Travel

United passenger finds plane menu from 1974, shock over what it reveals

Newsweek · Jul 22, 2026 00:16 · 4 min read

A view of a United Airlines ticket counter at LAX airport circa 1970 in Los Angeles, California.

The throwback menu arrives at a time when in-flight food remains a talking point among travelers.

A traveler has shared a glimpse into what flying economy looked like more than 50 years ago after posting a preserved United Airlines menu from their very first flight in 1974 on Reddit.

The post, shared by u/seriouslyjan in the r/unitedairlines subreddit, was titled “Economy menu from February 1974.”

In the caption, the user explained that they had recently rediscovered the menu in an old scrapbook from their high school years.

“I found this in an old scrapbook. This was my first flight in February 1974, I was a senior in high school,” they wrote. “My Sister and I drove a car back to West Virginia for my Brother in Law and then flew home.”

The post included images of the menu, which showed passengers in economy class being offered a three-course meal with several entrée choices. Diners could start with a “combination salad” served with a “gourmet dressing” before selecting from main dishes including “braised beef, paprika sauce” or “breast of chicken sesame,” which the menu described as “the chef’s friend and specialty.”

A fish option was also available, although details were said to be contained on an enclosed menu card, with the recipe printed on its reverse side. The meal was served with a dinner roll, dessert and beverages including coffee, tea and milk.

A screenshot from a Reddit post about an economy class food menu from a 1974 United Airlines flight.
Screenshot from a Reddit post about an economy class food menu on a 1974 United Airlines flight.
Screenshot from a Reddit post about an economy class food menu on a 1974 United Airlines flight.

Another menu card listed an extensive selection of alcoholic drinks. Passengers could choose from bourbon, scotch and Tennessee whiskies, alongside cocktails such as an Old Fashioned, a Manhattan, various martinis and a Mai Tai. One menu item that stood out was “United’s Very Dry Gin Martini.”

The poster also shared an image of the receipt from the flight booking.

Reflecting on how air travel has changed since the 1970s, the poster said in the caption: “There was a full meal, see the menu and real tableware. There was also a smoking section…boy have times changed. My ticket was $157.37, I don’t know what that would be in today’s dollars, but it made a wonderful memory for me.” (According to the CPI Inflation Calculator, $157.37 in 1974 would be about $1,066 in 2026).

Not all readers saw the glory, though. “Everyone loves to glaze flying in the ‘golden days’ and only seems to talk about the food they served and never mention the cost, much higher noise level, zero entertainment, everyone smoking, and much higher risk of mechanical issues,” one commenter said. “Yeah dude, I’d take that all back for some smoked meats.”

The throwback menu arrives at a time when in-flight food remains a talking point among travelers.

Who Has The Best Airplane Food in 2026?

Today, complimentary meal service is increasingly limited to long-haul routes.

According to a July survey by travel rewards and loyalty platform point.me, Emirates received the highest ratings for business-class meals (26.3 percent), business-class breakfasts (25.2 percent), economy meals (23 percent), and cocktail programs (24 percent). Singapore Airlines finished a close second for business-class meals.

The survey also found that more than one-third of respondents named Air France as the airline with the best business-class wine selection, while 34.5 percent said it offered the most generous wine pours—more than double the proportion who selected second-place Emirates (14.9 percent).

Delta Air Lines took the lead for economy snacks (30 percent), with its Starbucks coffee ranking as the overall favorite (24.8 percent), the survey found.

‘Very Cool’

The images in the recent Reddit post prompted a wave of nostalgia from other users, many of whom remembered an era when even economy passengers were routinely served full meals.

“Very cool. I remember those days. Tablecloths and the smoking section,” wrote u/SloapingParapet.

Another commenter, u/plc44, added: “Flying was so much better back then!!!!…”

For u/validrecreation69, some of the smaller details made the menu especially memorable.

“A branded ‘United’s Very Dry Gin Martini’ on the menu is proper retro glamour, love that detail,” the user wrote. “The handwritten Vegas on the ticket must have made the whole trip feel even more special at the time. Great scrapbook find, what a way to kick off your flying days.”

Others compared the meal offerings with their more recent flying experiences.

“I remember the airline meals I got in economy as a child. They had great food going to Europe and back in the 80’s as well. Better than I get in first these days,” wrote u/bananapoopwastaken.

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via the Reddit messaging system.