Airline Meal Codes & What They Mean

When booking a flight, especially on long-haul journeys, you may notice the option to select special meals to suit dietary needs. Airlines use specific codes to identify these meals, helping to cater to various dietary restrictions, preferences, and religious requirements. Understanding these codes can help you ensure that you receive a meal that fits your dietary needs.

Download a copy of this list for free here.

Here’s a look at some of the most common airline meal codes and what they mean:

VGML – Vegetarian Meal (Non-Dairy)

A VGML meal is designed for passengers who follow a strict vegetarian or vegan diet. These meals are free of meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products, typically featuring fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. It’s ideal for vegans or those who prefer plant-based meals.

VLML – Vegetarian Lacto-Ovo Meal

The VLML meal is suitable for vegetarians who consume dairy products and eggs. It does not include meat or fish but may contain ingredients like cheese, milk, yogurt, and eggs.

GFML – Gluten-Free Meal

A GFML is intended for passengers who are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease. This meal does not contain gluten, ensuring that it excludes ingredients like wheat, rye, barley, and any derivatives that contain gluten.

LFML – Low-Fat Meal

Passengers concerned about fat intake can opt for the LFML meal, which contains lean meats, low-fat dairy, and limited oils and butter. These meals are often steamed or baked to reduce fat content.

LSML – Low-Sodium Meal

For those monitoring their salt intake, LSML meals are prepared with minimal salt and typically omit highly processed foods. These meals are great for passengers with high blood pressure or those on a heart-healthy diet.

DBML – Diabetic Meal

A DBML meal is designed for passengers with diabetes or those needing to manage blood sugar levels. These meals contain balanced portions of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and limited sugars, helping to maintain glucose control during the flight.

HNML – Hindu Meal

The HNML is a meal option that conforms to Hindu dietary practices. These meals do not contain beef or beef products and are often vegetarian. However, some airlines offer non-vegetarian Hindu meals that may include lamb, chicken, or fish.

KSML – Kosher Meal

A KSML meal is prepared according to Jewish dietary laws (kashrut). The food is typically certified by a rabbi and is sealed and labelled to ensure it complies with kosher regulations. Kosher meals are often provided with separate utensils and packaging.

MOML – Muslim Meal

The MOML meal follows the dietary guidelines of halal, which are consistent with Islamic law. These meals exclude pork and alcohol and feature halal-certified meats such as chicken or lamb.

BLML – Bland Meal

The BLML is for passengers who need to avoid spicy or highly seasoned foods due to medical reasons like digestive issues. These meals include simple, easily digestible ingredients, avoiding strong flavours, spices, or fatty foods.

FPML – Fruit Plate Meal

An FPML is ideal for those who prefer or require a light, refreshing meal consisting entirely of fresh fruit. It’s a simple, healthy option often chosen by passengers with digestive issues or those who prefer a natural, low-calorie meal.

CHML – Child Meal

For young travellers, a CHML meal is designed with children’s tastes in mind. These meals are often simpler and more familiar, including foods like pasta, chicken, or sandwiches, and typically come with a small treat or snack that kids enjoy.

BBML – Baby Meal

The BBML is a pre-packaged meal for infants, usually consisting of baby food jars and formula or milk. Parents traveling with babies can request this meal to make feeding time during the flight more convenient.

NLML – No-lactose meal

This meal can either be low in lactose or contain no lactose, be sure to check as it seems to differ between some airlines.

AVML – Asian Vegetarian Meal

This is offered more often in flights flying in or to/from Asia. AVML is an Asia vegetarian meal for those who want no meat but prepared in an Asian-style dish.

LCML – Low-calorie Meal

The LCML is just as it sounds, it is a meal prepared to be low in calories. It is for people who want to restrict their calorie intake and most of the time the meals are about 400 calories.

VJML – Vegetarian Jian Meal

The VJML conforms to Jianism cultures, it has no meat, fish, eggs or dairy. It also contains no root vegetables.

VVML – Vegan Meal

Some airlines will label their fully vegans meals as VVML, but other times you may find it under VGML. Vegan meals are free from any animal products: they have no meat or anything in them that has come from an animal, including honey because it means keeping bees to collect their honey.

HFML – High in Fibre Meal

These meals under HFML are as they say – high in fibre for those who eat a diet of high-fibre foods.

SFML – Seafood Meal

The SFML is for people who prefer to eat fish or seafood meals.

CLML – Celebration Cake Meal

The CLML is for special occasions! Sometimes an airline will have a cake ready for someone celebrating a special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary.

VOML – Vegetarian Oriental Meal

I think this will be similar to the AVML meal, but the use of the codes is different depending on which airline you fly with.

ALML – Allergen Meal

Some airlines might use the ALML code to tag their meals. If this is used it means that it is for a passenger with an allergy and should be totally free of that allergen.

JNML – Junior Meal

The JNML seems to be similar to the CHML and is used to recognise a meal for a child or junior.

There are actually more codes that are used by mostly by specific airlines for really niche meals. You can read the Wikipedia post about airline codes here.

Download a copy of this list of airline meal codes here.

Please consider downloading my free list of these codes so you can print it and double-check the meal codes on your booking but again when you are on the plane – especially if you are travelling with a food allergy.

How to Request Special Meals

To request one of these meals, you can select the option when booking your flight, or you can contact the airline directly, usually at least 24-48 hours before departure. Most airlines accommodate a wide range of dietary needs, so it’s important to communicate your preferences early to ensure the right meal is prepared for your journey.

Choosing the right meal when flying can make your journey more enjoyable, especially if you have dietary restrictions or specific preferences. Knowing the different codes can help you navigate the options available and ensure you have a meal that suits your needs or is safe for you if you have a food allergy. Be sure to check with your airline, as not all airlines offer every type of meal listed here, but most will have common options like vegetarian, gluten-free, or kosher meals.