In Texas, great barbecue can turn up in surprising places — food trucks, grocery stores, even the occasional gas-station pit stop. Next on the list: on a tray table at 35,000 feet.

Beginning in February, American Airlines will partner with Dallas favorite Pecan Lodge to serve Texas barbecue in First class on select flights from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

For February, the airline is offering a two-meat plate: brisket burnt ends, and smoked sausage alongside mac and cheese and coleslaw, plus pickles, onions, and the restaurant’s famous barbecue sauce. In March, the menu switches to a chopped brisket sandwich on a brioche bun, served with green beans and potato salad, again with the full Texas fixings.

The partner restaurant has serious hometown cred in dallas. Pecan Lodge was founded in 2010 by husband-and-wife team Justin and Diane Fourton, and it first garnered its cult following as a stall at the Dallas Farmers Market before moving into a larger footprint in Deep Ellum, one of the city’s liveliest neighborhoods. Over the years, it’s landed on a slew of “best of” lists and ranked among the state’s top barbecue destinations.

“Pecan Lodge is a natural partner for us, as it represents the very best of Dallas and of Texas’ culinary scene,” Rhonda Crawford, the airline’s SVP of Customer Experience Design and Strategy, tells Food & Wine. “Since 2010, the restaurant has earned national recognition for making Texas barbecue with craftsmanship and authenticity at the center of everything they do.”

The route was intentional, too, as DFW is American’s largest and primary hub, and Fort Worth is the home of the company’s headquarters. “It’s a route where expectations are high, and this gives us an opportunity to surprise and delight customers with something they wouldn’t normally expect at 35,000 feet,” Crawford says.

Of course, barbecue is hard enough to get right on the ground, nevermind in the unique constraints of an aircraft galley. Crawford explains: “Barbecue is personal, especially in Texas, and that’s exactly why we partnered so closely with the restaurant to bring their flavors to the sky. By offering these meals as a preorder-only selection in First, we’re able to ensure quality, consistency, and attention to detail — all things that matter when you’re serving food in flight.”

American Airlines’ Texas barbecue flights follow other recent food-and-beverage additions, including partnerships with Champagne Bollinger and Lavazza. The launch also comes at a milestone moment for the carrier: American Airlines is celebrating its centennial in 2026.

“Partnering with Pecan Lodge underscores our commitment to delivering the best of the best to our customers, especially as we mark 100 years as an airline and look ahead to what the next century of travel should feel like,” Crawford says. “It’s about offering experiences that feel thoughtful, elevated, and genuinely memorable for our guests.”