American Airlines is challenging Delta by bringing back free meals
American Airlines announced Wednesday that it will be bringing back free meals on select flights.
The Dallas-based airline will be offering the meals to main cabin passengers on cross-country flights between San Francisco and New York and between Los Angeles and New York beginning May 1. Meals will vary based on the time of day, and a vegetarian option will also be available.
American's move to bring back free meals comes just a few weeks after Delta announced it was reinstating complimentary meals on its transcontinental flights. And until now, the Atlanta-based airline was the only carrier offering the perk.
However, Delta still has somewhat of an edge on American because it is offering meals on more routes - 12 to be exact - beginning April 24. These routes include the same ones American is offering, as well as flights between Boston and LA, Seattle, and San Francisco.
Free meals were once a common perk available on most major US airlines. However, carriers were forced to pull back on spending to cut costs during the recession.
Now, United is the only major US-based carrier not offering complimentary meals on transcontinental flights.