United Airlines is launching several upgrades to onboard food and beverage offerings, including revamped cocktails, a new premium nut mix, and an upgraded meal service on flights to and from Hawaii. These changes roll out in February.

United will be offering Crafthouse Cocktails, a brand founded by Chicago bar entrepreneur Matt Lindner and global bartending champion Charles Joly. These pre-mixed beverages rely on small-batch craft spirits and natural ingredients, avoiding neon colorings and excess sweeteners.

Hawaii flights will see a Mai Tai and a Pineapple Daiquiri offering complimentary in premium economy and business class, and for sale in coach for $12 or 1,420 miles (the latter not being a good deal).

On domestic routes, passengers can enjoy a ready-to-drink Espresso Martini, as well as a United-exclusive Moonlighter, which combines lavender and chamomile in a vodka spritz, also complimentary in premium cabins, or $12/1,420 miles in back.

United’s premium cabin nut mix has remained mostly constant, except for disgraced former CEO Jeff Smisek’s cost-cutting where whole cashews were replaced with cashew pieces. Starting next month, customers in domestic first and in business class will be served a new mix of (40%) roasted almonds, (40%) cashews, and (10%) pecans, with Italian seasoning. Gluten-free pretzels (10%) will be included as well.

Long-time United nut mix

Hawaii flights are getting new menus. In premium cabins,

• Outbbound entrées to Hawaii include seared beef with chive-infused mashed potatoes, chicken breast with harissa-spiced vegetables, seafood selections like scallion butter shrimp, and a vegetarian wild mushroom ragout.
  
• Full sundae cart returns for flights departing after 10:00 a.m., featuring toppings such as pineapple compote. Wine offerings are also being expanded.
  
• Inbound flights from Hawaii will feature braised calamansi pork belly, seared salmon with a coconut curry sauce, and a macadamia-topped dessert. A pre-arrival meal may offer soufflé pancakes with honey and toasted macadamias, or a macadamia-infused fruit and yogurt bowl.

Original Polaris Sundae

Original Polaris Dessert Cart

Premium economy gets a pared-down selection of entrées and coach will see hot meal choices like huli huli chicken and sticky rice, replacing cold salads.

This follows a big new investment in premium wines for long haul business class at the airline. Ultimately, United has realized that a high cost airline needs significant revenues and pursuing a premium strategy has allowed it to perform well financially against the industry.

On-time reliability is a baseline for any carrier. But much remains outside their control, from weather to air traffic control. The elements of customers experience they can control are their hard and soft products, including food and beverage and service. So the airline is in the process of remaking itself as a well-connected, premium global carrier. We’ll see how these investments look in practice.