How do I order a Kosher airline meal? Which airlines even offer Kosher meals? Are Kosher meals really better? Find out everything you need to know with the Alternative Airlines' guide to Kosher airline food.
View all other airline special meal types and find information on which airlines offer them.
Kosher airline food is airline food that complies with Jewish dietary law, known as kashrut. The Torah forbids the consumption of animals that do not "chew the cud and have cloven hooves." This, therefore, excludes meats such as hare, camel and pig. The Torah also prohibits the consumption of milk and meat together as well as the consumption of shellfish and other non-fish sea creatures. A Kosher airline meal is a meal which has been prepared in accordance with these dietary regulations. Kosher meals served during Passover will differ from a regular Kosher airline meal.
Kosher meals often have a reputation for being nicer, or better quality, than regular airline meals. This may be because they are often provided by specialised Kosher airline catering companies (such as Hamasbia) rather than the airlines themselves. Frequent flyers, therefore, might find Kosher airline meals to be better because of the novelty of eating something different on their flight. Some passengers might find Kosher meals to be better because they are often accompanied by motza crackers or Kosher bread rolls, which may be of better quality than the bread served to other passengers. Not only is the food different to standard airline meals, but those who order Kosher airline food are sometimes served before other passengers, meaning that those eating a Kosher meal get to eat their meal first.
Kosher airline meals may feature fish, beef or chicken and are often served with Kosher "mezonot" or "pas Yisroel" bread rolls. Kosher meals may then be followed by tea and coffee, taken with a milk substitute. If beef is eaten as an entree then a Kosher meal will not feature any chocolate for dessert, as meat and milk may not be consumed together under kashrut. Kosher airline meals may also be served with Kosher wine.
The code for a standard Kosher Meal is KSML. Strictly Mehadrin Kosher Meals (those with a Badatz certificate of the Edah HaChareidit in Jerusalem) use the code SKML. KCML is the code for Kosher children's meals. Vegetarian Kosher meals use the code GVML.
To book a Kosher airline meal onto your flight please contact Alternative Airlines or call the airline you are flying with directly and request a KSML (Special Kosher Meal). Please see below for an outline of which airlines offer kosher airline meals and when to book.
Check which airlines offer kosher meals and find out how far in advance to order.
*Only available on international flights.
**Only available in Business Class.
***Order must be made at time of booking.
| AIRLINE | KOSHER MEAL | MIN HOUR BEFORE FLIGHT FOR PREORDER |
|---|---|---|
| Adria Airways | x | 48 |
| Aegean Airlines | x | 24 |
| Aer Lingus | x | 48 |
| Aeroflot | x | 36 |
| Aerolineas Argentinas | x | 72 |
| Aeromexico | x | 48* |
| Air Astana | x | 24 |
| Air Baltic | x | 24 |
| Air Canada | x | 24 |
| Air China | x | 48* |
| Air France | x | 48 |
| Air India | x | 72 |
| Air New Zealand | x | 24 |
| Air Serbia | x | 48 |
| Air Tahiti Nui | x | 48 |
| Air Transat | x | 72 |
| Aircalin | x | 48 |
| Alitalia | x | 24 |
| All Nippon Airways | x | 24 |
| American Airlines | x | 24 |
| Asiana Airlines | x | 24 |
| Austrian Airlines | x | 48 |
| Avianca | x | 24 |
| Azul Airlines | x | 48 |
| Bangkok Airways | x | 24 |
| British Airways | x | 48 |
| Brussels Airlines | x | 48 |
| Caribbean Airlines | - | - |
| Cathay Dragon | x | 24 |
| Cathay Pacific | x | 24 |
| China Airlines | x | 24 |
| China Eastern | x | - |
| China Southern | x | 48 |
| Condor Airlines | x | 24 |
| Copa Airlines | x | 24 |
| Croatia Airlines | x | 24 |
| Delta Airlines | x | 24 |
| Egyptair | x | - |
| EL AL | x | 48 |
| Emirates | x | 24 |
| Etihad | x | 72 |
| Eva Air | x | 72 |
| Finnair | x | 24 |
| Garuda Indonesia | x | 24* |
| Gulf Air | - | - |
| Hainan Airlines | x | 48 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | - | - |
| Hong Kong Airlines | x | 24 |
| Iberia | x | 24 |
| Icelandair | x | 48** |
| Indigo | - | - |
| Jet Airways | x | 24 |
| Jetairfly | x | 72 |
| Jetstar | - | - |
| KLM | x | 48 |
| Korean Air | x | - |
| La Compagnie | x | 51 |
| Lufthansa | x | 24 |
| Malaysia Airlines | x | 24 |
| Middle East Airlines (MEA) | - | - |
| Oman Air | - | - |
| Pakistan International Airlines | - | - |
| Philippine Airlines | x | 48 |
| Qantas | x | 36 |
| Qatar Airways | - | - |
| Royal Jordanian | x | 24 |
| SAS Scandinavian Airlines | - | - |
| Shenzhen Airlines | - | - |
| Silk Air | x | 24 |
| Singapore Airlines | x | - |
| South African Airways | x | 48 |
| Spicejet | - | - |
| Sri Lankan Airlines | x | - |
| Swiss International Airlines | x | 24 |
| TAP Portugal | x | 24 |
| Tarom Airlines | x | - |
| Thai Airways | x | - |
| Thomson/TUI | x | *** |
| Turkish Airlines | x | 24 |
| United Airlines | x | 24 |
| Vietnam Airlines | x | 24 |
| Virgin Atlantic | x | 48 |
| Virgin Australia | x | 48 |
| Vistara | x | 24 |
| WOW Air | x | 48 |
| Xiamen Airlines | - | - |
| XL Airways | x | 96 |
Check out all of the other religious meal types that airlines offer and information on how to pre-order them.
Flying as a vegan or vegetarian? Please visit our vegan and vegetarian airline food page. For a list of airlines offering halal meals or gluten-free meals, please visit our Halal and gluten-free pages. Or if you'd prefer to bring your own food on the plane, make sure you check with our guide to see what you can bring in your carry-on luggage.
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