United Airlines has extended its Economy meal-preorder programme to flights of more than 900 miles across North America and the Caribbean, lowering the previous threshold of 1,190 miles. The change covers 420 additional flights per day and could give up to 65,000 more customers daily access to preselected fresh food, including on routes such as Chicago–Houston, Denver–San Francisco and Houston–Washington, D.C.
Customers can order fresh Bistro on Board meals and other eligible retail items through the United app or united.com from five days until 24 hours before departure. The menu changes monthly and includes sandwiches, burritos, burgers, pasta and breakfast items. Current options include a pork mojo burrito, a Chicago patty melt developed with Jeff Mauro, a hot honey chicken-and-waffle sandwich and a cinnamon apple waffle.
The expansion brings advance selection to medium-length routes that previously fell below the eligibility threshold. The meals remain paid Economy products rather than complimentary service, and United cautions that preordered items may be unavailable in certain circumstances. The initiative forms part of wider Economy investments, including Starlink connectivity, seatback screens with Bluetooth and larger overhead bins.