Tips for Scoring a Satisfying In-Flight Meal

In-flight meals rank up there with gabby neighbors and cramped legroom as one of the least enjoyable aspects of air travel. But on long flights, a soggy, pre-prepared dinner is often a necessary evil. Bloomberg recently shared a few tips for eating well on an airplane if flyers don’t feel like packing food from home.

To make the most of the next dish you're served in-air, Inflight Feed founder Nikos Loukas told Bloomberg he recommends sitting as close to the front of the plane as possible. First and business class passengers obviously eat better than those seated in the back (they have a different menu), but the principle applies within economy as well. Because flight attendants usually take orders from front to back, seats closer to the front tend to get served the best-looking food. Less-appealing plates may be skipped over before finally reaching the customers seated in the very back.

Other tips for receiving the most satisfying meal possible include ordering meats served in sauces (bold, spicy flavors hold up well against the effects of flying on your taste buds) and asking for an upgrade. According to Loukas, flight attendants have been known to serve business class meals to economy passengers who ask for something better.

If you’re still unable to boost your food quality after going through all that trouble, consider supplementing your sorry meal with an in-flight cocktail. Delta’s director of on-board services Brian Berry recently told Business Insider that the simplest cocktails are the best choices for in-flight boozing. With limited time and space for flight attendants to practice mixology, drinks with long ingredient lists tend to suffer in quality. Berry recommends ordering a drink of no more than three ingredients. A can of bloody Mary mix or tomato juice with some vodka—a scientifically proven great drink to enjoy at 30,000 feet—is a good place to start.

Know of something you think we should cover? Email us at tips@mentalfloss.com.