Best Flights & Airlines for Keto Travel

The ketogenic diet, often referred to or known as the keto diet, is a diet which involves eating certain groups of foods and leaving out other groups. The diet involves severely reducing carbohydrate intake, and replacing it with fats. This makes your body become efficient in burning fat for energy use, whilst also supplying energy for the brain.

People who follow the diet are typically meant to avoid sugary foods, grains and starches, beans and alcohol. Instead, they are allowed meat, fatty fish, eggs, healthy fats and oils, avocados, cheese and low-carb vegetables.

A standard ketogenic diet significantly shifts the usual balance of macronutrients. To enter and maintain ketosis, it typically involves consuming:

• 70–80% of calories from fat
• 10–20% from protein
• 5–10% from net carbohydrates

Some airlines offer meals or onboard options that make it easier to maintain a ketogenic diet while traveling. These carriers either provide protein-rich selections, allow special meal requests that align well with low-carb needs, or have flexible snack choices:

Delta

Delta offers a protein box on flights longer than 3 hours. This contains foods high in fat, such as cheese, egg and butter, but you should avoid the fruit and the muesli snack bar to keep it Keto-safe.

American Airlines

American Airlines suggest passengers request a seafood meal when following the keto diet. This is their lowest carb option.

Emirates

Emirates offers meal service on long-haul flights with plenty of protein and vegetable choices; special meal requests can improve keto alignment.

easyJet

easyJet offers an in-flight menu for passengers who wish to purchase food. There is a selection of keto options in this menu, such as a tapas box which includes meat and sugar-free salsa.

Qatar Airways

Qatar's premium onboard cuisine with customizable components makes it easier to choose meats, salads, and low-carb sides, especially in business/first class.

On long-haul flights where meals are included in the ticket price, some travellers following a keto diet choose to request an alternative special meal that may better align with their dietary needs. Here are some common options:

Gluten-free meals

A gluten-free meal can sometimes be a suitable option, as the absence of wheat products may result in a lower-carb alternative. However, this isn’t always guaranteed. On some airlines, bread and pasta are replaced with rice or other grains, which are still high in carbohydrates and not ideal for a keto diet. It’s important to check with the airline in advance to determine whether the gluten-free option fits your requirements.

Diabetic meals

A diabetic meal may also be a reasonable choice, depending on the airline and specific menu. These meals are designed for passengers who need to manage blood sugar levels and typically avoid foods like cakes, chocolate, syrups and sugary desserts. While low sugar does not necessarily mean low carbohydrate, diabetic meals can still be a better alternative to standard inflight meals

Raw vegetarian meals

A raw vegetarian meal, which typically includes raw vegetables such as carrots, celery and broccoli, is often one of the safest options for keto travellers. Although portions may be smaller, these meals usually avoid grains and processed carbohydrates altogether