When booking flights, I do my best to make sure that I’m balancing everything for my personal wellbeing – such as the cost of the flight being in budget, how much time between flights is needed for layovers, and finally, what will I eat on the plane.

I’ve done a bit of research, and the major domestic airlines (Delta, United, American etc) seem to usually have decent gluten free options available – some at a charge, and some included for longer flights.  So far I’ve only seen Delta offer dedicated gluten free pretzels for some the shorter flights, but I may be missing some others.

Here’s how I think about it:

If I am taking a short flight, I usually pack a dry snack with me that I know will be easy to toss in my carryon and access. Gluten free granola bars and fruit wraps are my go-to’s here, because they pack well, and if I don’t get hungry, they keep until the next flight pretty easily.  I also like to grab a bottled water at the airport in case of long delays on the tarmac without beverage service (it only took getting stuck thirsty one time for several hours for me to learn that lesson.)

If I’m flying across the US, I will usually take a dry snack, but also do my research in advance to see what my in-flight options are. I can almost always buy a fruit & cheese plate or a snack box where I can share the non-gluten-free items with my seatmates.  If I do the research but find that there aren’t any options, I’ll stop at one of the airport news stands and grab some chips, juice, and usually a piece of fresh fruit that I know I’ll eat in flight.  Those three usually sustain me from coast to coast, and then I head to a restaurant shortly after I land.

International flights have really improved over the past few years with their gluten free offerings. I’ve had great meals on Delta, Virgin, and Luftansa just to name a few.  While, yes, the main meal almost always contains a grilled chicken breast with rice or potatoes and salad, I am thrilled to eat warm food on an overseas flight.  The idea of just having snack food, that I might have to throw out when going through Customs at my next destination, just isn’t fun.  I love that the airlines have taken care to provide a meal with my dietary restrictions.  My last flight I had gluten free snacks, dinner, dessert, and then an omelette for breakfast.  I was thrilled.

In order to make sure you get your special meal, make sure you visit your airlines website and track down the requirements.  Most seem to be able to accommodate gluten free options on cross-country flights with advance notice.  You’ll also want to check in with your flight attendant after boarding to make sure they have your meal.  (This has gotten much easier over the years – it’s only been missed for me twice in 10 years, and countless flights.)

Any other tips to share?