Flying economy is a fairly basic experience. You get a seat, sometimes a blanket, and serviceable food that works for the flight. It’s not meant to be particularly comfortable because there are other cabin classes that offer that for a higher price point. Economy serves as a simple, affordable mode of transportation.

However, some carriers invest heavily in the passenger experience, even in economy class. Economy seats as a whole are generally improving, but this is true for all airlines. Instead, where some of the world’s top airlines differentiate is in the ‘soft product’, which encompasses variable aspects of a flight like service, amenities, and, of course, catering. Given that the amenities in economy are usually minimal, it’s the catering where you see major differences, and these are the world’s six airlines with the best economy meal service, as per SkyTrax.

Saudia

One of the best Middle Eastern meal services

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Although Saudia is the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, it’s not an airline that’s discussed much. This is mainly because Saudi Arabia has historically not been a country frequented by Westerners in large numbers. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has only recently begun to push to increase tourism, and it’s even launched a new airline to help build the country into a major aviation hub.

Although Saudia itself tends to fly under the radar, it is known for having some of the best economy catering in the world. All food onboard is halal, and the airline has over a dozen different meal categories to accommodate dietary restrictions. The meals are regarded as very high quality, with generous portions, and passengers are typically offered three meal choices that draw inspiration from local cuisine. In addition, Saudia offers a wide variety of beverage options.

Saudia is a dry airline, meaning it does not serve alcohol on any of its flights, so it can focus more heavily on food rather than spending money on alcohol. As with most airlines, passengers usually find that catering is significantly better on flights departing the carrier’s hubs than on those at outstations. As a whole, Saudia’s economy experience is underrated if you don’t value alcohol that highly.

STARLUX Airlines

A new entrant making a splash

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Most upstart airlines operate with an ultra-low-cost business model, which makes STARLUX Airlines and its focus on a quality passenger experience especially notable. In 2025, the carrier received a five-star Skytrax rating (making it the youngest airline in this group) for its high standards across all cabins. Economy is no different, as STARLUX generally offers one of the best economy experiences in the world, and its catering is a particularly strong point.

STARLUX invests heavily in its economy inflight meals, and passengers can pre-select their meal options (the first airline to allow this in economy). The airline provides multiple options to passengers during each service, and it invests heavily to ensure that each item is high quality. Of course, this is somewhat necessary given how competitive the Taiwanese market is, with three full-service carriers each offering a world-class passenger experience.

The meal experience in the premium cabins is naturally a significant upgrade from economy, and the airline has brand collaborations with well-regarded chefs for these cabins. In addition, while the catering is top-notch out of Taipei, quality can be more of a mixed bag when departing from outstations. Generally, however, STARLUX offers one of the best inflight experiences in economy worldwide, and the catering is one of the highlights for the cabin class.

Singapore Airlines

Flawless as expected

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Singapore Airlines is almost always ranked as the world’s best or second-best airline, and it has long focused on offering a flawless passenger experience. Even in economy, the airline installs spacious seats with good legroom (the carrier’s Boeing 777s are configured nine-abreast) and the service is known to be consistently excellent.

The meals, too, are well beyond what passengers typically expect in this cabin class. Singapore Airlines provides passengers with a printed menu that includes multiple options (usually a Western, Asian, and local dish) along with an extensive drinks section. The food is generally considered more flavorful than you’d expect from airplane food, and the carrier’s menu is quite diverse.

Singapore Airlines operates its ‘Book The Cook‘ program for all premium cabins, which is one of the most extensive airline preordering programs in the entire industry. However, this is not offered in economy, which boosts the appeal of upgrading to premium economy or business class. Still, if you’re looking to stay in economy, Singapore Airlines goes to much greater lengths than most airlines to keep you well-fed.

Qatar Airways

Routinely ranked as one of the world’s best airlines

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The only other airline that regularly trades places with Singapore Airlines in global airline rankings is Qatar Airways. The airline invests heavily in its business class and has become famous for its QSuite business class seat, which is still one of the best seats in the world. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways has also invested in making its economy experience as competitive as possible.

The airline offers passengers a variety of meal options on its long-haul flights, and the meals themselves are large and well-flavored. In addition, Qatar Airways provides a wide variety of alcoholic beverages, including red, white, and sparkling wine, cocktails, gin and tonic, along with different liquor options.

In addition to its catering, Qatar Airways is known for offering friendly service from flight attendants and for having one of the world’s best in-flight entertainment systems. The carrier is also increasingly rolling out complimentary Starlink Wi-Fi across its widebody fleet, which is a game-changer for inflight connectivity. Combined with the excellent catering, this is undoubtedly one of the best inflight experiences for economy passengers.

Cathay Pacific

Locally inspired cuisine that elevates the experience

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Cathay Pacific is arguably less prominent in the industry today than it was a decade ago, largely because Hong Kong is a slightly less influential hub. However, Cathay Pacific remains committed to providing an excellent onboard experience even for its economy passengers, and it’s been ranked by SkyTrax as being the world’s best airline for economy.

Many of the meal options are inspired by Hong Kong’s local cuisine, and the airline makes a great effort to ensure that portions are filling and each item is extremely flavorful. The options are diverse, and Cathay also offers a wide range of Western meal options. In addition, the airline offers a diverse selection of beverages, including sodas, coffee, juices, and teas, as well as multiple alcoholic options. While quality can vary depending on the point of departure, the airline’s economy meals are generally well regarded for the cabin class.

Cathay Pacific is rated by SkyTrax as a five-star airline, one of only ten in the world to receive the organization’s top rating. Most of this is down to how the carrier treats premium cabins, because the reality is that there’s not much room to innovate in economy. Airlines largely use the same seats with the same layouts, and they usually offer the same legroom, or at most up to two more inches than competitors. Cathay Pacific’s catering is not dramatically different from most airlines’; however, it still makes a noticeable difference, especially on longer flights.

EVA Air

The world’s best

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EVA Air is another five-star airline that focuses on elevating the passenger experience in all cabins. In economy, it’s ranked as one of the top airlines in the world, and it invests heavily in catering for economy (one of the few areas where you can really differentiate yourself in this cabin class). It is, in fact, ranked as having the very best catering in economy, which is not just a reflection of how well the carrier’s meals are prepared but also generally reflects how EVA Air approaches the cabin.

EVA Air usually offers passengers three meal choices on its long-haul flights, including a Western and Asian option. The meals themselves are regularly considered among the best in the world, but the carrier also plates each item in upscale dishes and presents them with metal cutlery, which isn’t common in economy class. Passengers also receive printed menus on each flight. Together, these little touches create a more elevated experience compared to other airlines, and the food itself is backed by the presentation.

EVA Air is also known for the attentive service provided by cabin crew and the cleanliness of its cabins. The in-flight entertainment system is excellent, and the seats have good legroom. While the premium cabins do provide a better experience, EVA Air’s economy is one of the best in the world, and the catering is the product’s strongest attribute, ensuring that even flying at the back of the plane feels like an upscale experience with EVA Air.