Does Air France Have a Vegan Meal?

While airplane food divides many flyers, there’s no doubt many airlines have expanded to accommodate people with different dietary needs and tastes. For vegans, that means you won’t have to worry about starvation!

I’ve flown Air France and its partners a few times and have had some pretty tasty vegan options and some kinda meh options, but at the end of the day, I’ve never gone hungry! That’s pretty important, right?

Are There Vegan Meals on Air France?

Yes! Vegan meals are available on Air France — and they can actually be pretty good. Multiple destinations and travel classes can enjoy these set meals while on board.

The best part is that they’re free of charge when booked directly with Air France. They do have a little disclaimer on their FAQ page that the passengers who had their flight provided by a partner airline may have to pay for their in-flight meals.

Other meals are also available under the “A la carte” menu. However, the menu for those options is more of a mixed bag since many dishes use animal products.

What Are the Usual Vegan Meal Options on Air France?

Meal options vary depending on the menu available for the flight and are sometimes influenced by the departing destination’s cuisine. Like most meal options, it will comprise a starter, a main course, and dessert (sometimes that means fruit), but the airline reassures that all foods are made of veggies, fruits, and grains. Vegan travelers might receive options like a hearty wheat salad, gratin, and apple crumble.

Enthusiastic flight passengers can also look forward to possible vegan delights at the lounge of their airline terminal. In Paris-Charles de Gaulle, passengers can enjoy the Burgal, a vegan alternative to the burger that Ducasse Paris created.

The Burgal has a vegan brioche bun and a patty made of vegetables and legumes. There’s spicy vegan mayo with pickles along with an aubergine caviar condiment to give the dish a kick. A salad starter and a chocolate praline finger for dessert accompany the sandwich.

Does Air France Offer Vegan Snacks?

Yes! You can expect a variety of nuts and pretzels in the Air France snack lineup. Cookies are also a staple airline snack, but be sure to ask attendants whether they’re vegan-friendly.

Is There a Certain Vegan Code Air France Uses for Vegan and Vegetarian Meals?

Vegan codes are unique acronyms that help identify vegan meal options on airlines. There are various meal options depending on the airline you fly. Some can be quite specific, like VJML or Vegetarian Jain Meals, which only have fresh fruit and stem vegetables.

With Air France, their in-flight meal codes are mostly VGML and VLML. VGML stands for the standard vegan meal. VLML is a vegetarian lacto-ovo meal, which may contain eggs and dairy products. There may also be AVMLs — Asian vegetarian meals that consist of rice or noodles, milk products, and veggies.

Do I Have to Pre-Order the Vegan Meal?

Yes. Since the vegan meal is categorized as a special meal, it’s essential to log in a request before your flight. It’s recommended to make the request 24-48 hours before your flight so the crew can prep it. If you don’t request the meal in advance, there’s a good chance you won’t have anything to eat!

Pre-ordering the special meal can be done on Air France’s website on the “My Booking” page. If the flight is provided by a partner airline, you may need to make a few calls to secure your vegan meal while on board.

Can I Bring My Own Food on an Air France Flight?

Yes! Well, with restrictions. The deal is that liquids aren’t allowed in the cabin for security reasons. If you want to have a vegan shake, you can only take the powder packets through security (not a bottle). If you bring just the powder, request water or juice just from a flight attendant. Second, purchase food (including liquids) in the terminal before the flight, but not all airports have terrific vegan options.

Here are some other vegan-friendly food and snack ideas:

• Sliced fruit: Apples, berries, and bananas are good to munch on while high up in the air. You can also bring some nut butter along for the ride, but remember to adhere to airline rules.
• Veggie chips: Make your crispy vegetable chips by slicing and baking them in your oven before heading to the airport. Sweet potatoes, turnips, and carrots can offer a nice crunch.
• Energy bars: Granola energy bars are the perfect companion to your flight since they can reenergize you while keeping you full. Choose your own combination of foods to mix and match the flavor, but almonds and dark chocolate are the best.
• Sweet and salty popcorn: Bring some sweet and salty popcorn to your seat if you plan to watch a movie while on your flight. Sprinkle some salt when they’re freshly popped before tossing in a couple of crushed Oreo cookies.
• Vegan tamales: The tamale lineup from Filo’s is perfect for travel!

Be sure to check out our lineup of the 25 best vegan travel snacks for your next trip!

Enjoy Vegan Meals Aboard Air France

Whether you’re requesting a vegan meal, bringing your own food, or a mix of the two, you should feel quite satisfied while you wait to arrive at your destination. I hope this helps you with booking your flight!

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