--- title: Food: Science Explains Why Airline Food Tastes Funky description: It has to do with the dry cabin air canonical: https://time.com/3893141/airline-food-airplane/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-05-24T12:00:10.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-01T09:08:06.692Z article:section: Health og:title: Science Explains Why Airline Food Tastes Not-So-Great og:description: It has to do with the dry cabin air og:url: https://time.com/3893141/airline-food-airplane/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9bde2526ae195d96/6988513ee20a87cb8ba8b77b/503706881-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=338&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 338 og:image:height: 190 og:image:alt: airline-meal og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Science Explains Why Airline Food Tastes Not-So-Great twitter:description: It has to do with the dry cabin air twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9bde2526ae195d96/6988513ee20a87cb8ba8b77b/503706881-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=338&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 02:01 video:published: 2014-08-05 section: business topics: airfare prices, airline industry concentration, inflation, airline fees, TSA security fee, ticket buying timing, travel rewards credit cards, budget airlines genre: news report, explainer tones: informative, cautionary, practical emotions: frustration (medium), concern (medium), curiosity (low) sentiment: negative audience: air travelers, budget-conscious consumers, personal finance readers, frequent flyers people: Lauren Goris organizations: Delta, American, United, Southwest, Spirit, Transportation Security Administration, CheapAir.com, Kayak, Travel and Leisure, Money, Time products: domestic airline tickets, travel rewards credit cards content_suitability: financial distress [00:00-01:26] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # The Scientific Reason Why Airplane Food Tastes Bad > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Health Matters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Health Matters is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The latest health news and expert advice on living well. Health Matters makes the fast-moving world of health more useful, surprising and human, from the latest science and medical breakthroughs to practical ideas for living better. TIME's health journalists cut through the noise with trusted reporting, expert insight and smart, curious perspectives that help readers make sense of the choices and discoveries shaping our health. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=793872ef-6e01-4089-bd07-594ee93885c6&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Weekdays | time.com/newsletters, September 2026 | | Written by | Written by TIME's health desk | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Health conscious and health connected. A broad health-conscious audience with a credible institutional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### TIME Health Matters: key statements * Health Matters is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Health Matters is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=793872ef-6e01-4089-bd07-594ee93885c6&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/subscribe?i=793872ef-6e01-4089-bd07-594ee93885c6&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's health newsletter? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health newsletter, written by TIME's health journalists. It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=793872ef-6e01-4089-bd07-594ee93885c6&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Average U.S. Airline Ticket Tops $500. [Watch (HLS stream): Average U.S. Airline Ticket Tops $500.](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/BLoBrsTD.m3u8) (2:01)  _Published 2014-08-05. Travelers, get ready to open your wallets. U.S. airfare is taking off at a rate that is reportedly outpacing inflation._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video reports that average U.S. domestic round-trip airfare reached $509.15 in the first six months of the year, a 2.7% increase that outpaces the consumer price index. It attributes the rise partly to the dominance of the big four airlines (Delta, American, United, Southwest) and to added fees for amenities and a higher TSA fee. It closes with tips on when to buy tickets and how travel rewards credit cards can offset costs. ## Key points - The average cost of a round trip domestic flight reached $509.15 in the first 6 months of the year. (00:04) - Airfare rose about $14 from the same point last year, a 2.7% increase, while the consumer price index rose only 2.1% in the last year. (00:11) - Delta, American, United and Southwest control more than 80% of domestic travel, which the video says lets them charge almost whatever they want. (00:25) - Southwest is no longer the guaranteed cheapest airline, according to the video's reporting from Money. (00:42) - Airlines charge extra for amenities such as early boarding and nicer seats with more leg room. (01:00) - The TSA security fee rose from $5 per person for round-trip flights to $11.20 per round-trip flight as of July 21st. (01:16) - In 2013 the best time to buy was between one month and three and a half months before the trip, while flights bought six months out were 20% higher than their lowest fares. (01:32) - Waiting until the last week can raise prices by about 25%, and a travel rewards credit card can help cover its yearly fee. (01:43) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:25] Rising airfare outpacing inflation. The video introduces the increase in average round-trip domestic airfare and its comparison to inflation. - [00:25 to 00:42] Airline market control and pricing power. The big four airlines are described as controlling most domestic travel and setting high prices. - [00:42 to 01:00] Budget airlines and Southwest's changed role. The video explains that Southwest is no longer the cheapest option and that budget carriers lack enough share to affect prices. - [01:00 to 01:26] Extra fees and TSA charges. Airlines add fees for amenities and bags, and the TSA fee has increased, adding to travelers' costs. - [01:26 to 02:01] Tips for finding cheaper tickets. The video offers advice on booking timing and using travel rewards credit cards to offset costs. ## Key quotes - [00:00] Lauren Goris: "Travellers, get ready to open your wallets, US airfare is taking off at a rate that is reportedly outpacing inflation." - [00:25] Lauren Goris: "basically own the U. S. skies, controlling more than 80 % of domestic travel." - [00:55] Lauren Goris: "airlines have been finding clever if annoying ways to nickel and dime passengers recently." - [01:26] Lauren Goris: "Regardless of blame, you're still paying more." ## Questions this video answers - How much did the average U.S. round-trip domestic flight cost in the first six months of the year? [00:04] - Why are airfares rising, and who is to blame? [00:23] - Are fees for TSA and airline amenities adding to ticket costs? [00:55] - When is the best time to buy airline tickets? [01:26] - Can travel rewards credit cards help offset airfare costs? [01:43] ## Content suitability - financial distress [00:00-01:26]: Discusses rising travel costs strained on travelers' wallets, a mild financial concern. by [Barbara Stepko / Health.com](https://time.com/author/health-com/) ## Barbara Stepko / Health.com Contributor May 24, 2015 12:00 PM UTC Travelers, get ready to open your wallets. U.S. airfare is taking off at a rate that is reportedly outpacing inflation. by [Barbara Stepko / Health.com](https://time.com/author/health-com/) ## Barbara Stepko / Health.com Contributor May 24, 2015 12:00 PM UTC Why does airline food taste so lousy? A new study from Cornell University has come up with an answer, and it ain’t bad cookin’. Turns out, the noisy environment inside a claustrophobic airplane cabin may actually [change the way food tastes](http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2015/05/planes-savory-tomato-becomes-favored-flavor). In the study, 48 people were handed a variety of solutions that were spiked with the five basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami (basically, a Japanese word for the savory flavor found in foods like bacon, tomatoes, cheese, and soy sauce). First, the testers sipped in silence, then again, while wearing headsets that played about 85 decibels of noise, designed to mimic the hum of jet engines onboard a plane. What the researchers found: While there wasn’t that much of a change in how the salty, sour, and bitter stuff tasted, the noisy surroundings [dulled the sweet taste](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25775175), while intensifying the savory one—which might explain why a meal eaten on a plane will usually seem a little, well, off. “Our study confirmed that in an environment of loud noise, our sense of taste is compromised. Interestingly, this was specific to sweet and umami tastes, with sweet taste inhibited and umami taste significantly enhanced,” said [Robin Dando](http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2015/05/planes-savory-tomato-becomes-favored-flavor), assistant professor of food science. “The multisensory properties of the environment where we consume our food can alter our perception of the foods we eat.” This isn’t the first time airlines have tried to figure out the reason behind funky in-flight food. The Fraunhofer Institute, a research institute based in Germany, did a study on why a dish that would taste just fine on the ground would taste, “so dull in the air,” as Grant Mickles, the executive chef for culinary development of Lufthansa’s LSG Ski Chefs, put it to [_Conde Nast Traveler_](http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2014-04-03/why-airline-food-tastes-so-bad). German researchers tried taste tests at both sea level and in a pressurized condition. The tests revealed that the cabin atmosphere—pressurized at 8,000 feet—combined with cool, dry cabin air numbed the taste buds (kind of like when you’ve got a bad cold). In fact, the perception of saltiness and sweetness dropped by around 30% at high altitude. Multiplying the misery: The stagnant cabin dries out the mucus membranes in the nose, thus dulling the olfactory sensors that affect taste. All of which adds up to a less-than-fine dining experience. The good news: This research may help airlines find a way to make in-the-air meals [more palatable](http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2014-04-04/lufthansa-chefs-make-airplane-food-taste-better). (That is, for flights and airlines that still offer any food at all!) The key, according to Mickles, may be using ingredients or foods that contain a lot of umami to enhance the other flavors. He may be on to something: The folks at the Lufthansa have found that passengers guzzle as much [tomato juice](http://www.dw.de/lufthansa-investigates-the-science-of-airline-food/a-6114748) as beer (to the tune of about 425,000 gallons a year). Turns out, cabin pressure brings out the savory taste of the red stuff. Good to know. Now pass the earplugs—and bring on the Bloody Marys. [_This article originally appeared on Health.com._](http://news.health.com/2015/05/20/why-does-airplane-food-taste-bad-science-has-the-answer/) _More from Health.com:_ * [8 Essentials for Healthy Travel](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20686611,00.html?xid=time) * [The 10 Most Slimming Vacations](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20479499,00.html?xid=time) * [How to Sleep Better in Hotels](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20511467,00.html?xid=time) ## Transcript [00:00] Travellers, get ready to open your wallets, US airfare is [00:02] taking off at a rate that is reportedly outpacing [00:04] inflation. The average cost of a round trip domestic [00:07] flight reached $ 509. 15 in the first 6 months of this [00:11] year. That is up about 14 dollars from the same point [00:14] last year, which reflects a 2. 7 % increase. Meanwhile, [00:18] the consumer price index has only gone up 2. 1 % in [00:20] the last year. The questions of why, and who's to [00:23] blame are a bit complicated. On one hand, we have [00:25] the airlines, Delta, American, United and Southwest [00:28] basically own the U. S. skies, controlling more than [00:30] 80 % of domestic travel. This means the big four can [00:34] charge almost whatever they want. And yes, that [00:36] includes the low cost Southwest. Money reports the [00:39] airline used to be known for driving down the cost of [00:42] it's competitors. Now it isn't the guaranteed cheapest. [00:45] And the Southwest in fact, has less of an impact. Other [00:47] budget airlines, like Spirit, have been growing in [00:49] popularity but they don't yet control enough travel to [00:52] make a noticeable impact on your ticket prices. [00:55] Speaking of spirit, airlines have been finding clever if [00:58] annoying ways to nickel and dime passengers recently. [01:00] And we're not just talking bag fees. Other amenities [01:03] like early boarding and nicer seats with more leg room [01:05] are costing travelers extra each flight. As is the [01:08] Transportation Security Administration. Airlines argue [01:11] TSA fees are to blame for the strain on your wallet. [01:13] TSA was charging $ 5 per person for round- trip [01:16] flights, but as of July 21st, Time reports the security [01:19] fee has increased to $ 11. 20 per round- trip flight. [01:23] Regardless of blame, you're still paying more. So, how [01:26] can you beat the prices? Now CheapAir. com put some [01:29] serious work into answering that question last year. In [01:32] 2013, the best time to buy was between one month [01:35] and three and a half months out from your trip. Data [01:37] from flight aggregator site Kayak shows six months out [01:39] flights were 20 % higher than their lowest fares. Also, [01:43] Travel and Leisure says, whatever you do, don't wait [01:46] until the last week, when prices shoot by about 25 %. [01:50] Or Money suggests to avoid paying it altogether by [01:52] signing up for a travel rewards credit card. Aside from [01:55] the miles you can earn, some come with other travel [01:57] perks that can cover the cost of the card's yearly fee. [01:59] I'm Lauren Goris. Thanks for watching. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3893141/airline-food-airplane/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3893141/airline-food-airplane/"},"headline":"The Scientific Reason Why Airplane Food Tastes Bad","datePublished":"2015-05-24T12:00:10.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-01T09:08:06.692Z","description":"It has to do with the dry cabin air","url":"https://time.com/3893141/airline-food-airplane/","keywords":["Research","Food","Travel","Air travel","Airplane","plane","eating","Diet & Nutrition"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9bde2526ae195d96/6988513ee20a87cb8ba8b77b/503706881-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Barbara Stepko / Health.com"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9bde2526ae195d96/6988513ee20a87cb8ba8b77b/503706881-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"airline-meal","caption":"airline-meal","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/research/","name":"Research"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3893141/airline-food-airplane/","name":"The Scientific Reason Why Airplane Food Tastes Bad"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Average U.S. Airline Ticket Tops $500.","description":"Travelers, get ready to open your wallets. U.S. airfare is taking off at a rate that is reportedly outpacing inflation.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/BLoBrsTD/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-08-05T19:07:32.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/BLoBrsTD.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3893141/airline-food-airplane/","duration":"PT2M1S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3893141/airline-food-airplane/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```