Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines Introduce New Spring Inflight Menus

Image courtesy Alaska Airlines Newsroom

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines are refreshing their onboard food offerings this spring with a new seasonal menu rollout across their networks. The update focuses on West Coast ingredients, regional partnerships, and elevated options in both premium and main cabin service.

The full announcement is available on Alaska's newsroom.

What's New on the Menu

Alaska Airlines

Alaska's spring refresh brings seasonal dishes across First Class and Main Cabin, continuing the airline's commitment to Pacific Northwest sourcing and recognizable regional partnerships.

• First Class additions include Banana Crêpes, Lemon Pesto Spaghetti with Grilled Chicken, and a Lemongrass Pork Sandwich
• Beecher's Mac & Cheese debuts in Main Cabin — Alaska's culinary team spent nearly two years perfecting the onboard version of the iconic Seattle cheesemaker's signature dish, made with Beecher's Flagship cheese, penne, and a crisp breadcrumb topping
• Med In The Clouds — a new plant-forward Mediterranean bowl with quinoa, olives, fresh vegetables, and lemon-tahini dressing
• A new Antipasto Platter rounds out the snack options with cured meats, candied walnuts, and marinated mozzarella
• Returning favorites include the Parmesan Eggs & Bacon and the Tillamook Cheeseburger
• The spring menu is available for pre-order now and rolls out onboard February 25

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian's updated First Class menu leans into chef-driven, locally rooted cooking — with separate menus for outbound and inbound flights.

Outbound from Hawai'i (Chef Robynne Maii):

• Smoked mozzarella frittata with Portuguese sausage
• Basil Caesar salad paired with roasted chicken and ginger scallion fried rice
• Beef and kimchi hand pie
• Ratatouille parmesan baked ziti and Lasagna alla Norma

Inbound to Hawai'i (Chef Wade Ueoka, MW Restaurant):

• Braised miso beef
• Grilled kalbi with kimchi fried rice
• Mushroom risotto cakes
• Pasta in a white wine cream sauce

A Continued Focus on Guest Experience

Alaska has made inflight catering part of its broader guest experience strategy over the past few years. Seasonal refreshes like this serve two purposes:

• Keep the menu from feeling static — frequent flyers notice repetition quickly
• Reinforce brand identity through food partnerships — recognizable names like Beecher's add familiarity and perceived quality

This isn't a complete overhaul of onboard dining, but it's another example of airlines recognizing that food plays a role in differentiating the experience — especially in competitive West Coast markets.

For Alaska, leaning into recognizable regional names like Beecher's adds familiarity. For Hawaiian, doubling down on local flavors keeps the onboard experience aligned with its island positioning.

Why This Matters for Frequent Flyers

Seasonal menu updates may not drive booking decisions on their own, but they do affect the overall feel of a flight — particularly in premium cabins.

Alaska's First Class catering has generally been competitive on medium-haul routes, and maintaining variety helps frequent travelers avoid repetition fatigue. Hawaiian's food has long been part of its brand story, and continued updates reinforce that.

For travelers who fly these airlines regularly, it's worth scanning the pre-order options ahead of your next trip to see what's new.

The Bigger Trend

More airlines are investing in seasonal menus and branded food partnerships. It's a relatively low-cost way to improve perceived value without redesigning cabins or adding seats.

Alaska and Hawaiian's joint spring rollout suggests continued alignment between the two brands following their merger progress, particularly around guest-facing elements like food and service.