Overview
- The option is live for flights over 1,190 miles within the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
- Travelers can choose items through united.com or the United app from five days until 24 hours before departure, with app alerts when the window opens.
- Starting March 1, fresh entrees in economy will only be available via advance order, while snack boxes, packaged snacks and drinks will still be sold onboard, with more fresh choices and preorder-exclusive premium beverages planned later in 2026.
- United frames the change as an efficiency measure that could keep more than 100,000 pounds of unused food out of landfills annually and notes its 2021 premium-cabin preorder coincided with a nearly 40% rise in domestic satisfaction scores.
- United cautions that preordered meals may sometimes be unavailable, and industry commentators warn the loss of onboard fresh-meal purchases could frustrate last-minute or rebooked passengers.