A special in-flight meal is food the airline prepares separately for dietary, religious or health reasons: vegetarian, halal, kosher, gluten-free, diabetic or a child's menu. The one rule that matters is simple — you must request it in advance, usually at least 24 hours before departure, otherwise only the standard hot meal will be waiting on board.
🍽️ What it is and who needs it
Full-service airlines (Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Emirates and others) serve free meals on medium and long-haul flights. If the standard menu doesn't work for you — you're vegetarian, you don't eat pork, you have celiac disease or diabetes, or you're travelling with a child — the airline can prepare a separate meal for you. The service is free; you just have to ask ahead of time.
📋 The main meal codes
- VGML — vegan / strict vegetarian (no dairy)
- VLML — lacto-ovo vegetarian (dairy and eggs allowed)
- HNML / AVML — Hindu (spicy) and Asian vegetarian
- MOML — Muslim / halal
- KSML — kosher
- GFML — gluten-free (for celiac disease)
- DBML — diabetic
- LSML / LFML — low-salt / low-fat
- CHML — child meal (ages 2-12)
- BBML — baby / infant meal
- SFML / FPML — seafood / fruit platter
⏰ When and how to order
The easiest way is to add it right when you book — in the 'Manage booking' section of the airline's site, or by calling the airline or agent. The critical deadline: the special meal must be on file at least 24 hours before the flight (some carriers ask for 48). Last-minute additions aren't possible, because meals are loaded to a fixed catering schedule.
After ordering, check the status: your app or the ticket's SSR field should show the code (e.g. VGML). Ask the agent at check-in too — that's how you avoid the 'no meal on record' scenario.
✈️ Which flights offer it
Special meals are mostly on full-service, medium and long-haul flights. Low-cost airlines (Wizz Air, Ryanair) don't serve free meals at all — food is sold separately and there's no special menu, so bring your dietary items with you. On short hops there's often only a drink and a small snack, meaning a special hot meal may not be an option in the first place.
💡 Practical tips
- Order when you book and re-confirm 24 hours before the flight
- On a connecting ticket each flight needs its own meal — check both legs
- Special meals are often served first — don't fall asleep before the meal service
- Celiac or a serious allergy? Carry a safe snack — don't gamble on board
- Travelling with a child? Request BBML/CHML in advance — see flying with kids
A special meal is a small detail that makes a long flight far more comfortable. For more on onboard catering see the airline meals guide, and for diabetes or medication, medications abroad. Find your next flight cheaply with Travel365's flight search.
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