Airlines serving the best in-flight food according to passenger reviews

Plane food has a bad reputation with most passengers – but there are airlines serving up gourmet meals at 30,000 feet

Food on planes has a bad reputation for being dry, zapped in the microwave and at its worst unidentifiable. But, believe it or not, certain carriers are dishing out some delicious dishes if you book the right flight.

Sure, eating at 30,000 feet is never going to rival your favourite restaurant. As you soar, the cabin’s humidity plummets, taking our sense of smell and taste with it, lower cabin pressure messes with our taste buds, making flavours go flat.

Not to mention, thanks to strict food safety rules, all in-flight meals are cooked on the ground then packed, blast chilled and refrigerated before it’s reheated in the air so even a Michelin-starred feast might lose its appeal after that ordeal.

But frequent fliers who are fussy about their food might want to check out these highly rated airlines – some earn top marks for their mid-air menus, reports the Express.

MoneySuperMarket’s travel insurance experts delved into over 27,000 flyers’ meal reviews from upwards of 100 airlines to suss out the cream of the crop. Taking the global top spot is Kuwait Airways, crowned king of airline cuisine with a lip-smacking average rating of 8.6/10 across all classes.

They offer a “Royal Class” experience complete with lobster, prawns, and beef extravaganzas, and even economy passengers can indulge in several courses. Also flying high in the top-five taste test are Oman Air, Middle East Airlines MEA, Air Algerie, and airBALTIC.

Virgin Atlantic and British Airways have been rated the best airlines for in-flight meals by UK travellers, both scoring a solid 6.7 out of 10. However, budget airlines such as Ryanair and EasyJet, which don’t offer complimentary meals on flights, didn’t make the cut.

But fear not, you can always bring your own snacks from the airport – just remember to dispose of any leftovers before going through security at your destination to avoid potential fines for undeclared food items.

The top 20 airlines with the best meals

20 TAROM