishes on Emirates are all outstanding. 3. Don't sleep through the meal service. On overnight flights, the dinner service is usually the best meal. Ask the crew to wake you if necessary. 4. Hydrate between wine courses. The combination of altitude and alcohol leads to faster intoxication and worse hangovers. Alternate wine with water.
Call +1 (866) 699-4488 for advice on which airline offers the best dining experience on your route.