How Lufthansa’s Culinary Journey and Global Innovators Are Changing the Way We Eat When We Travel

(NEWS) COLOGNE, Germany, 2025-Oct-27 — /Travel PR News/ — The Lufthansa Group is transforming the in-flight dining experience with the launch of its new “Culinary Journey”, an integrated digital platform that personalizes meal selection for passengers across Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian Airlines. Available for all travel classes and flight types, the service allows guests to view menus, pre-order dishes, and even provide feedback — ensuring that every traveler receives their preferred meal, whether flying short-haul within Europe or across continents.

Accessible through the Lufthansa Group app, website, or via pre-departure email, the Culinary Journey bundles all food and beverage offerings into a single, intuitive interface. Travelers can seamlessly manage their dining experience across multiple flights and Group airlines, with curated menus reflecting the specific routes and cabins booked.

“For the first time, customers flying with Lufthansa, SWISS and Austrian Airlines can see all their food and beverage options for their flight at a glance — even on connecting flights with different airlines,” said Caroline Drischel, Senior Vice President Customer Journey for the Group. “It’s about bringing consistency, enjoyment, and personalization to every touchpoint.”

Beyond convenience, the system also underscores the Group’s sustainability ambitions. By enabling precise pre-orders, Lufthansa reduces food waste and packaging surpluses while enhancing efficiency in onboard catering. Passengers on long-haul flights can now choose from up to nine premium dishes — including exclusive creations designed specifically for Culinary Journey users.

On shorter European routes, passengers continue to enjoy the Onboard Delights programme — still active for flights of 45 minutes or longer — which features freshly prepared items like sandwiches, bowls, and cakes. These products can be pre-ordered through the Culinary Journey interface, with a 10% discount incentive for early selection. The service forms an integral part of Lufthansa’s broader commitment to premium personalization and sustainable catering.

This innovation builds upon Lufthansa’s earlier pre-order initiative, first introduced in 2023, which allowed passengers to select fresh meals like Caesar chicken salad or lemon cheesecake through the Pre-flight Shop. The collaboration with food partners dean&david and Dallmayr brought restaurant-quality offerings to short- and medium-haul flights and helped advance Lufthansa’s broader sustainability goals by reducing surplus meals and packaging waste.

The launch of Culinary Journey also positions Lufthansa among a growing list of global carriers using digital tools to elevate inflight dining. In 2024, Emirates expanded its Business Class pre-order meal program to all German gateways and more than 100 routes worldwide, leveraging AI-based data to track preferences and optimize onboard food loading. Similarly, Air Canada rolled out its own premium pre-order service in 2024, enabling passengers to choose their second meal on long-haul routes as part of its low-waste sustainability program.

Even beyond aviation, the trend toward digital culinary experiences is transforming hospitality. In 2025, Radisson Hotel Group introduced a new platform enabling guests and locals to browse and book more than 1,900 restaurants across its hotels worldwide. The feature not only simplifies restaurant discovery but also integrates “Taste of Heritage” experiences — curated dining collaborations celebrating local gastronomy in destinations like Milan, Bilbao, and Tsinandali, Georgia.

Together, these innovations mark a shift toward what industry observers are calling the Digital Gastronomy Era — where convenience meets customization and technology brings flavor to travel. For Lufthansa Group, the Culinary Journey is more than a menu upgrade; it’s a statement about the future of flying: a seamless, sustainable, and deliciously personalized experience from takeoff to touchdown.