India Inflight Catering Market By Service Type (Onboard Catering, Ground Catering, Special Meals), By Airline Type (Full-Service Airlines, Low-Cost Carriers, Charter Airlines), By Meal Type (Vegetarian, Non-Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Others), By Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2021-2031F

Market Overview

India Inflight Catering Market was valued at USD 231.69 million in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 494.12 million by 2031 with a CAGR of 13.45% during the forecast period. The India inflight catering market is evolving rapidly as airlines focus on enhancing passenger experience through diverse food offerings and efficient meal management systems. Rising disposable incomes and increased air travel frequency are fueling demand for fresh, hygienic, and customized meal services. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA, India, 2024), India’s domestic air passenger traffic reached 157 million in 2023, a 12% increase from 2022, directly driving inflight meal demand.

Both full-service and budget carriers are expanding their inflight offerings to meet the expectations of travelers across different income groups. This shift is encouraging service providers to introduce innovative menus and healthier food choices tailored to varied dietary requirements.

According to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI, 2023), India’s airline industry contributed USD 16 billion to GDP in 2022, with catering and allied services forming a critical part of aviation-linked spending.

Growing emphasis on convenience and time efficiency is influencing airline meal planning, leading to partnerships with catering companies for consistent quality and supply chain optimization. Integration of technology such as pre-booking systems and digital menus is enabling passengers to select meal preferences before travel, enhancing service personalization. The trend of introducing specialized diets, including vegan, gluten-free, and halal meals, is further expanding the market scope. Sustainability is becoming a key focus, with efforts to reduce food waste and shift toward eco-friendly packaging solutions.

Market Drivers

Rising Passenger Traffic

The steady increase in passenger traffic across domestic and international routes is boosting demand for inflight catering services. According to the Airports Authority of India (AAI, 2023), total passenger traffic in India (domestic + international) crossed 350 million in 2023, highlighting a large consumer base for inflight catering services.

As more travelers choose air travel for business, leisure, and tourism, the requirement for consistent and quality meal services grows. Airlines are compelled to provide a variety of meals that cater to diverse passenger expectations, ranging from economy-class travelers seeking affordable yet hygienic meals to premium-class passengers demanding gourmet experiences. This rise in volume creates opportunities for catering providers to scale operations, improve supply chain efficiency, and expand menu options to meet the evolving needs of a broader customer base.

Demand for Customized Meals

Passenger preferences are becoming more personalized, with growing interest in specialized meal options such as vegan, gluten-free, diabetic-friendly, and low-calorie diets. The shift toward health consciousness and the need for inclusivity in dietary offerings is reshaping menu planning in inflight catering. Airlines increasingly collaborate with caterers to offer pre-booked customized meals, allowing travelers to select their preferences ahead of time. This personalization not only enhances passenger satisfaction but also strengthens airline branding. The demand for tailored solutions is driving innovation and menu diversification, pushing catering providers to adapt quickly to changing consumer expectations and evolving lifestyle choices.

Growth of Low-Cost and Full-Service Airlines

The rapid expansion of both low-cost carriers and full-service airlines in India is creating new opportunities for inflight catering services. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA, 2023), India is expected to become the third-largest aviation market globally by 2025, implying significant expansion in inflight catering volumes.

Low-cost carriers are incorporating buy-on-board models with affordable meal options, while full-service airlines are investing in premium, multi-course menus to differentiate themselves. This dual growth is fueling demand across multiple price segments, allowing catering companies to tap into varied consumer groups. Increased competition among airlines to attract passengers through enhanced inflight experiences also drives catering innovation. The expansion of fleet sizes and introduction of new routes ensure a steady rise in meal service requirements, stimulating consistent market growth.

Technological Integration in Services

Technology adoption is transforming the inflight catering market through digital menus, pre-booking apps, and AI-driven supply chain management systems. These tools enable airlines to forecast demand more accurately, reduce food wastage, and personalize meal offerings. Passengers can order specific meals during ticket booking or even mid-journey through connected platforms, enhancing convenience. Catering providers benefit from real-time analytics, ensuring timely deliveries and minimizing operational inefficiencies. The integration of technology is not only improving service efficiency but also elevating customer experience, making it a key growth driver in the market. This shift encourages innovation while optimizing resources across the catering ecosystem.

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Key Market Challenges

Stringent Food Safety Regulations

Inflight catering must comply with strict safety and hygiene standards imposed by aviation and food authorities. These regulations demand rigorous monitoring, temperature control, and sanitation protocols to ensure passenger health. Any lapse can result in penalties, damaged reputations, and flight delays. Catering providers must invest heavily in infrastructure, staff training, and audits to maintain compliance. While essential for safety, these requirements increase operational costs and complexity, particularly for providers serving multiple airlines with diverse needs. Maintaining uniform quality and safety standards at high altitudes adds another challenge, making regulatory compliance a constant operational burden for the industry.

Rising Operational Costs

Escalating costs of raw materials, packaging, logistics, and skilled labor significantly impact the profitability of inflight catering companies. Airlines, especially budget carriers, operate under tight margins and often pressure caterers to deliver services at reduced prices. This creates a conflict between maintaining quality standards and managing cost-effectiveness. Seasonal fluctuations in ingredient availability and the need for specialized storage facilities further add to expenses. The inflationary environment intensifies these challenges, making it harder for catering firms to balance financial sustainability with passenger expectations. Rising costs remain one of the most pressing obstacles, threatening scalability and long-term competitiveness in the market.

Supply Chain Disruptions

The inflight catering industry heavily depends on seamless supply chain operations for fresh ingredients, timely deliveries, and strict adherence to schedules. Disruptions caused by weather conditions, transportation delays, or logistical inefficiencies can result in shortages, compromised quality, and operational delays. Airports with high traffic require precision planning, and even minor interruptions can cascade into significant delays across multiple flights. Perishable goods further complicate supply chain management, as they demand specialized storage and handling. Catering providers must maintain flexible sourcing strategies and resilient logistics networks, but unpredictability in supply chain stability remains a critical challenge to uninterrupted service delivery.

Intense Competition

The inflight catering market is highly competitive, with multiple providers vying for contracts across full-service and low-cost carriers. This competition often drives down prices, leaving limited room for profitability. Airlines frequently switch providers to negotiate better deals, which forces catering companies to constantly innovate while operating within tight margins. The need to balance cost with quality results in high pressure on service providers, especially smaller players struggling against larger, established competitors. Maintaining long-term contracts becomes difficult, as airlines prioritize cost reduction over loyalty. This competitive landscape creates instability for providers, hindering sustainable growth and long-term strategic planning.

Key Market Trends

Pre-Booked and Personalized Meals

Airlines are increasingly adopting pre-booked meal services, allowing passengers to select their food preferences while booking tickets. This trend enhances convenience, minimizes food wastage, and ensures a tailored travel experience. Passengers today expect greater personalization, and digital platforms enable them to customize meals based on dietary needs such as vegan, diabetic-friendly, or low-calorie diets. Catering providers are leveraging this demand by offering diverse menus and partnering with airlines to integrate technology for meal selection. Personalized inflight meals are becoming an industry standard, reshaping passenger expectations and strengthening airline differentiation through improved food experiences and greater service flexibility.

Shift Toward Healthier Options

Health-conscious passengers are pushing airlines to offer nutritious alternatives to traditional inflight meals. Items like salads, fresh fruits, protein-rich snacks, and low-calorie meals are becoming standard inclusions. With lifestyle-related health concerns on the rise, travelers increasingly prioritize meals that align with wellness goals. Catering companies are responding with innovative menus featuring natural ingredients and balanced nutrition. This shift not only enhances passenger satisfaction but also helps airlines project a modern, health-focused brand image. Healthier options are emerging as a long-term trend, redefining inflight catering and aligning with global dietary awareness that emphasizes well-being alongside convenience and taste.

Digital Menus and Smart Ordering

Digital transformation is changing how meals are presented and selected. Airlines are adopting e-menus accessible through mobile apps or onboard entertainment systems, reducing paper usage and improving sustainability. Smart ordering allows passengers to browse meals, view nutritional information, and place orders seamlessly. Catering providers benefit by receiving real-time demand data, enabling them to plan better and reduce overstocking. The trend also supports last-minute meal customization, offering flexibility to travelers. Digital menus enhance the passenger journey by combining technology with service personalization, making inflight catering more efficient, sustainable, and customer-centric in the rapidly evolving aviation ecosystem.

Eco-Friendly Packaging

Sustainability is shaping meal packaging in inflight catering. Airlines are moving away from single-use plastics and adopting biodegradable, recyclable, or compostable alternatives. Eco-friendly packaging resonates with environmentally conscious passengers and supports global sustainability goals. Catering companies are innovating with materials like bamboo, paper-based cutlery, and plant-based containers that maintain food quality while reducing environmental impact. This transition reduces waste generated during flights and enhances the airline’s image as a responsible service provider. Eco-friendly packaging is no longer optional but a rising trend that directly influences purchasing decisions and positions airlines as environmentally responsible in the competitive aviation industry.

Premiumization of Inflight Meals

Airlines are investing in premium meal offerings to elevate passenger experience and strengthen brand loyalty. Premiumization involves gourmet dishes, international cuisines, and restaurant-style plating designed to appeal to discerning travelers. Even budget carriers are exploring upgraded options for purchase, catering to passengers willing to pay extra for quality meals. The trend reflects growing demand for memorable travel experiences beyond just transportation. By offering premium menus, airlines differentiate themselves and create a sense of exclusivity. Catering providers benefit through value-added contracts, as this trend not only raises service standards but also opens opportunities for higher revenue generation.

Segmental Insights

Service Type Insights

Onboard catering holds the largest market share, driven by the growing domestic air travel segment and the rising number of full-service carriers offering meal services as part of their in-flight experience. With increasing passenger expectations for enhanced travel comfort, onboard catering has evolved beyond basic meals to include multi-course options, customizable menus, and diverse cuisine offerings, making it the dominant segment in terms of both volume and revenue generation.

Ground catering is emerging as a significant contributor, particularly at major metropolitan airports and transit hubs where the turnaround time for aircraft is tight, necessitating well-coordinated logistical support. Ground catering services include the preparation, packaging, and timely delivery of food to aircraft, as well as provisioning items like beverages and meal trays. As airlines work to streamline operations and improve efficiency, ground catering has become critical in ensuring timely and seamless in-flight meal service. Growth in this segment is also linked to the expansion of airline operations into tier II and tier III cities, which demands reliable and consistent supply chain networks on the ground.

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Region Insights

In 2025, The North region dominated the inflight catering market, shaped by heavy passenger traffic and diverse travel requirements. The region has a mix of domestic and international travelers, which creates demand for a wide range of meal services. Passengers flying through busy airports expect reliable food options that match both convenience and cultural preferences, leading to extensive adoption of onboard catering solutions. Growth in business travel and tourism has also influenced the expansion of meal services in this region, as passengers seek higher standards of hygiene, taste, and variety while traveling.

Meal diversity plays an important role in catering strategies in the North, where demand extends from traditional meals to globally inspired cuisines. Service providers are adapting by offering menus that cater to multiple dietary needs such as vegetarian, vegan, and diabetic-friendly meals. Airport lounges and ground facilities further support the segment by enhancing pre-flight dining, which has become an important part of the overall travel experience. Special meals also find prominence in this region, reflecting passenger expectations for inclusivity and flexibility in dining choices.

Recent Developments

• In October 2023, Noida International Airport (NIA) and TajSATS signed a concession agreement to build a state-of-the-art inflight kitchen at the upcoming Jewar airport. The 40,000 sq. ft facility will initially cater over 15,000 meals daily and also serve lounges and F&B outlets. Developed on a DBFOT model for 37 years, this will be TajSATS’ second facility in Delhi NCR and ninth in India, enhancing its leadership in inflight catering.
• In August 2024, IndiGo announced the launch of IndiGo Stretch, a tailor-made business product starting mid-November on the Delhi–Mumbai route at an introductory fare of ₹18,018. Featuring 12 premium coupe-style seats in a 2-2 layout, the cabin offers wider seats, extra legroom, device charging ports, and curated meals from Oberoi Catering. The service will expand to all 12 metro-to-metro routes by end-2025, marking IndiGo’s entry into India’s business travel segment.
• In August 2025, Akasa Air announced daily direct flights from Mumbai to Phuket, starting September 20, marking its entry into Southeast Asia. Phuket becomes the airline’s sixth international destination, aimed at boosting tourism and trade ties between India and Thailand. The route offers convenient morning and evening schedules, catering to both leisure and business travellers, while reinforcing Akasa’s strategy of expanding across high-growth international corridors.
• In November 2024, British Airways celebrated 100 years since its first flight to New Delhi by introducing special Indian menus, regional drinks, and over 100 Indian films on board. The limited-time offerings include dishes like phaldari kofta, jackfruit biryani, and bhapa doi, along with spiced chai from Twinings and Rajasthan’s Godawan single malt. The airline currently operates 56 weekly flights from five Indian cities to London, set to expand to 63 per week by summer 2025.

Key Market Players

• Muthoot Skychef (Muthoot Finance Ltd)
• dnata Catering
• Emirates Flight Catering
• Gategroup
• LSG Sky Chefs
• Lufthansa Service India Pvt. Ltd
• Menzies Aviation Group
• SATS Ltd
• Sky Gourmet India Pvt. Ltd
• TajSATS Air Catering Ltd

Report Scope:

In this report, the India Inflight Catering Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

·         India Inflight Catering Market, By Service Type:

o    Onboard Catering

o    Ground Catering

o    Special Meals

·         India Inflight Catering Market, By Airline Type:

o    Full-Service Airlines

o    Low-Cost Carriers

o    Charter Airlines

·         India Inflight Catering Market, By Meal Type:

o    Vegetarian

o    Non-Vegetarian

o    Vegan

o    Gluten-Free

o    Others

·         India Inflight Catering Market, By Region:

o    North

o    South

o    West

o    East

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies presents in the India Inflight Catering Market.

Available Customizations:

India Inflight Catering Market report with the given market data, TechSci Research, offers customizations according to the company’s specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

Company Information

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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