United Airlines Vegan Meal on International Flights (Review + Photos)
Does United Airlines provide vegan meals on international flights? Yes, they do!
The international flights I’ve taken recently with United are:
- San Francisco, US to Singapore (17 hours!)
- San Francisco, US to Tokyo, Japan
- Taipei, Taiwan to San Francisco, US.
- Manila, Philippines to San Francisco, US.
Both times were quite decent, including some of the best oatmeal I’ve had. What’s their recipe?!
Keep reading to see my United Airlines vegan meals and food menu for United Airlines international flights (United Airlines Economy Class Food).
Flying with any of these other airlines?
Does United Airlines Provide Free Meals on International Flights?
United Airlines provides complimentary hot meals and snacks on long-haul international flights. No additional costs.
I like to book with United when I can since their flights are usually direct to Asia.
They don’t provide free meals on any layover flights within the US.
What Are the United Airlines Vegan Meal Options?
United Airlines has one vegan meal option.
When booking, here are the options to choose from. The vegan meal is labeled Vegan (Strict) Vegetarian. While there is an Asian Vegetarian option, it’s safer to go with the vegan meal:
United Airlines Vegan Meals Review
I’ve never received any dairy or non-vegan food on my United Airlines flights when choosing their vegan meal.
The food they provide has also been filling. Sometimes it was even too much food. 😆
It’s not restaurant-quality like Singapore Airlines can be, though their oatmeal and sandwiches have been quite good!
San Francisco to Singapore, 2022 (17 hours)
*For my flight from San Francisco to Japan in 2024, it was basically the same.
I chose the Vegan (Strict) Vegetarian option and here’s what I got:
Meal 1: Vegetable and noodle dish, side salad, bread roll, vegan butter and orange. This was my least favorite of the United Airlines vegan meals.
Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins, fruit, and nuts, side fruit, apple sauce, bread roll and vegan butter. Maybe the best oatmeal I’ve had.
Snack, though it felt like a meal: Sandwich with I think were beans, chips, and fruit. It was flavorful and good!
Manila, Philippines to San Francisco, 2023 (12 hours)
I chose the Vegan (Strict) Vegetarian option and here’s what I got:
Meal 1: Vegetable and pasta dish, side salad, and fruit. The pasta was pretty good and filling.
Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins, pineapple, and nuts, side fruit, and juice. What else do they put in their oatmeal? It’s SO good.
Snack: Sandwich with veggie filling. Again the flavoring was quite nice. Lots of basil I think.
Taipei, Taiwan to San Francisco, 2024 (11 hours)
I chose the Vegan (Strict) Vegetarian option and here’s what I got:
Meal 1: Vegetable and rice dish, side dish, mochi, and bread roll with vegan butter.
Breakfast: Burrito filled with sautéd vegetables and hash brown, plus a bread roll. The burrito was small but pretty decent!
Snack: Sandwich with veggie filling + crackers. Not too much flavor in the sandwich but I’m also not a fan of additional bread stacked inside. Large portion.
How to Request a United Airlines Vegan Meal
You can request a special in-flight meal with United Airlines during your booking. There will be a dropdown for a special meal request.
You won’t see the special meal request on your confirmation emails, but you can you go back to your booking on United.com to confirm.
To book a United Airlines vegan meal after you book your flight, look for your booking on their website and then choose your special meal under special requests. To confirm before your flight, United has chat support you can text or message online.
When Can You Request a Special Meal on United Airlines?
You can request your vegan meal up to 24 hours before your flight.
From their website:
“Request a meal while booking, or by adding a request to your reservation. You must order a special meal at least 24 hours before your flight.”
When Do You Get Served Your Vegan Meal?
Special meals generally get served first, and early. Sometimes you’ve finished your food before others are even served! (I personally wait until my row gets served before I start eating, just a cultural thing. Unless I’m really hungry.)
So I always breathe a sigh of relief when a flight attendant either comes up to me at the beginning of the flight confirming my seat and vegan meal, or when they come up to my row with my vegan meal early. Phew!
That being said, don’t change your seat since the special meal is assigned to your seat number.
If there are lots of seats and you want to move, make sure to tell them first that you’re moving and if it’s possible to serve your vegan meal at your new seat.
Meals are generally served an hour or two after landing and before arrival.
Thumbs Up for United Airlines Vegan Meals
United Airlines have been reliable for vegan meals options, and they provide three filling dishes.
I even often crave their oatmeal and need to learn to recreate it! If you know the recipe, let me know!
🏨 Tip: Look up vegan-related activities on Viator
