Airline Food

American Airlines partners with James Beard for upper crust meals

Mmm, spinach ricotta rotolo pasta.

Photo courtesy of AA

Fort Worth-based American Airlines has forged a partnership with the James Beard Foundation to add chef-designed items for its most rarefied levels of travel.

The new items will be served on Flagship First and Flagship Business flights from the United States to Europe and South America, and just a few transcontinental flights: between JFK International Airport and either Los Angeles or San Francisco.

They'll also be available in Flagship Lounges, AA's premium lounge located at five U.S. airports in Dallas, Chicago, L.A., Miami, and JFK/New York.

Travelers booking those flights can pre-order on aa.com starting 30 days before or up to 24 hours before departure.

The dishes include an appetizer, pasta entrée, and dessert in Flagship First Dining; a salad in the Flagship Lounge; and a pasta entrée onboard.

A release says that the menus will be designed by James Beard Foundation's "portfolio of established and up-and-coming chefs." IE, chefs who've won James Beard awards.

The benefit for American customers is that they'll enjoy what the release calls a world-class culinary experience, while introducing the Beard's roster, says Janelle Anderson, AA's VP of marketing.

"A premier culinary partner like the James Beard Foundation provides unique and delicious offerings for our customers," Anderson says. "We're honored to work with their roster of award-winning chefs who embody diversity, modernism and sustainable practices in the culinary world today."

The first chef at bat is Sarah Grueneberg, a Top Chef alum who works at Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio.

Dishes at Flagship First Dining include:

Grilled Roman-style Artichokes: black truffle, fontina fonduta, fresh lemon
Mushroom Bolognese: fusilli pasta, cremini and porcini mushrooms, peas, carrots, Parmigiano Reggiano
Dark Chocolate Budino: candied citrus, mandarin olive oil, feuilletine chocolate crunch, fresh whipped cream

Dishes at the Flagship Lounge include:

Tuscan Kale Salad: beets, apples, goat cheese, spiced sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seed medley, tahini dressing
Flagship First and Flagship Business from US to Europe, US to South America and transcontinental flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles or San Francisco.
Artichoke Ravioli: blistered cherry tomato sauce, green olive pistachio pesto
Spinach and Ricotta Rotolo Pasta: pomodoro sauce, basil pesto, pine nuts

The partnership doesn't stop at these dishes. American will also be involved in the Foundation's programs, including Taste America, a culinary pop-up series featuring unforgettable dining experiences in 20 cities across the country; the James Beard Awards annual gala in Chicago; and events at the James Beard House in New York City.

James Beard was beset by a financial scandal in 2004 when its then-president was imprisoned after having stolen more than $1 million, and its scholarship donations were found to be a fraction of the millions of dollars it took in.

The foundation holds hundreds of dinners and lunches at its headquarters at James Beard House in Greenwich Village, most of which rely on chefs donating their time and money.

The foundation also hands out awards to chefs around the country; ethical standards of behavior were added to the voting process in 2018.

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Island Travel News

Dallas' Southwest Airlines to add Virgin Islands as a new destination

Southwest

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Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is adding a tropical new destination: The Caribbean. According to a release, the carrier intends to add new service at Cyril E. King International Airport (STT) on St. Thomas, in U.S. Virgin Islands, with service expected to begin in early 2026, subject to governmental approvals, and available for purchase soon.

Southwest Airlines president and CEO Bob Jordan says in a statement that the new service is in response to customer demand.

"We are listening closely to what our Customers want—from new products and loyalty benefits to new destinations," Jordan says. "We want to make Southwest Airlines the easy and obvious choice every time, and this is another meaningful step in our ongoing transformation."

About 40 miles east of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands comprise a U.S. territory in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The three islands are St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas, where the capital of Charlotte Amalie is located. The U.S. Virgin Islands, which is on Eastern Standard Time, features world-renowned beaches, an international marine industry, European architecture, and a burgeoning restaurant industry.

Perhaps best of all, no passports are required from U.S. citizens traveling from the U.S. or Puerto Rico.

There are currently flights to St. Thomas from DFW Airport, flown by American Airlines, Delta, and Spirit. A nonstop flight from DFW to St. Thomas is a little under 5 hours.

St. Thomas is the first of three new destinations for 2026 the carrier expects to announce this summer. It will be the ninth island destination served by Southwest in the Atlantic Basin – joining Aruba, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

Southwest also offers international service to Belize, two destinations in Costa Rica, and three destinations in Mexico.

In addition to offering new destinations, Southwest also is set to begin selling assigned and premium seating in the third quarter of this year and plans to operate with its new fare bundles and a reconfigured fleet, including extra legroom seating, in the first quarter of 2026.

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