American Airlines is bringing fresh food back to first class on flights between its hubs in New York and Chicago. The carrier announced the change Wednesday as part of its continuing effort to win over customers who spend more for premium travel.

The fresh bites will become available this month. First class passengers will be able to choose between two options, with the selections changing according to the time of day.

For breakfast, the airline will offer prosciutto and melon or apple cinnamon chia pudding. Those choices bring both savory and sweet options to travelers flying the route during morning hours.

Lunch and dinner passengers will have a different pair of selections. American said customers can choose either a Thai noodle salad or a mezze plate on flights scheduled during those meal periods.

The new service marks the first time American has offered fresh food in first class on these routes since 2019, according to a spokeswoman. The airline also described it as the first availability of those options in about seven years.

First class customers on the New York and Chicago flights currently receive a smaller, packaged snack. The fresh dishes therefore represent a notable change from the food presently served to passengers in the premium cabin.

Food choices have generally remained limited on shorter airline flights, including for customers sitting in first class. American’s decision adds fresh selections to a route where the airline has relied on packaged snacks for its premium passengers.

The change is also part of a broader competition for travelers willing to pay for more premium experiences. American has fallen behind Delta Air Lines and United Airlines in both profits and investments in premium options.

American has been working in recent years to strengthen its premium offerings. Its efforts include new cabins and lounges, along with plans to install seatback screens across its narrow body fleets.

The return of fresh food gives the carrier another premium feature as it tries to attract customers on the New York and Chicago route. Unlike the existing smaller snack, the new menu provides a choice between two dishes for each meal period.

The breakfast menu pairs a traditional combination of prosciutto and melon with apple cinnamon chia pudding. For later flights, the Thai noodle salad and mezze plate provide the two choices available for lunch and dinner.

American characterized the servings as small, fresh bites rather than a larger meal service. Even so, their arrival restores a fresh food choice that has not been available to first class customers on these flights since 2019.

The announcement focuses specifically on flights connecting American’s hubs in New York and Chicago. The airline did not describe changes to food offerings on other routes in the provided announcement.

The timing places the menu introduction within the current month, though American did not provide a more specific starting date in the announcement. Customers will encounter the new selections according to whether their flight falls within breakfast, lunch, or dinner service.

For American, the food update joins its work on cabins, lounges, and planned seatback entertainment. Together, those offerings form the carrier’s stated push to improve its position among premium customers after trailing Delta and United in profits and premium investment.

The immediate change will be visible on the plate. First class passengers traveling between New York and Chicago will once again receive fresh choices, ending a stretch that began after American last offered fresh food on the routes in 2019.