Ever wonder what airline food used to be like?
It was a world away from the often unrecognizable, mass-produced meals served on planes now—mushy pasta, bland chicken, or questionable-looking sauces.
Passengers once dined with fine china, real silverware, and multi-course dinners—sometimes even steak and Champagne! 🍾🥩
Flying felt like a special occasion, and the food reflected that.
Let’s take a nostalgic trip back to when airline meals were something to savor—not just something to get through. ✈️✨
A First-Class Feast in the Sky
From the 1950s to the 1980s, airlines took in-flight dining seriously.
Passengers were treated to multi-course meals, plated beautifully and served with real silverware.
Some of the extravagant dishes that made their way to passengers’ tables included:
🦞 Juicy lobster tails, served with melted butter
🍾 Champagne and fine wine, poured generously
🍖 Carved roast beef and ham, sliced fresh onboard
🥂 Elegant appetizers like caviar and shrimp cocktail
🍰 Decadent desserts, from fruit tarts to chocolate mousse
This was air travel at its most glamorous—a time when flying itself was an event, and the food matched the occasion.
When Dining Felt Like Fine Dining
Airline food today might be forgettable, but the photos tell a different story.
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has shared incredible vintage images from the 1950s to 1980s, capturing an era when in-flight meals were something to savor.
Passengers didn’t just eat—they dined. Passengers didn’t just eat—they dined. Seated at elegantly set tables, they sipped wine while flight attendants served beautifully plated gourmet meals. From carefully prepared appetizers to indulgent main courses, every dish was thoughtfully presented—no plastic trays, no pre-packaged food, just pure sophistication at 30,000 feet.
Some snapshots of this golden era include:
☕ First-class tea service in the 1960s, featuring porcelain cups, fresh cake, and fruit
🥗 Fresh salads prepared onboard on an SAS flight in 1975
🧀 Cheese and fruit platters, adding a touch of luxury to mid-flight refreshments
🍽️ A flight attendant presenting a Scandinavian-style buffet in 1969
🍷 A dedicated in-flight sommelier in the 1970s, ensuring passengers had the perfect wine pairing
Flying back then wasn’t just about getting from point A to B—it was about indulging in the journey.
Take a look and see for yourself!
What Happened to Airline Food?
So, why did this era of luxury dining disappear? A few key reasons:
✈️ More passengers, less space – As airlines crammed more seats into cabins, there was no room for elegant meal service.
💰 Cost-cutting measures – Fine dining is expensive, and airlines began prioritizing efficiency over experience.
🚀 Faster, shorter flights – With modern aviation reducing travel time, full-course meals became unnecessary.
Simply put, as flying became more accessible and affordable, the little luxuries—like restaurant-quality meals—slowly vanished.
A Look Back at a Different Era
Air travel has changed a lot over the years, and so has the food.
Those days of lobster, caviar, and white tablecloths might be long gone, but they’re definitely not forgotten.
These vintage photos are a reminder of a time when flying felt exciting, glamorous, and just a little bit more special.
While we may not get the carved meat in the sky anymore, it’s fun to look back at what once was—and imagine what the future of airline dining might bring.
Who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll see a little bit of that old-school luxury return. ✈️🍽✨
All photos courtesy of the SAS Museum.
