Have you ever wanted to eat barbecue at 35,000 feet? Well American Airlines is giving passengers that chance.
American Airlines Partners With Pecan Lodge to Serve Texas Barbecue Onboard
Beginning in February, American Airlines will serve Pecan Lodge barbecue on flights from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to New York’s Laguardia Airport (LGA) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
In February, American will offer a Pecan Lodge barbecue platter featuring brisket and smoked sausage, paired with mac and cheese and coleslaw. In March, the offering shifts to a chopped brisket sandwich, served with roasted green beans and potato salad.
Rhonda Crawford, American’s SVP of Customer Experience Design and Strategy, said this about the partnership:
“As we celebrate American’s centennial anniversary in 2026, we’re looking forward to delighting our customers in new ways that honor unique regional tastes, beginning right here in our home state through one of the most beloved barbecue restaurants in Texas. Our customers deserve nothing but the best, and Pecan Lodge is certainly that.”
Both options are served with Pecan Lodge barbecue sauce on the side and can only be pre-ordered through the American Airlines mobile app beginning January 11.
My Thoughts
While I enjoy barbecue, I do live in Texas after all, it is one of the last things I would think to eat on an airplane. With this being offered on select routes, and being preorder only, I’m hoping that the quality won’t suffer too much. Similar to what Delta has done with its Shake Shack partnership.
However, I can’t help but think the meat will be extremely dry with the sauce served on the side. I guess it is better than the alternative of pre-saucing it and having a wet, soggy mess on your hands. I’ll be interested to see the reactions to this once it rolls out to passengers next month. Would you eat barbecue on a plane?
Summary
This February and March, American Airlines will offer Pecan Lodge barbecue to its First Class passengers traveling from DFW to New York’s LaGuardia and JFK Airports. I’m interested to see how this will work in practice and curious to hear feedback once it rolls out.
(Image courtesy American Airlines)
