Is Emirates the World’s Most Vegan-Friendly Airline?

Sometimes, in-flight vegan meals can be seriously disappointing. In 2023, for example, one passenger flew on Kenya Airlines for six hours, only to receive a piece of fruit and some nuts. In 2022, one Air Canada customer claimed they were only given a bottle of water. These are extreme examples, but there have been many instances over the years where plant-based or vegetarian passengers have been given subpar dishes.

Most of us can agree: watching the meal cart inch closer, only to receive a disappointing dish, is a small let down we’d all rather skip. But good news: this is unlikely to happen if you’re flying with Emirates.

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RELATED: With More Than 300 Meatless Options, Your Next Emirates Flight Could Turn You Vegan Before You Land

Every year, the United Arab Emirates-based airline serves more than 400, 000 plant-based meals on more than 140 different flight routes. Currently, it offers more than 300 different vegan recipes. Forget the fruit and nuts; on Emirates, you’ll be feasting on everything from vegan curry to Beyond Meat. And soon, maybe vegan eggs, too.

Emirates takes vegan in-flight meals to the next level

In honor of Veganuary—the month-long campaign designed to encourage people to give up animal-based foods for January—the Emirates Flight Catering Concept has been working on new plant-based dishes for the airline.

One of the dishes the chefs have been working on is their own solid vegan egg made with legumes, which they workshopped in a shakshuka dish. As well as the egg, the catering concept created a new vegan cannelloni dish with egg-free pastry.

“Refined vegan cuisine is an important consideration at Emirates, as numbers of vegan customers continue to rise globally, and many non-vegan customers opt for vegan cuisine when flying, as a lighter option is often considered easier to digest,” reads a press release from the airline. “Emirates continues to expand its portfolio of vegan cuisine by workshopping new dishes made with innovative ingredients.”

Some of the meals on the airline’s sample menu for economy include crêpes, curried vegetable puffs, and chocolate mousse cake. In business class, passengers can expect meals like Thai red curry with tofu and chocolate pecan cake, while first-class options include creamy polenta cake, rhubarb tempered with strawberry charlotte, and warm chocolate fondant. For coffee and tea, it also offers vegan milk options.

Emirates recently began offering vegan options for children, too, a move the airline believes “highlights its commitment to culinary excellence for all customers.” The kids’ meals include vegan pizza, vegan muffins, vegetable fajitas, and cauliflower bites. 

Emirates

California plant-based meat brand Beyond Meat, dark chocolate brand Linnolat, and tofu brand Qian Ye are just a few of the companies that Emirates works with to create its extensive plant-based meal selection. Its leafy green produce also comes from Bustanica, a 330,000-square-foot hydroponic vertical farm in Dubai that it acquired in 2024.

Emirates passengers can also find vegan options in its Dubai airport lounges. According to the airline, while it offers many different plant-based choices like spiced kofta and salads, the most popular dish in the lounges is its own signature Emirates Green Burger, which is made with soy and flaxseeds.

More airlines upgrade their vegan options

“Emirates has always taken pride in our ‘Fly Better’ promise to exceed customer expectations and deliver an exceptional travel experience,” an Emirates spokesperson told VegNews last year. They added: “The expansion of our vegan menu is just one example of how we demonstrate to our customers that we listen and are eager to accommodate their evolving needs.”

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In more good news, Emirates isn’t alone. American Airlines, for example, serves vegan meals like grilled eggplant caponata, while United Airlines previously partnered with Impossible Foods on some of its meatless mains. You can find our guide to 11 airlines serving up plant-based meals here.