PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1997891
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1997891
In-flight catering services provide packaged food and beverages to passengers during flights, offering specialized food catering for airline passengers.
The primary services provided by in-flight catering companies include meals, bakery and confectionery, beverages, and other types of catering services. Meals refer to the food served to passengers onboard commercial airliners, prepared by specialized airline catering companies and served using airline service trolleys. These services are offered by full-service carriers, low-cost carriers with seating classes such as economy class, business class, and first class. The catering sources can be in-house or outsourced.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
Tariffs are impacting the in-flight catering services market by increasing costs of imported food ingredients, packaging materials, kitchen equipment, and cold-chain logistics solutions. Airline catering operations in North America and Europe are most affected due to reliance on imported specialty ingredients and packaging supplies, while Asia-Pacific faces higher costs for equipment procurement. These tariffs are increasing operating expenses and pressuring catering margins. However, they are also encouraging local sourcing of food inputs, regional supplier partnerships, and investment in centralized catering facilities to optimize costs.
The in-flight catering services market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides in-flight catering services market statistics, including in-flight catering services industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a in-flight catering services market share, detailed in-flight catering services market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the in-flight catering services industry. This in-flight catering services market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.
The in-flight catering services market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $19.25 billion in 2025 to $21 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of global air travel volumes, growth of full-service airline operations, increasing passenger expectations for meal quality, expansion of airline route networks, standardization of airline catering operations.
The in-flight catering services market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $29.45 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to recovery of international air travel, rising demand for premium and personalized meal options, expansion of low-cost carrier meal services, increased adoption of eco-friendly catering materials, growing use of digital meal planning systems. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing demand for customized meal offerings, rising focus on sustainable in-flight packaging, expansion of outsourced catering services, growing use of automation in meal preparation, enhanced emphasis on food safety and quality.
Increased air traffic is expected to drive the growth of the in-flight catering services market. In recent years, air travel has surged, reflecting that more individuals can afford to fly. Changing lifestyles and rising disposable incomes have fueled demand for air travel for both leisure and business purposes. In-flight catering has become essential for travelers, particularly on long-haul routes served by network carriers. For example, in January 2024, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a US-based trade association for the global airline industry, reported that total air travel traffic in 2023 rose 36.9% compared to 2022. Additionally, in December 2023, international traffic increased by 24.2% over December 2022, while domestic traffic grew 27.0% year-on-year. Therefore, rising air traffic is supporting the expansion of the in-flight catering services market.
Major players in the in-flight catering services market are actively pursuing strategic collaborations as a means to offer dependable services to their customers. Strategic collaborations involve mutually beneficial partnerships between independent entities, working together toward shared objectives that align with their respective strategic goals. For instance, in August 2023, Oman Air, a luxury airline based in Oman, announced a partnership with In-Flight Catering Software TCI LTD (IFCS), a software provider in Providenciales specializing in the aviation industry. The collaboration aims to enhance the airline's in-flight catering operations by integrating IFCS's cutting-edge Recipe Costing and HACCP Compliance Monitoring Software with advanced Galley Loading and Planning Software. These sophisticated solutions are intended to streamline the airline's catering processes, improve overall efficiency, and fortify compliance protocols.
In November 2023, Aurelius Group, a Germany-based asset management firm, acquired LSG Group for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition enables Aurelius Group to capitalize on growth opportunities within the aviation sector and pursue its three-pillar strategy, which emphasizes expansion in classic airline catering, onboard retail, and food commerce. LSG Group is a Germany-based aviation services company that includes in-flight catering services in its offerings.
Major companies operating in the in-flight catering services market are Korean Air Catering Co. Ltd., Japan Airlines Catering Service Co. Ltd., Cathay Pacific Catering Services Ltd., Emirates Flight Catering LLC, Newrest Group Services SAS, Ethiopian Airlines Catering Services, Singapore Airport Terminal Services Ltd., Flying Food Group LLC, DO & CO Luftfahrt-Catering Service GmbH & Co. KG, Servair S.A., EgyptAir In-Flight Services, Bahrain Airport Services Co., Air Culinaire Worldwide Inc., Air Fayre Ltd., Abby's Catering Ltd., Gate Gourmet Ltd., Journey Group plc, LSG Group GmbH & Co. KG, All Nippon Airways Catering Service Co. Ltd., AAS Catering, KLM Catering Services Amsterdam B.V., Saudi Airlines Catering Company, Royal In-Flight Catering A/S, TajSATS Ltd., Aerofood Catering Services Ltd., Dubai National Air Transport Authority Catering, Airport Catering Services, TUI Catering Ltd., Turkish Airlines Catering Services
North America was the largest region in the in-flight catering services market in 2025. The regions covered in the in-flight catering services market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.
The countries covered in the in-flight catering services market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Canada
The in-flight catering services market includes revenues earned by entities by providing flight dine food services, meal services, raw material handling services. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
In-Flight Catering Services Market Global Report 2026 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses in-flight catering services market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for in-flight catering services ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The in-flight catering services market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, total addressable market (TAM), market attractiveness score (MAS), competitive landscape, market shares, company scoring matrix, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
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