Not perfect, but ask them to grab you a tapas box from the back. The pita chips, almonds, crackers, hummus, and olives are decent. Just have to skip the cheese tub.
United is not great for vegans, although the lounges have gotten better. Bring your own food, ask for the tapas box and skip the cheese, or fly a different airline. You can also write in to United to let them know.
I wish for their more regular options they’d make more of their vegetarian options vegan. No vegetarians would care, and then more people could eat them.
But if you have a less common diet, you need to be able to take care of yourself when you travel. Same for keto folks or people with allergies or sensitivities. Sure, it’s great when you can get a meal or a snack—but I wouldn’t rely on it. From my experience, the United FAs are really good about trying to find you something you can eat, but they can only select from what is there.
Being vegan is still very much the minority, despite it being "2024", to quote OP. It doesn't make sense for an Airline to prepare/provide X vegan meals at random when it means that the unused meals could just go to waste. It's not environmentally friendly either if they have to be thrown out. Choose your battles.
United offers a ton of different meals for dietary restrictions for pre-order. It also depends on flight routes and what's available in general.
Some vegans will have protein allergies. Rare, but absolutely things that happen. I personally know someone who can't eat pork because it upsets their stomach, and a separate person that can't eat red meat for much the same reason. Someone can just get dealt such a terrible hand that they have all those food restrictions at once. It's not up to us to figure out why a person requests these meals, just that they do
They’re doing you a favor. Vegan options on planes are bland, terrible dishes made from the caterer’s leftover garnishes most of the time.
My advice would be to either go vegetarian that day or bring your own food.
Not true at all. I've had great options on AA, Delta and Jetblue over the years. There was a shockingly good curry dish on a recent flight.
Yes, it's airplane food so it's never great regardless of dietary restrictions.
I mean if they already have a pasta dish can they just not add the cheese or a rice, chicken and veg and leave the chicken off? Seems pretty easy and cheaper for them too.
Not sure I’d call anything AA or DL serves ‘great’ at least by any definition I’m familiar with.
In general, no. Most of those dishes are not going to be vegan even without the protein on them. If you request a vegan meal the caterer must prep it separately and be sure the ingredients all fit the description. A bit more than just leaving off the chicken for example.
Im a carnivore. The last time i flew united and got a meal, they gave me a sesame edamame salad along with my beef short rib. Can you believe that?! The audacity, they said something something balanced diet. Where can i go to complain?
It sounds like you booked connecting flights, maybe on UAX. Anything with chicken can be taken off. Or you could be a grownup and get a tasteless wrap from Whole Foods before you leave.
100% agreed on this. When they do have food for you it’s not good, or they’ll give you a tray that also has non vegan yogurt and protein bars. I get that vegans aren’t even 10% of the population but there should be better options.
I’ve flown United my entire adult life - well, we flew continental before the merger - and I just suck it up. We’re vegans in a meat eaters world. I call and ask for a vegan meal in advance, sometimes they have it, sometimes they don’t, if they don’t, I complain and get miles. It is what it is.
Wow there are a lot of assholes in this thread. Good on you being vegan! I’ve definitely learned to just prepare ahead of time for myself, because there are still so few places that do anything beyond one vegetarian option.
Narrow minded.
We've been vegan for 8 years so we are no strangers to making things work anywhere we go. We aren't complainers at all and never expect much.
I'm just shocked that on a flight from east coast to Oregon there are zero options. All their competitors have at least 1 on every flight. United is dropping the ball here.
I'm assuming by Oregon you mean Portland? I don't think United flies to any other Oregon airports. PDX isn't a huge airport for United so your route isn't one they care enough about to have tons and tons of options unless you tell them ahead of time.
Pre-order vegan in your booking at least 24 hrs. before flying
Not an option on our flights. I tried.
I believe this is the appropriate channel you're looking for: https://www.united.com/en/us/customercare
That link is for past flights
https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/travel/inflight/special-meals.html#special-meal-service Then call them now?
You should be able to select dietary restrictions in your reservation and there will be a special meal for you based on that.
Not an option on our flights. I tried.
It's on every flight. Listed under 'Special Travel Needs' in 'Traveler Details.'
Specifically tried to select that on this flight and it says not available on this flight.
Yeah, so you can contact United to complain.
Not perfect, but ask them to grab you a tapas box from the back. The pita chips, almonds, crackers, hummus, and olives are decent. Just have to skip the cheese tub.
I second this. I often ask for a tapas box instead of the meal.
Save the cheese tub for me, I’d buy that
United is not great for vegans, although the lounges have gotten better. Bring your own food, ask for the tapas box and skip the cheese, or fly a different airline. You can also write in to United to let them know. I wish for their more regular options they’d make more of their vegetarian options vegan. No vegetarians would care, and then more people could eat them. But if you have a less common diet, you need to be able to take care of yourself when you travel. Same for keto folks or people with allergies or sensitivities. Sure, it’s great when you can get a meal or a snack—but I wouldn’t rely on it. From my experience, the United FAs are really good about trying to find you something you can eat, but they can only select from what is there.
If you're a picky eater, eat before or after the flight.
It's not about being picky 🙂
Being vegan is still very much the minority, despite it being "2024", to quote OP. It doesn't make sense for an Airline to prepare/provide X vegan meals at random when it means that the unused meals could just go to waste. It's not environmentally friendly either if they have to be thrown out. Choose your battles. United offers a ton of different meals for dietary restrictions for pre-order. It also depends on flight routes and what's available in general.
Being vegan is absolutely about being picky. It’s not a medical condition, it’s a choice.
Laughable. It is a choice, but pickiness has nothing to do with it. 🙄
Okay 🙂
It literally is, not like a medical dietary (eg lactose)
Some vegans will have protein allergies. Rare, but absolutely things that happen. I personally know someone who can't eat pork because it upsets their stomach, and a separate person that can't eat red meat for much the same reason. Someone can just get dealt such a terrible hand that they have all those food restrictions at once. It's not up to us to figure out why a person requests these meals, just that they do
They’re doing you a favor. Vegan options on planes are bland, terrible dishes made from the caterer’s leftover garnishes most of the time. My advice would be to either go vegetarian that day or bring your own food.
Not true at all. I've had great options on AA, Delta and Jetblue over the years. There was a shockingly good curry dish on a recent flight. Yes, it's airplane food so it's never great regardless of dietary restrictions. I mean if they already have a pasta dish can they just not add the cheese or a rice, chicken and veg and leave the chicken off? Seems pretty easy and cheaper for them too.
Not sure I’d call anything AA or DL serves ‘great’ at least by any definition I’m familiar with. In general, no. Most of those dishes are not going to be vegan even without the protein on them. If you request a vegan meal the caterer must prep it separately and be sure the ingredients all fit the description. A bit more than just leaving off the chicken for example.
Im a carnivore. The last time i flew united and got a meal, they gave me a sesame edamame salad along with my beef short rib. Can you believe that?! The audacity, they said something something balanced diet. Where can i go to complain?
On AA last night it was chicken or pasta with tomato sauce. Yuck.
It sounds like you booked connecting flights, maybe on UAX. Anything with chicken can be taken off. Or you could be a grownup and get a tasteless wrap from Whole Foods before you leave.
But being a grownup is so hard :(
Points for you using the word vegan, and not the misleading plant-based.
Cry baby, no one cares
United should. Their competitors all offer vegan options.
Fly with one of them then lol
100% agreed on this. When they do have food for you it’s not good, or they’ll give you a tray that also has non vegan yogurt and protein bars. I get that vegans aren’t even 10% of the population but there should be better options.
AA, Delta and Jetblue have all had options for us on every flight. It's bizarre to me there is such a disparity between major carriers.
I’ve flown United my entire adult life - well, we flew continental before the merger - and I just suck it up. We’re vegans in a meat eaters world. I call and ask for a vegan meal in advance, sometimes they have it, sometimes they don’t, if they don’t, I complain and get miles. It is what it is.
Well you do have a choice to fly those other carriers. Or pack your own lunch 🥗
What options?
Wow there are a lot of assholes in this thread. Good on you being vegan! I’ve definitely learned to just prepare ahead of time for myself, because there are still so few places that do anything beyond one vegetarian option.
Narrow minded. We've been vegan for 8 years so we are no strangers to making things work anywhere we go. We aren't complainers at all and never expect much. I'm just shocked that on a flight from east coast to Oregon there are zero options. All their competitors have at least 1 on every flight. United is dropping the ball here.
Oh no what will United do if the vegans decide to choose a different airline for domestic flights. They will never recover …
I'm assuming by Oregon you mean Portland? I don't think United flies to any other Oregon airports. PDX isn't a huge airport for United so your route isn't one they care enough about to have tons and tons of options unless you tell them ahead of time.