UAE In-Flight Catering Services Market Overview, 2030

The in-flight catering services market in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has seen remarkable growth, propelled by the country’s emergence as a major player in the global aviation industry. Dubai and Abu Dhabi, two of the UAE's most important cities, have evolved into essential global aviation hubs due to their strategic geographical locations, world-class infrastructure, and robust airline networks. Dubai International Airport, in particular, has been ranked among the busiest airports in the world, with millions of passengers passing through each year. As the UAE continues to attract travelers from every corner of the globe, the demand for high-quality in-flight catering services has increased dramatically. Airlines such as Emirates, Etihad Airways, and FlyDubai, which are based in the UAE, serve passengers from diverse backgrounds, and their growing fleet sizes and extensive flight networks require catering solutions that are both diverse and tailored to meet the specific needs of a wide range of passengers. These airlines must ensure that their in-flight catering services align with the expectations of both luxury and economy travelers, all while maintaining high standards of food quality, safety, and timeliness. This has led to the establishment of a highly competitive and dynamic in-flight catering market, where service providers must continually adapt to the evolving preferences and needs of international passengers while also keeping pace with the rapidly growing demand for air travel in the region.

According to the research report UAE In-Flight Catering Services Market Overview, 2030, published by Bonafide Research, the UAE In-Flight Catering Services market is anticipated to grow at more than 8.84% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. In the UAE, the in-flight catering services market is deeply influenced by the country’s multicultural population and the diverse tastes of the millions of travelers who pass through its airports each year. With residents and visitors from around the world, catering companies must offer a wide variety of meal options that cater to different cultural and dietary preferences, ranging from traditional Middle Eastern dishes to Asian, Western, and international cuisines. Additionally, catering companies must be attuned to the religious and cultural dietary requirements of passengers, particularly halal, kosher, and vegetarian/vegan options, which are in high demand. The UAE's emphasis on innovation and quality has led to an increased demand for premium in-flight dining experiences, including gourmet meals and personalized service that reflect the luxurious nature of some of the region's airlines. The catering providers are now tasked with offering not only basic meals but also carefully curated, chef-driven menus that reflect the high expectations of passengers, especially on long-haul flights. With this growing emphasis on premium service, there has been an increasing demand for specialized in-flight meals that adhere to dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, organic, and low-calorie options, which cater to health-conscious travelers. To meet these demands, in-flight catering companies in the UAE have invested heavily in advanced kitchen facilities, modern food preparation technologies, and stringent quality control measures that ensure food is prepared and delivered with the highest standards of safety and hygiene.

The range of food offered onboard aircraft departing from or arriving in the UAE is both extensive and carefully curated to match the expectations of a global clientele. Full meals served on board, especially on long-haul or international flights, often feature a variety of dishes inspired by Emirati traditions as well as global cuisines such as Mediterranean, Asian, and Western, combining quality ingredients with regional flair. These meal services are typically customized according to the travel class, with economy passengers receiving hearty yet standardized portions, while business and first-class flyers enjoy elaborate, restaurant-style multi-course dining experiences with options tailored to dietary preferences including halal, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other special meals. Beverage offerings are equally diverse, with passengers being served a wide range of both non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks, including fresh juices, carbonated sodas, Arabic coffee, herbal teas, international wines, champagne, and spirits. Baked goods and sweet treats are integrated thoughtfully into meals and snacks, featuring high-quality pastries, croissants, muffins, cookies, and desserts such as baklava or chocolate truffles. Additionally, healthy in-between meal options like cut fruit, yogurt, leafy salads, cheese portions, and protein bars are often made available, especially on long-distance flights or when passengers are likely to need a nutritional boost between main meal services.

Full-service carriers in the UAE, particularly those with international acclaim, such as the country's flagship airlines, provide a comprehensive inflight experience that includes meals, beverages, and snacks as part of the airfare. These airlines position inflight dining as a key element of their branding, investing heavily in menu variety, ingredient quality, and meal presentation. Meals are designed to reflect the luxurious service ethos of these airlines, often involving collaborations with renowned chefs or culinary institutes. The experience may also include regional specialities served on select routes to enhance cultural immersion. Meanwhile, low-cost carriers in the UAE adopt a more simplified and transactional approach to onboard dining. These airlines typically operate under a pay-as-you-go model where passengers can choose from a menu of reasonably priced snacks, light meals, and beverages. Food items are offered either through pre-booking at the time of ticket purchase or directly onboard through a retail service. These offerings usually include sandwiches, wraps, small hot meals, cold drinks, and packaged snacks. The focus here is on affordability, speed of service, and satisfying basic hunger needs during shorter journeys. However, even in low-cost segments, UAE-based carriers are increasingly exploring ways to enhance the perceived quality and range of onboard food options to remain competitive and cater to evolving passenger expectations, especially among frequent regional flyers and tourists.

From a service delivery perspective, the UAE’s inflight catering market is split between outsourced and in-house providers, each playing a distinct role in ensuring operational excellence and culinary distinction. Outsourced catering companies are responsible for the bulk of meal production, particularly for international airlines operating in and out of the UAE’s major aviation hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. These third-party providers manage sophisticated industrial-scale kitchens that adhere to stringent hygiene protocols and food safety standards. They handle everything from procurement and recipe development to preparation, packaging, and logistics—ensuring that meals are delivered fresh, safely stored, and loaded efficiently onto aircraft according to tight turnaround schedules. Many of these companies are also capable of handling special menus and cultural dietary requirements on short notice. On the other hand, leading national carriers often invest in their own in-house catering facilities, not only to exercise greater control over quality but also to maintain a consistent brand identity across flights. These internal catering arms are often equipped with state-of-the-art culinary labs and experienced chefs who experiment with new menu concepts, portion sizes, and presentation techniques. They work closely with branding and marketing teams to align meals with seasonal campaigns, passenger feedback, and route-specific preferences. Such in-house operations are particularly important for premium cabins where culinary differentiation forms a major component of the passenger’s inflight journey.

Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report
• In Flight Catering Services Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Food Type
• Meals
• Beverages
• Bakery & Confectionery
• Others (snacks, fruits, salads, dairy items)

By Flight Type
• Full-Service Carriers
• Low-Cost Carriers

By Provider Type
• Outsourced Providers
• In-house Providers

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to agriculture industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.