What happened
Hawaiian Airlines is eliminating free meals in economy class on its domestic U.S. routes, effective July 1, 2026. The airline is replacing the standard complimentary meal service with a pre-order dining program featuring menus developed with Chef Sheldon Simeon. Meal prices will range from $10.99 to $16.99, with options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Pre-ordering opens between two weeks and 20 hours before departure. While most domestic routes will switch to this paid model, flights to and from New York (JFK) will continue to offer complimentary meals. Passengers who do not pre-order can still purchase snacks and items from the cart onboard, and all guests will receive a complimentary local snack
Sources add · 1
- LoyaltyLobby: Alaska has begun the enshittifcation of Hawaiian’s on-board service and will remove complimentary meals in economy on domestic flights between Hawaii and the continental US from July 1, 2026