If you find yourself craving a juicy burger mid-flight, you will soon be able to order one, so long as you’re sitting in first class.
Delta Air Lines has partnered with Shake Shack to bring its staple cheeseburgers to 30,000 feet in the air.
This noteworthy collaboration will officially take off on December 1, launching from Boston, with plans to expand further in 2025. Delta shared this exciting news in a recent press release.
“A delicious cheeseburger is an iconic comfort food,” said Stephanie Laster, managing director of onboard service. “It’s clear that our customers have a love for burgers, which is why they frequently appear at the top of our ordered menu items. We’re excited to elevate our offering in partnership with Shake Shack.”
Yet, the partnership with Shake Shack extends beyond the burger itself. Shake Shack values a people-first culture and community enrichment, principles that resonate deeply with Delta’s commitment to service excellence.
The cheeseburger option features a classic 100% Angus beef patty, nestled between a soft potato bun, topped with cheese, and customizable with fresh tomatoes, crisp lettuce, and Shake Shack’s signature sauce—all neatly packaged on the side.
This in-flight meal is rounded out with crunchy chips, a Caesar salad, and a decadent dark-chocolate brownie, as detailed in the release.
Michael Kark, president of global licensing at Shake Shack, shared, “At Shake Shack, we’re constantly exploring innovative ways to meet our guests where they are, even at 35,000 feet. We’re proud to partner with Delta to elevate the in-flight dining and hospitality experience for travelers nationwide.”
First-class passengers will be able to pre-select the Shake Shack cheeseburger option starting seven days before departure, with the flexibility to edit their order up to 24 hours prior to takeoff, according to Delta.
In response to customer demand for comfort food, the airline recognized the longstanding popularity of burgers on their menu.
Although Delta touts this as a groundbreaking partnership, a travel expert points out that this isn’t the first collaboration between Delta and Shake Shack. In fact, the two brands joined forces back in 2016, offering the famed burgers to Delta One business-class customers on transcontinental flights from JFK to LAX.
What clearly shifts here is Delta’s future offering: Shake Shack burgers will be available as a regular pre-order meal option for domestic first-class passengers.
According to the expert, “This meal isn’t obligatory; passengers won’t be forced to choose it as their only onboard option. That’s a positive aspect!”
However, challenges loom when elevating a burger to the skies. Heating the patty effectively within the confines of an airplane galley could present difficulties. One can imagine the scenarios—hard buns, burnt cheese. These factors ignite curiosity around how the offered burger will fare at cruising altitude.
Interestingly, the traditional fries that accompany Shake Shack meals will not be featured in this in-flight offering. This omission aligns with the practicalities of reheating items in-flight. “It’s a wise move,” the expert states. “Serving chips rather than fries minimizes the potential for culinary mishaps.” As experience shows, executing quality reheating is an uncommon success among airlines.
