American Airlines Improves Coach Food For Sale — A Rare Upgrade Where Most Passengers Sit

American Airlines is refreshing its buy on board food for sale program in economy.

New snacks start May 1. The Inflight Bites box ($10 or 1,000 miles) replaces Tray Table Tables and offers: Gochujang beef jerky; Wheat Thins; Lemon rosemary green olives; Chocolate cherry granola bar; Oreo cookies; Honey roasted cashews; Smoked Gouda cheese spread.

This seems like a good improvement, actually, while keeping olives which are a fan favorite along with cheese spread. It’s interesting flavors, along with actual name brands in Wheat Thins and Oreos not store brand stuff.

And they’re continuing the focus on ‘real’ brands with “NUTS ON CLARK” Roasted Salted Mixed Nuts
($11 or 1,100 miles) from the north side of Chicago – appropriate as they fight aggressively to retain market share at O’Hare. And they’re offering BOOMCHICKAPOP Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn ($5 or 500 miles).

The cheese plate ($13 or 1,300 miles) gets a refresh with Tillamook cheeses, fruit and nuts.

Tillamook® Extra Sharp Cheddar, Tillamook® Smoked Black Pepper Cheddar and blueberry artigiano cheese

Fresh fruit, dried apricots and dried black figs

Walnuts, gourmet crackers, Bonne Maman honey and Toblerone chocolate

And starting June 1 there’s a new roasted turkey sandwich with Havarti on avocado bread with spinach, sweet red pepper and caramelized onion-mustard spread. It’s servied with barbecue chips and “a sweet treat.” ($14 or 1,400 miles)

These are available on flights of 1,100 miles or more on domestic and short-haul international. That’s better than the old 1,300 mile requirement, but not as generous as other competitors. American’s partner Alaska Airlines has the clear best buy on board program, and I’d rate United as second.

I think American needs to make food for sale available on 900-mile flights, or at least 1,000 miles -when I’m on a delayed 5 p.m. Charlotte – Austin flight I really want something available. That flight is blocked at about 3 hours, but it’s ‘only’ 1,032 miles.

American also needs to offer food for sale on Eagle flights. They run many longer regional jet flights that would qualify even based on the current distance rule, but food for sale is currently only offered on mainline.

And we’re nowhere close to where American Airlines was in 2012 with Marcus Samuelsson sandwiches which were genuinely tasty, and his spiced nut mix that I used to get on board and bring home.

Nonetheless, it’s nice to see a little bit of attention being paid to the back of the plane. That’s where most customers are, and it’s where future premium customers are. Those are the efforts that may seem like little details, but that can actually matter even more in the aggregate.