The world's best plane food revealed - from gourmet hot dogs to 13-course feasts… and the airline meals passengers say are the worst ever

The dining experience on board a flight can vary hugely from one airline to another - ranging from pathetic sandwiches to culinary masterpieces.

While plane meals have most travellers thoroughly underwhelmed (bland chicken, anyone?), there are some truly impressive sky-high dinners available.

From gourmet dishes to fresh pastry, served alongside champagne and with white glove service in some cases, the list of delicious dining options on board is growing.

Here's a rundown of some of the best airline food - plane and simple...

SWISS First flights are offering a 'bastardo' hot dog on all journeys departing from Switzerland until September - and the gourmet item certainly looks the part.

It was designed in collaboration with Winterthur-based gourmet takeaway Frau Hund.

The dish includes a Swiss-made sausage topped with coleslaw, apple chutney, sour cream, and roasted walnuts, as well as a Swiss multigrain roll.

On the airline's Instagram account @flyswiss, the 'summer treat' is highlighted, with the caption: 'Meet the Bastardo, crafted together with @frau.hund and served with all the care and elegance of a First Class meal, because why should classics be any different up here? Available all summer long, at 35,000 feet.'

Few airlines are as consistent when it comes to food as this one.

Turkish Airlines won the APEX Best Food and Beverage Europe award in 2026 - for the fifth consecutive year.

In Business Class, you can tuck into everything from succulent lamb chops to homemade Italian pasta and from tasty pancakes to poached eggs.

Thrifty Traveler editor Kyle Potter 'vividly' remembers being served between five and 13 courses on a first-class flight to Tokyo with Japan Airlines.

He told The Washington Post how he tucked into everything from soup, beef, seafood, egg custard with caviar and dumplings.

The travel expert was also served uni, which is the edible parts of a sea urchin.

He described how it was 'nearly on par with some of the best uni I've ever had in Tokyo'.

Last year, Delta Air Lines collaborated with Shake Shack to bring the best of fast food on board.

First launched out of Boston at the end of 2024, the Shake Shack Cheeseburger was an instant hit with customers.

The Shake Shack Cheeseburger features a 100 per cent Angus beef patty, topped with cheese and served on a toasted potato bun.

Customers sitting in First Class on routes over 900 miles can select the Shake Shack Cheeseburger as their entrée for lunch or dinner before their flight.

First Class customers can make and edit their entrée selection up to 24 hours in advance using the Fly Delta app or the link in their email, starting seven days before departure.

It might seem like the most British of dishes - but American Airlines' 'All Day Roast' does the classic meal well.

While not available on all flights, the premium cabin menu item alternated between a classic pot roast, a typically British version and an Asian take on the meal.

One Reddit user even commented: 'They do the roast really well believe it or not! Ignore the naysayers and look at some food reviews of AA and red meat. I’ve had delicious roasts. I mean, it’s not Michelin, but it’s not United!'

Greek hospitality and locally inspired food are what make AEGEAN stand out - from baked feta in filo pastries to meatballs.

The menu was designed by some of the most distinguished chefs in Greece: Lefteris Lazarou, Christoforos Peskias, Alexandros Tsiotinis.

They collaborated with pastry chef Stelios Parliaros and master of wine Konstantinos Lazarakis.

Claims of Ryanair serving the 'worst plane food ever' have, unfortunately, been on the rise.

One disgruntled Ryanair passenger revealed their shock at being handed a pathetic-looking ham and cheese panini on board a flight.

The traveller, who was heading back from her holiday, complained about the sandwich - and even got a nod of agreement from cabin crew.

She posted on Facebook: 'On my way back from holiday yesterday, I actually gave it back and showed the steward the pic on the app of what I ordered.'

Unfortunately, this is clearly not the first time passengers have been left feeling less than satisfied by their meal on board.

A furious vegan plane passenger earlier this year slammed Virgin Atlantic after being served 'the worst meal' he's ever had - a 'pitiful' sandwich with three slices of 'mouldy' veg.

Paul Booker was flying from Cancun, Mexico, to London Heathrow on January 14, after a 10-day holiday with his friend.

However, when he was given the meal, Paul was appalled at the standard and quality of what he was served, and claims a red-faced air hostess said it was 'unacceptable'.

Shocking photos show two slices of courgette and a solitary slice of 'rotten-looking' pepper slapped on the bread.

And in 2024, one appalled travel blogger claimed she was served the 'worst plane meal' of all time - a 'monstrous' mac and cheese topped with shrimp and 'slimy' mushrooms for breakfast.

Nicola Easterby, from south-east London, decided to book a last-minute flight from the UK to Australia with her husband James to surprise her family.

From 'bad smelling' fish pie to a mysterious dessert, she documented every meal she was served throughout the 28-hour journey, with none of them leaving her wanting seconds.