Qantas Explores Pre-Ordered Premium Meals

Qantas is surveying frequent flyers on pre-ordering inflight meals for premium cabins, including on its planned Project Sunrise flights.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Business Travel

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a closed silver plate cover on a bare wooden airline tray table beside an empty leather seat. — Qantas is surveying premium frequent flyers on pre-ordering inflight meals, including for its planned Project Sunrise ultra-long-haul flights from Sydney. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you pre-order your meal before a long-haul premium flight?

Qantas is surveying premium frequent flyers on whether they would pre-order inflight meals, with pre-selected dishes available before boarding. The airline has confirmed passengers on its planned Project Sunrise flights can pre-select meals.

Why it matters

Pre-selecting meals can reduce catering costs, excess weight on long flights and food wastage. For Australian travellers, it could shape how premium cabin dining is offered on the ultra-long routes from Sydney.

Singapore Airlines' Book the Cook service offers 29 dishes in business class, 40 in first class and 17 in premium economy. Qantas' discontinued Menu Select allowed pre-orders between seven days and 12 hours before departure, and no replacement has been confirmed.

The players

Qantas

Qantas is Australia's largest international airline and the operator of the planned Project Sunrise non-stop flights to London and New York.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is a major Asian carrier whose Book the Cook pre-order service is used as a benchmark for premium inflight dining.

The details

Qantas' online survey, titled Help shape the future of Qantas in-flight meals in premium cabins, is reaching a select group of travellers and asks about recent travel across first, business and premium economy. The airline has said the pre-order service would offer exclusive dishes not available from the standard onboard menu.

Menu Select was discontinued during the pandemic and never resurfaced.
Earlier in 2026, Qantas introduced exclusive lounge dining areas for Platinum and Platinum One members.
1 November 2026: Qantas' pre-order survey was reported.

Travel Outlook

The proposal revives Qantas' Menu Select, which ended during the pandemic, as the airline prepares its ultra-long Project Sunrise routes. Pre-ordering would allow premium cabin dining to be planned around flights of about 20 hours.

Frequent flyers who want pre-selected dishes should watch for a confirmed Qantas pre-order option before booking long premium-cabin flights. Until then, pre-ordering is not available, so travellers should plan any dietary needs with the airline in advance.

The takeaway

Premium travellers on long-haul routes may soon be able to choose their meal before boarding, but the service is not yet confirmed. Checking Qantas' announcements before a trip is the best way to know what will be available.