Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines refresh premium inflight dining

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have refreshed their international Suites menus with destination-inspired dishes, premium wines and expanded pre-order options, bringing acclaimed chefs and regional flavours to premium inflight dining.

Summary:

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have unveiled refreshed international Suites menus for flights to Asia, Europe and Oceania, featuring destination-inspired dishes, premium ingredients and enhanced wine selections.
The updated premium dining experience builds on collaborations with acclaimed chefs Brady Ishiwata Williams and Dell Valdez, with expanded meal pre-order options giving eligible passengers greater choice before flying.
Alaska is also preparing to introduce menus by James Beard Award-winning chef Renee Erickson on selected routes between Seattle and London, Athens and Paris, with service to the latter destinations launching in May 2027.

Alaska Airlines – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – and Hawaiian Airlines have unveiled refreshed international Suites menus on flights to Asia, Europe and Oceania, featuring regionally inspired dishes that immerse guests in the flavours of their destination before arrival. As part of the updated Suites dining experience, the airlines are building on their collaborations with award-winning chefs Brady Ishiwata Williams and Dell Valdez, whose restaurant-quality menus showcase premium, locally sourced ingredients.

Guests will enjoy a multi-course dining experience from the moment they board. The seasonal menu update also introduces enhanced wine selections, thoughtfully chosen to complement the unique flavours and ingredients featured across each menu.

Hawaiian Airlines guests in international Business Class will enjoy the same expanded pre-select meal options that Alaska guests have come to expect. Suites guests will be able to pre-order from up to five entrée options on eligible domestic and international flights, giving them even more choice before they fly.

“Exceptional dining is an essential part of the premium travel experience and our fall menu brings together the talent and distinct culinary perspectives of chefs in Seattle and Honolulu, with thoughtfully crafted dishes that celebrate the flavours of our home communities while bringing a fresh perspective to dining at 35,000 feet,” said Mark Krolick, Managing Director of Inflight Product & Experience, Alaska Airlines.

Whether dining on Hawaiian or Alaska, guests will enjoy a refreshed selection of premium wines this fall. Thoughtfully curated to complement the flavours and ingredients featured across both menus, the international Business Class wine programme showcases acclaimed producers from around the world, including Paul Hobbs West Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Viña Cobos Cocodrilo Corte Red Blend from Argentina.

Chef Dell Valdez, the Hawaiʻi-born culinary leader behind Vein in Kakaʻako, as well as Dell’s Kitchen & Bakery and Mio PASTALOGY, is introducing a refreshed international Suites menu with dishes inspired by Hawaiʻi and global flavours. Valdez is also continuing to enhance Hawaiian’s First Class dining experience closer to home. For guests travelling from the U.S. continent to Hawaiʻi, his thoughtfully crafted meals offer a first taste of the islands, featuring locally inspired dishes that celebrate Hawaiʻi’s rich culinary heritage. On flights departing Hawaiʻi, longtime Hawaiian chef collaborator Chef Keaka Lee of Honolulu’s Kapa Hale brings his signature island-inspired cuisine onboard. Together, the chefs create a seamless dining journey that reflects the diverse flavours, culture and hospitality of Hawaiʻi from departure to arrival.

Through its chef collaborations, Hawaiian brings a genuine taste of the islands onboard, using food as a way to deliver the warm hospitality that defines the Hawaiian experience. This commitment extends across every cabin and stage of the guest journey, with Valdez creating elevated First and Suites menus on inbound domestic and international routes; Chef Keaka Lee of Honolulu’s Kapa Hale bringing beloved local dishes and island ingredients to First Class guests departing Hawaiʻi; and Chef Sheldon Simeon crafting exclusive pre-order meals for Main Cabin guests.

Together, these new offerings allow Hawaiian to celebrate local ingredients, culinary talent and the diverse flavors of the islands, ensuring guests can experience an authentic taste of Hawaiʻi no matter where they are seated.

Alaska is excited to expand its relationship with James Beard Award-winning Chef Brady Ishiwata Williams. The Seattle-based, self-taught chef, known for creating innovative dishes inspired by his Japanese American heritage, has elevated Alaska’s inflight dining experience since 2025. Coming soon, one of Seattle’s most acclaimed chefs, Renee Erickson, will bring her signature Pacific Northwest culinary style onboard Alaska Airlines. The airline is thrilled to be working with Chef Erickson to create seasonal menus for guests traveling in the Suites experience on flights between Seattle and London, as well as Athens and Paris when service launches in May 2027. Chef Erickson, a James Beard Award winner who co-owns some of Seattle’s most celebrated restaurants, will pair Pacific Northwest ingredients and techniques with flavours inspired by Alaska’s European destinations, further elevating Alaska’s end-to-end premium experience.

Hear more from Alaska Airlines at APEX FTE EXPO, taking place in Singapore on 18-19 November 2026. Gus Naughton, Principal Software Engineer, Innovation, Alaska Airlines, is participating in a session focused on ‘Making autonomous airport operations a reality: Inspiration from the first movers’.