Market Overview:

The Inflight Catering Market is experiencing steady expansion, driven by Rising Popularity of Nutritious and High-End Food Choices, Growth in Air Travel and Growing Competition and Differentiation in Airlines. According to IMARC Group's latest research publication, "Inflight Catering Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2026–2034", The global inflight catering market size was valued at USD 16.5 Billion in 2025. Looking forward, IMARC Group estimates the market to reach USD 25.9 Billion by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.3% from 2026-2034.

This detailed analysis primarily encompasses industry size, business trends, market share, key growth factors, and regional forecasts. The report offers a comprehensive overview and integrates research findings, market assessments, and data from different sources. It also includes pivotal market dynamics like drivers and challenges, while also highlighting growth opportunities, financial insights, technological improvements, emerging trends, and innovations. Besides this, the report provides regional market evaluation, along with a competitive landscape analysis.

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Our Report Includes:

• Market Dynamics
• Market Trends and Outlook
• Competitive Analysis
• Industry Segmentation
• Strategic Recommendations

Growth Factors in the Inflight Catering Industry:

• Rising Popularity of Nutritious and High-End Food Choices

Travelers who care about health drive the inflight premium food and beverage market and airlines in recent years have begun providing a wider range of meals to cater to diets like vegan, gluten-free, low-calorie and allergen-free diets. Airlines have been adding a range of non-alcoholic drinks upon their menus, as wellness and sustainability influence travelers' choices. According to American Airlines, it introduced non-alcoholic beverages, such as five new health-conscious mocktails made from turmeric, elderberry extract, oat milk creamer, and La Croix sparkling water, because more passengers have requested to live an alcohol-free lifestyle. People can also pre-order vegetarian, vegan, kosher, lactose-free, Muslim, Hindu, diabetic and gluten-free meals to promote hydration and a healthy diet on flights.

• Growth in Air Travel and Growing Competition

Other trends affecting the inflight catering market worldwide are population growth and the increasing urbanization and demographic changes (like the expanding middle class in many countries). The International Air Transportation Association (IATA) report of January 2024, said that the global inflight catering market was off to a strong start. Worldwide RPK (total RPK) reached 99.6% of pre-crisis January 2019 levels, 16.6% higher than January 2022, the nearest monthly recovery to date. International RPKs were at 95.7% of January 2019 levels, also up a further 20.8% year-on-year. Another reason airlines began offering premium passenger services was the increasing automation of the in-flight catering system combined with advanced catering management systems.

• Growing Competition and Differentiation in Airlines

High competition among airlines has in several cases led to the establishment of processes which improve the experience of food ordering, serving and consumption in the aircraft. To satisfy both hybrid configurations, where airlines serve two different classes of service on the same flight, airlines may impose different service processes for each class. For example, in addition to higher value passengers (business and first class passengers) being provided with high-level free services, airlines may provide lower service for economy passengers; thus creating tiered free services. In line with this, India's low-cost carrier IndiGo announced in November 2021 that it was resuming meal services that were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Trends in the Inflight Catering Market

• Airline Alliances and Partnerships

The purpose of these airlines and catering service company consortia and partnerships is to allow airlines to use their collective buying power to negotiate better prices for food and beverage items, and the logistics involved in catering services, from the catering service companies. An airline catering consortium allows airlines to purchase catering services together through easing greater standardization of services between the member airlines. In July 2021 gategroup signed a five-year extension to its inflight catering deal with LATAM Airlines. As part of the agreement, Gategroup will provide inflight catering services to LATAM Airlines in 16 locations. Those locations are Bogota, Colombia and Santiago, Chile.

• Focus on Sustainable Practices

The industry uses green practices that include biodegradable product packaging use of local ingredients and reducing food waste. In the airline industry they include a phasing out of single use plastic plus reducing the environmental impact of catering through the catering supply chain. In keeping with broader environmental concerns and legislation, sustainability has become an important differentiator for inflight catering.

• Technology Integration and Smart Systems

Technologies such as smart food management systems and cold chain logistics are making the delivery of inflight catering more cost effective. Airlines are using artificial intelligence and data analytics to gain perception into passenger preferences, meal production and wastage. Digital pre-ordering and automated catering systems, including those that streamline dine-in, takeaway, and delivery services, cut costs.

Leading Companies Operating in the Global Inflight Catering Industry:

• AAS Catering Co., Ltd.
• Abby's Catering
• ANA Catering Service Co., Ltd.
• Cathay Pacific Catering Services (H.K.) Ltd. (Cathay Pacific Airways)
• DO & CO Aktiengesellschaft
• Emirates Flight Catering
• Flying Food Group
• Gategroup
• Jetfinity, Inc
• KLM Catering Services Schiphol
• LSG Group
• SATS Ltd
• Saudi Airlines Catering
• Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc.

Inflight Catering Market Report Segmentation:

Breakup by Food Type:

• Meals
• Bakery and Confectionary
• Beverages
• Others

Meals dominate the market with 52.5% share in 2024 due to increased demand for catering services on longer flights requiring nonstop services, with ready-to-eat meals providing convenience and efficiency.

Breakup by Flight Service Type:

• Full-Service Carriers
• Low-Cost Carriers

The low-cost carriers (LCC) lead the market with 58.9% share in 2024 as they employ a no-frills model to offer low-cost air travel at low operational costs with streamlined catering services.

Breakup by Aircraft Seating Class:

• Economy Class
• Business Class
• First Class

Economy class represents a significant market share due to increasing demand for affordable air travel and low-cost carriers, while business and first class segments focus on premium dining experiences.

Breakup by Region:

• Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Others)
• North America (United States, Canada)
• Europe (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Russia, Others)
• Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Others)
• Middle East and Africa

Asia Pacific leads the market with 31.6% share in 2024 driven by increasing air travel, induction of new destinations and long-haul flights, and several key market players increasing operations and investing in customer services.

Leading Companies Operating in the Global Inflight Catering Industry:

• AAS Catering Co., Ltd.
• Abby's Catering
• ANA Catering Service Co., Ltd.
• Cathay Pacific Catering Services (H.K.) Ltd. (Cathay Pacific Airways)
• DO & CO Aktiengesellschaft
• Emirates Flight Catering
• Flying Food Group
• Gategroup
• Jetfinity, Inc
• KLM Catering Services Schiphol
• LSG Group
• SATS Ltd
• Saudi Airlines Catering
• Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc.

Inflight Catering Market Report Segmentation:

Breakup By Food Type:

• Meals
• Bakery and Confectionary
• Beverages
• Others

Meals represent the largest segment as they are essential for enhancing passenger satisfaction and comfort during flights, especially on long-haul journeys.

Breakup By Flight Service Type:

• Full-Service Carriers
• Low-Cost Carriers

Low-cost carriers account for the majority of the market share due to their affordability, leading them to capture a significant portion of the inflight catering market by offering a variety of paid meal options to passengers.

Analysis by Aircraft Seating Class:

• Economy Class
• Business Class
• First Class

Economy class dominates the inflight catering industry, driven by booming demand for affordable travel. Low-cost carriers like Ryanair serve over 180 million passengers annually, packing planes with high-density seating and budget-friendly meals.

Breakup By Region:

• North America (United States, Canada)
• Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Others)
• Europe (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Russia, Others)
• Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Others)
• Middle East and Africa

Asia Pacific enjoys the leading position in the inflight catering market on account of rapid growth of air travel demand, a rising middle class, and the expansion of both full-service and low-cost airlines in the area.

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