Emirates is shifting its vegan dining strategy away from ultra-processed meat substitutes and towards whole, minimally processed ingredients, as health-conscious flyers look for food that is both nutritious and transparent. From 2027, new plant-forward menus will showcase legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, and seasonal vegetables as the stars of the plate, expanding a program that already serves around half a million vegan meals a year.

From Meat Substitutes to Whole-Food Vegan Menus

During Veganuary, Emirates confirmed that its next generation of vegan dishes will celebrate “real, whole, and farm-to-fork” plant foods rather than engineered plant-based meats. Vice President of Food & Beverage Design Doxis Bekris explains that new menus will lean on naturally plant-forward culinary traditions such as Mediterranean mezze, Levantine grain salads, Asian noodle bowls, and African stews, using these cuisines to build rich flavor and texture without replicating meat.

The airline links this concept directly to sustainability and passenger trust, arguing that clearly recognizable ingredients better align with customer expectations around health, planet-friendly choices, and label transparency. The new dishes are in development now and are expected to appear onboard in 2027, complementing – and gradually updating – the existing inflight vegan range.

488 Vegan Recipes and 500,000 Meals a Year

Emirates now offers 488 vegan recipes on rotation across 140 destinations, a 60 percent increase on 2024 and one of the most extensive plant-based programs in the airline industry. The carrier currently serves around half a million vegan meals annually, with demand rising broadly in line with overall passenger numbers.

Top routes for vegan meal orders include London, Sydney, Bangkok, Melbourne, Frankfurt, Manchester, Mumbai, Bali, and Singapore, reflecting both strong local vegan communities and international transit traffic. Emirates notes that many non-vegan customers also choose the plant-based option as a lighter, easier-to-digest meal when flying long-haul. Vegan meals can be pre-ordered up to 24 hours before departure on all flights and in all classes, and on high-demand routes, plant-based dishes are also featured on the main à-la-carte menus.

Farm-to-Fork: Bustanica Vertical Farm Meets the Sky

Supporting its whole-food philosophy, Emirates sources fresh leafy greens from Bustanica, billed as the world’s largest hydroponic vertical farm and a joint venture with Emirates Flight Catering. The facility, located near Dubai, produces pesticide- and chemical-free lettuce, arugula, salad mixes, and spinach year-round, using significantly less water than traditional agriculture and delivers directly to Emirates’ catering operations.

These greens appear across vegan and non-vegan menus, reinforcing the carrier’s “farm-to-flight-to-fork” positioning and reducing reliance on imported produce, which supports both freshness and sustainability goals.

What Vegan Dining Looks Like in Every Cabin

Emirates now highlights vegan cuisine in all cabin classes, pairing whole-food ingredients with restaurant-style presentation and desserts that feel indulgent but remain dairy-free. Examples include:

• Economy Class: pumpkin frittata with sautéed mushrooms; spinach cannelloni with tomato basil sauce; vegan chocolate mousse cake.
• Premium Economy: kimchi fried rice with roasted pumpkin and oyster mushrooms; coconut cake with pineapple compote.
• Business Class: braised mushrooms with vegetables; coconut panna cotta with raspberry mousse.
• First Class: pumpkin and barley risotto; quinoa salad; strawberry tart with vanilla custard.

Across the network, vegan milk and other plant-based accompaniments are also available.

Vegan Choices in Emirates’ Dubai Lounges

At Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 3, Emirates operates seven lounges, all featuring curated vegan options that bridge the gap between airport snacking and a thoughtful, whole-food meal.

Future Directions

From 2027 onward, Emirates flights are likely to offer even more globally inspired, whole-food vegan menus, without sacrificing flavor, comfort, or choice at 35,000 feet.