The Best and Worst Airline Food Revealed: Check Out the List

From reheated meat and dry bread rolls to the occasional culinary surprise, airline food has always been a hot topic among travelers.

Whether you’re flying short-haul or embarking on a long international journey, what you’re served onboard can make or break the experience. But which airlines are dishing out the best meals and drinks—and which ones are falling flat?

A new YouGov survey has just revealed the best and worst airlines for in-flight food and beverages, based on real passenger feedback. The results are both predictable and surprising.

Leading the sky-high kitchen game is Emirates, earning the top spot in both meals and snacks. A whopping 85% of passengers gave positive reviews for Emirates’ in-flight meals, while 84% rated its snacks and drinks favorably. Among them, 43% went as far as to say the airline’s snacks were “very good.”

Qatar Airways follows closely behind, with 82% of passengers praising its meals and 83% giving a thumbs-up for drinks and snacks. Not far behind is Virgin Atlantic, with 73% of travelers giving favorable reviews for meals and 74% for snacks and drinks.

Among UK-based airlines, British Airways came out on top with 63% of passengers liking its meals and 61% approving of its snacks and beverages. Meanwhile, budget carriers such as Jet2.com and TUI Airways hold a middle ground, with around half of their passengers rating food and drink positively.

At the bottom of the list are the ultra-low-cost carriers. easyJet and Wizz Air received mixed to negative feedback, while Ryanair received the lowest scores of all—just 17% of passengers rated its meals as good, and only 21% were happy with the snacks and drinks. Worse yet, 41% described Ryanair’s snacks as bad, and 50% had negative things to say about their meals.

In-Flight Meals & Snacks – Positive Ratings