IFSA Awards Criteria
The awards recognize specific, innovative and brand-new achievements successfully implemented in the past year.
In order to be presented one of the awards, IFSA membership must be current.
Applications for the 2027 IFSA Awards to be presented at IFSA Global EXPO 2026 are now open through 17 July 2026.
Award Details
Best Food & Beverage (Meal Service)
This award recognizes an outstanding inflight meal program that delivers an exceptional passenger dining experience while meeting the operational requirements of airline catering.
Eligible entries may be offered in any cabin class.
Evaluation Criteria
The winner must demonstrate the following:
- Customer Experience: Demonstrated contribution to passenger satisfaction, brand differentiation or overall guest experience.
- Sustainability: Meaningful efforts to reduce waste, utilize sustainable sourcing, minimize packaging or support environmental initiatives.
- Innovation: Demonstrates a unique and differentiated approach through original concepts, distinctive product offerings, exclusive partnerships, creative service delivery, emerging trends or pioneering solutions that set the program apart from industry norms and create a memorable passenger experience.
- Operational Effectiveness: Practicality for catering production, transportation, storage and onboard service delivery.
- Taste and Culinary Excellence: High-quality ingredients, flavor, freshness and overall dining experience.
- Presentation: Attractive presentation and a meal concept that enhances the onboard experience.
- Consistency and Quality Control: Ability to maintain product quality across routes, markets and service periods.
Best Food & Beverage (Buy Onboard)
This award recognizes an outstanding retail food program that successfully combines passenger appeal, innovation and operational excellence.
Evaluation Criteria
The winner must demonstrate the following:
- Customer Experience: Contribution to passenger convenience, satisfaction and overall inflight experience.
- Sustainability: Initiatives that reduce waste, improve packaging sustainability, support responsible sourcing or enhance resource efficiency.
- Innovation: Demonstrates a unique and differentiated approach through original concepts, distinctive product offerings, exclusive partnerships, creative service delivery, emerging trends or pioneering solutions that set the program apart from industry norms and create a memorable passenger experience.
- Operational Effectiveness: Ease of stocking, handling, inventory management and onboard service execution.
- Taste: Attractive, high-quality offerings that resonate with passengers.
- Presentation: Effective merchandising, packaging and product presentation that enhances visibility and engagement, encourages purchase and elevates the passenger experience.
- Value Proposition: Appropriate balance of quality, pricing and customer perception.
- Program Impact: Evidence of strong customer engagement, revenue generation, sales performance or program growth.
Best Food & Beverage (Beverage Program)
This award recognizes an airline or supplier-led beverage program that delivers an exceptional inflight beverage experience through quality, innovation, passenger appeal and operational excellence.
Evaluation Criteria
The winner must demonstrate the following:
- Customer Experience: A beverage program that enhances the onboard journey and aligns with passenger preferences.
- Sustainability: Efforts to reduce environmental impact through packaging, sourcing, waste reduction or circular economy initiatives.
- Innovation: Demonstrates a unique and differentiated approach through original concepts, distinctive product offerings, exclusive partnerships, creative service delivery, emerging trends or pioneering solutions that set the program apart from industry norms and create a memorable passenger experience.
- Operational Effectiveness: Suitability for onboard storage, handling, service and consistency across the network.
- Taste: A thoughtfully curated beverage offering featuring high-quality products.
- Presentation: Effective packaging, service delivery, menu integration and brand storytelling.
- Program Impact: Demonstrated success in driving passenger satisfaction, brand differentiation, engagement or revenue performance.
Best Onboard Amenity (Business Class)
This award recognizes an outstanding onboard amenity distributed in business class that enhances the passenger experience through thoughtful design, functionality, quality, and innovation.
Eligible entries may include comfort, wellness, convenience, sleep, entertainment or premium service amenities.
Evaluation Criteria
The winner must demonstrate the following:
- Customer Experience: Demonstrated contribution to passenger satisfaction, brand differentiation or
the overall onboard experience. - Sustainability: Meaningful efforts to reduce environmental impact through responsible sourcing,
recyclable or reusable materials, waste reduction, packaging improvements or circular economy
initiatives. - Innovation: Demonstrates a unique and differentiated approach through original concepts, distinctive
product offerings, exclusive partnerships, creative service delivery, emerging trends or pioneering
solutions that set the program apart from industry norms and create a memorable passenger
experience. - Operational Effectiveness: Suitability for airline deployment, including logistics, storage, distribution
and onboard service considerations. - Design: An attractive, well-designed, quality amenity that enhances passenger comfort, convenience
or enjoyment during the journey. - Functionality and Usability: Practical and effective performance within the onboard environment,
meeting the needs and expectations of travelers.
Best Onboard Amenity (Specialty)
This award recognizes an outstanding specialty onboard amenity distributed in any cabin class that enhances the passenger experience through thoughtful design, functionality, quality and innovation.
Eligible entries may be presented to travelers on religious journeys, geared towards children, destination themed, supportive of accessibility needs or event focused.
Evaluation Criteria
The winner must demonstrate the following:
- Customer Experience: Demonstrated contribution to passenger satisfaction, brand differentiation or
the overall onboard experience. - Sustainability: Meaningful efforts to reduce environmental impact through responsible sourcing,
recyclable or reusable materials, waste reduction, packaging improvements or circular economy
initiatives. - Innovation: Demonstrates a unique and differentiated approach through original concepts, distinctive
product offerings, exclusive partnerships, creative service delivery, emerging trends or pioneering
solutions that set the program apart from industry norms and create a memorable passenger
experience. - Operational Effectiveness: Suitability for airline deployment, including logistics, storage, distribution
and onboard service considerations. - Design: An attractive, well-designed, quality amenity that enhances passenger comfort, convenience
or enjoyment during the journey. - Functionality and Usability: Practical and effective performance within the onboard environment,
meeting the needs and expectations of travelers.
Best Tableware Presentation
This award recognizes outstanding tableware that enhances the onboard dining experience through exceptional design, functionality, quality and sustainability.
Eligible entries may include trays, plates, bowls, cups, glassware, cutlery, serving pieces or complete tableware collections used in any cabin class.
Evaluation Criteria
The winner must demonstrate the following:
- Customer Experience: A measurable contribution to passenger satisfaction, service differentiation, operational efficiency or the overall onboard hospitality experience.
- Sustainability: Demonstrated commitment to environmental responsibility through material selection, recyclability, reusability, waste and weight reduction, responsible sourcing, lifecycle considerations or other sustainable practices.
- Innovation: Demonstrates a unique and differentiated approach through original concepts, distinctive product offerings, exclusive partnerships, creative service delivery, emerging trends or pioneering solutions that set the program apart from industry norms and create a memorable passenger experience.
- Operational Effectiveness: Practicality for catering operations, storage, handling, cleaning and onboard service delivery.
- Design: Tableware that elevates the onboard dining experience through attractive aesthetics, quality, comfort and ease of use.
- Brand Identity: Effective reflection of the airline’s brand, service philosophy and customer experience strategy, creating a distinctive and memorable onboard presentation.
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