American Airlines has announced it will serve vegan cookie dough bars on domestic flights. The oneworld carrier will offer the treats to its first class customers on flights in the United States.

The vegan treats are provided by Whoa Dough, a maker of a delicious line of plant-based, on-the-go cookie dough bars. The snacks will now be available as an in-flight option for passengers flying first class on American Airlines flights within the United States.

The nostalgic and comforting food was created by Todd Goldstein, the founder of Whoa Dough, who highlighted how significant it was that a major airline was carrying its allergy-sensitive food products:

“Skies really is the limit for Whoa Dough now that American Airlines, the largest airline in the world, will be offering first-class passengers our tasty, plant-based snack bars that are also gluten-free."

“Having a major airline carry our line is incredibly exciting for us, as we are eager for Whoa Dough to be enjoyed by millions of travelers every day who are looking for a healthier all-natural snack—without compromising on taste during their flight. Our snack bars are also ideal for passengers with dietary registrations.”

The airline previously welcomed experts Julia Coney and Ellie Krieger to the team earlier this year to focus on improving the in-flight meal experience.

The origin of the vegan cookie dough bars

Todd Goldstein originated the concept behind Whoa Dough bars after discovering that he, along with his two young sons, were gluten-intolerant. Goldstein, looking for a healthy gluten-free snack for his two young sons, sought to develop a treat that tasted great and that they all could enjoy.

After many tries and attempts, Goldstein perfected a recipe that has since become a healthier, better-for-you option for airline passengers around the world with dietary restrictions. The bars contain many allergy-friendly ingredients like whole-grain oat flour and chickpea flour, and they reportedly taste just like homemade cookie dough.

Whoa Dough's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor is one of the brand's most popular varieties with customers. The snacks are created with no artificial ingredients and contain 4 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and 9 grams of sugar, all with only 150 calories per bar. The bars are also certified gluten-Free, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg Free, OU Kosher, and Non-GMO Project Verified.

The airline seeks to stand out in terms of its passenger experience by offering foods to meet a variety of dietary restrictions.

A more plant-based offering for inflight foods

American Airlines follows the lead of other major airlines in including a vegan dessert option as standard. Airlines worldwide seek to differentiate their food offerings and soft products in an increasingly competitive environment. A previous study by American Airlines revealed that 23% of the carrier's customers chose to pre-order a vegan meal in 2020.

Fellow oneworld carrier Alaska Airlines recently announced it would offer vegan options to premium and economy class passengers on flights over 1,100 miles. Passengers in first class, meanwhile, were offered three meal options, including the airline's Fruit & Cheese platter on flights as short as 550 miles.

Find out how different airlines approach providing vegan food here.

Fellow US legacy carrier United Airlines announced a new collaboration with Impossible Foods in June this year. United customers can sample the Impossible Meatball Bowl inflight, in addition to the Impossible Sausage at United's Polaris lounges in Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark, and San Francisco.

Across the Pacific, Japan Airlines trialed the same Impossible Burger on flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Tokyo Haneda in a test run conducted earlier this year. Much like American Airlines, however, the burger was only available to passengers flying in first class.

Australian flag carrier Qantas is also reportedly investigating meat-free options to add to its in-flight catering selection.

Are you excited to see vegan options on American Airlines? Let us know in the comments!