Hawaiian Airlines will end complimentary meals in economy class on most mainland flights, marking the end of an era for the last U.S. carrier still offering free meals in the back of the aircraft. The replacement menu looks genuinely better, but passengers will now have to pay for it and pre-order it.
Starting July 1, 2026, economy class passengers on most Hawaii-mainland flights will no longer receive a free meal (currently a sandwich and chips on most routes). Instead, they will be able to pre-order meals up to two weeks before departure and as late as 20 hours before departure via Hawaiian’s website or the Alaska-Hawaiian mobile app.
The one notable exception: Honolulu – New York JFK, which will continue to include a complimentary meal in Main Cabin (American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines still offer free meals on select longhauhl Hawaii flights).
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.
