In-flight catering market seen topping $28 billion by 2030

By AI, Created 5:28 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – The Business Research Company says the global in-flight catering services market will exceed $28 billion by 2030, led by Asia Pacific and the U.S. The report points to rising demand for customized meals, digital ordering tools and low-cost carrier packaged offerings as the main growth drivers.

Why it matters: - The in-flight catering services market is moving toward a larger, more segmented business as airlines spend more on passenger experience and ancillary revenue. - The report estimates the market will reach more than $28 billion by 2030, with economy class still driving most of the volume. - Growth in Asia Pacific, the U.S. and premium cabin service points to continued demand for customized meal formats and operational efficiency.

What happened: - The Business Research Company published a 2026 report on the global in-flight catering services market with forecasts through 2035. - The report says the market will surpass $28 billion by 2030. - The parent catering services market is projected to be about $196 billion by 2030, putting in-flight catering at roughly 14% of that total. - The broader hospitality industry is expected to reach $7,439 billion by 2030, with in-flight catering representing nearly 0.4% of market value. - The report identifies Asia Pacific as the largest region in 2030, at $10 billion. - The report identifies the U.S. as the largest country in 2030, at $8 billion. - The expected compound annual growth rate for the market through 2030 is 9%. - The report says the economy class segment will be the largest by seating class, with 58% of the market, or $16 billion, in 2030.

The details: - Asia Pacific is expected to grow from $7 billion in 2025 to $10 billion in 2030, a 9% CAGR. - The region’s growth is tied to rising air traffic in China and India, low-cost carrier expansion, premium airline services, long-haul travel demand, airport infrastructure development and airline focus on onboard experience. - The U.S. market is expected to grow from $5 billion in 2025 to $8 billion in 2030, also at a 9% CAGR. - U.S. growth is linked to heavy domestic and international flight volume, major airline operators, demand for premium meals, catering partnerships and menu and packaging innovation. - The market is segmented by aircraft seating class into economy class, business class and first class. - The market is segmented by source into in-house and outsource. - The market is segmented by flight type into full service carriers and low cost carriers. - The market is segmented by food type into meal, bakery and confectionery, beverage and other types. - Economy class demand is supported by buy-on-board meal concepts, low-cost carrier networks and standardized production and distribution. - The economy class market is projected to grow by $5 billion from 2025 to 2030. - The business class market is projected to grow by $3 billion over the same period. - The first class market is projected to grow by $1 billion over the same period.

Between the lines: - Airlines are using catering less as a back-office function and more as a way to differentiate service tiers. - Personalized diets, digital pre-ordering and pre-packaged low-cost carrier meals point to a shift toward more data-driven and lower-waste service models. - The report’s growth estimates suggest the biggest gains will come from scale in economy cabins, while premium cabins keep pushing higher-margin customization. - The cited growth drivers are expected to contribute 2.3% annual growth from personalized and specialized dietary menus, 2.0% from digitalization of onboard retail and meal management, and 1.5% from low-cost carrier pre-packaged services.

What’s next: - Airlines and catering providers are likely to expand menu customization, digital ordering tools and pre-packaged offerings as passenger expectations shift. - The report expects continued growth in onboard retail systems, inventory optimization and real-time demand planning. - Catering partnerships, branded food collaborations and route-specific meal strategies are likely to become more important, especially for low-cost carriers. - Request a free sample of the report - Access the detailed market report

The bottom line: - In-flight catering is forecast to keep growing, but the winners are likely to be airlines and suppliers that combine scale in economy cabins with more personalized, tech-enabled service.