Food On BoardJAL serves complimentary meals in every class, including Japanese and Western options. Here's exactly what to expect, when to order, and how to get a special meal.
JAL includes a full meal on every international flight, at no extra charge, in all cabins including Economy. You don't need to pre-order to get fed — but you do need to act ahead of time if you want something beyond the standard menu.
- Complimentary meals
- All cabins on international flights
- Menu choice
- 2 options on medium and long-haul
- Japanese option
- Available on most routes
- Drinks (incl. alcohol)
- Complimentary in all classes
- Special meals
- 24 h advance notice required (72 h for Kosher)
- Pre-order deadline
- 25 h before departure
What Economy gets you
On any JAL international flight long enough to warrant a meal service, you choose between two options: one Japanese (washoku) and one Western. A typical tray includes a main dish, three sides (salad, noodles, vegetables), and dessert. On many routes you also get miso soup or consomme on the side.
Drinks are complimentary throughout the flight. The trolley covers beer, wine, sake (nihonshu), plum wine (ume-shu), whisky, gin, vodka, brandy, plus juices, water, and Ayataka green tea served chilled.
On longer hauls, JAL sets up a Sky Oasis snack bar between meal services so you can grab a bite without waiting for the cart.
Meal timing and the Express Meal option
The first meal service starts roughly 30-60 minutes after takeoff. If you want to eat quickly and sleep, the JAL Express Meal is the answer: it's pre-packed so the crew can deliver it in minutes while the standard trolley is still setting up. Reserve it via "Service Application (Seats and Meals)" in your booking, up to 25 hours before departure.
If you'd rather skip the meal entirely (e.g., you've eaten in the lounge), JAL runs a Meal Skip option on some routes. You opt out in advance, and in return you receive an original amenity kit.
Book the Japanese meal first
The washoku (Japanese) option is the most popular and sells out first on busy routes. If it matters to you, reserve your meal preference as early as possible through your booking — you can change it up to 25 hours before departure.
Special meals: 20-plus options
JAL offers more than 20 special meal codes. The table below covers the most requested.
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Key ordering rules:
- Most special meals: request at least 25 hours before departure through Manage Booking or the JAL contact centre.
- Kosher meal (KSML) and severe allergen meals: call JAL directly, minimum 72 hours in advance. These cannot be arranged online.
- Vegetarian passengers have four codes to choose from: VGML (vegan, no dairy or eggs), AVML (Indian-style, lacto-vegetarian), VOML (strict vegetarian), and RVML (raw vegetables and fruit). Pick the one that matches your diet — they are not interchangeable.
- Halal (MOML) meals use chicken, beef, or lamb slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines. No pork, lard, or alcohol.
Business Class and the chef partnerships
From March 2026, JAL began rolling out menus by acclaimed Japanese chefs across premium cabins. Chef Natsuko Shoji (of Tokyo restaurant Est) and Chef Nae Ogawa contribute menus on flights from Tokyo to Europe, the Americas, and Doha. The second meal service in Business Class moved to a tray-style format, paired with an expanded drinks list that includes premium sake, curated Japanese teas, and wines selected for high-altitude conditions.
Business Class passengers can also pre-order specific dishes through the Inflight Meal Reservation Service — useful on flagship routes where demand for signature dishes is high.
The one thing most travellers overlook
JAL's special meal system is more granular than most airlines, which works in your favour. A request for "vegetarian" on most carriers gives you one option. At JAL, you can specify exactly how you eat. But the 25-hour deadline is firm: miss it, and you're back to the standard two choices. Set a phone reminder when you book.
