Delta Air Lines has confirmed a change to its in-flight service, with free drinks and snacks being removed on hundreds of routes within the next few weeks.
The carrier shared the update on Tuesday, saying that flights covering less than 350 miles will no longer come with a complimentary snack and soft drink.
While that means fewer freebies for many short hops, Delta says it is upgrading service on longer journeys. Under the updated approach, passengers flying more than 350 miles will receive a full snack-and-drink offering under a new onboard menu.
Delta First customers are excluded from the shift. Those seated in the premium cabin will continue to get full service regardless of how far the plane travels.
The revised policy is scheduled to begin on May 19, leaving about two weeks until the changes take effect.
The announcement arrives as airlines face mounting pressure to adjust to tougher operating conditions, with the latest strain tied to higher jet fuel costs linked to the Iran war.
Those broader headwinds were also cited in coverage of Spirit Airlines’ collapse earlier this week, after the company was unable to secure a government bailout to keep it afloat.
Spirit had been under financial strain since the Covid-19 pandemic, as expenses climbed and debt piled up.
When it entered Chapter 11 protection in November 2024, the airline had lost more than $2.5 billion since the beginning of 2020.
The low-cost carrier sought bankruptcy protection again in August 2025, reporting $8.1 billion in debts and $8.6 billion in assets, according to court filings.
The Trump administration presented a taxpayer-funded bailout option on May 1, but the airline turned it down.
Spirit stopped operating on May 3, resulting in 17,000 jobs being lost.
And it’s not only onboard service levels and airline closures influencing summer travel. Several carriers have also introduced new rules on what passengers can bring into the cabin.
American Airlines introduced updated guidance for portable chargers last month in an effort to reduce the risk of onboard fires.
In 2025, the FAA logged 97 lithium battery incidents, including 82 involving passenger aircraft and 34 linked to batteries or battery packs.
Because of that, American Airlines now says power banks carried into the cabin must remain visible at all times, allowing crew to respond quickly if a device appears damaged or starts to smoke.
More changes are also expected for travelers heading to Europe later this year, as a new Entry/Exit system is due to be fully rolled out by the end of the year.
Under the system, Americans traveling to destinations including France, Spain, and Italy will be required to register biometric information, such as fingerprints and a photograph, upon arrival.
For US travelers, it also means planning for longer waits at border checkpoints once the system goes live, as the additional screening is completed and the registration is set up.