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Vegan Travel

Does British Airways Have a Vegan Meal?

Updated January 9, 2024

You’re about to take a vacation to the sandy beaches of the Caribbean or go on a romantic getaway to Bali. What can you expect for an in-flight vegan British Airways meal? Will you need to carry some snacks on board, or can you trust the airline to provide you with the right options?

Here are all the answers to your questions about flying BA and vegan meals.

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What Are the Usual Vegan Meal Options on a British Airways Flight?

The airline says its vegan meals are completely free of animal products. This includes honey, dairy products and eggs. You can expect plant-based meals, salads, fruit cups and vegan wine, drinks and condiments like vegan sunflower butter and soy milk for your coffee.

You need to pre-book your meals since British Airways is still testing a food waste reduction plan to provide fewer meals than passengers in-flight. This could mean fewer options available for the in-flight menu all round.

vegan meal on a british airways flight
Credit: Fat Gay Vegan

Does British Airways Offer Vegan Snacks?

Everyone gets a little peckish in-flight, especially if you’re not an in-flight sleeper and prefer to read a book or gaze at the skyline, which calls for some snacks. British Airways offers vegan snacks like fruit cups, oatcakes and vegan cookies.

Do You Have to Pre-Order the Vegan Meal?

Vegan in-flight meals count as “special meals,” so you need to order your meal at least 24 hours in advance of your flight’s departure. Before your flight, you can choose your vegan meal by modifying your booking on the website or app.

If there is a person on the flight with multiple allergies, the menu changes. You might get more basic options to protect them from cross-contamination and allergy accidents.

Is There a Certain Vegan Code British Airways Uses for Vegan and Vegetarian Meals?

Since there are multiple vegetarian options on British Airways, it’s essential to know the right meal code for what you want. Maybe you’re veg-curious and want to try a different kind of cuisine, or you want a full vegan meal sans dairy products. Here are codes that will help pick the right option:

  • Vegetarian Vegan (VGML): Your meal will be fully vegan. However, it might come with the same bread that everyone else gets, so you’ll want to confirm with a flight attendant that everything is vegan.
  • Vegetarian Lacto-Ovo (VLML): Your meal will be vegetarian with healthy and substantial options like potatoes but may contain animal products like dairy and honey.
  • Asian Vegetarian (AVML): This is a vegetarian meal with spiced vegetables. It may have ghee and paneer cheese.

Can You Bring Your Own Food on a British Airways Flight?

Maybe you’re a little hesitant about taking chances with your diet for a long-haul flight. While airlines are catching up with changing preferences and updating their menus accordingly, you may want to protect yourself from a half-baked option like a single banana that leaves you unsatisfied. There could also be an accidental ingredient slip — looking at you, bread rolls — that you want to avoid.

Rest assured that you have the option to carry your own food onboard — just make sure you follow security and immigration rules about transporting food on the flight and across borders.

British Airways Vegan-Friendly In-Flight Meals

Now that you know British Airways provides vegan-friendly meals, you can start packing for your holiday adventure with the peace of mind that you can enjoy an array of food options during your flight. Looking for more vegan travel inspiration? Check out these articles!

Vegan-Friendly Resorts Around the World
Vegan Travel Tips
The Best Vegan-Friendly B&Bs in the U.S.
Where to Go for a Dreamy Vegan-Friendly Honeymoon
Vegan-Friendly Resorts in Costa Rica

About Author

Beth Rush is the travel and food editor at Body+Mind. She has 5+ years of writing about how to travel and eat well with celiac disease, nutritional deficiencies, and/or hormonal disorders. You can find Beth on Twitter @bodymindmag. Subscribe to Body+Mind for more posts by Beth Rush!