In first and business class, American Airlines will stop serving meals on some shorter trips

American Airlines is dropping meals for premium passengers on some short flights.

Starting Sept. 1, American will offer snacks instead of a meal to first- and business-class passengers on most flights under two hours and 45 minutes. They now get meals on flights as short as two hours.

The change lines up American with US Airways, which this spring reduced its meal cutoff to 2:45 from three hours and 30 minutes. The carriers merged in December to form American Airlines Group Inc.

The new rules will cover flights in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. They were detailed on American's website.

Passengers on short business-travel routes such as New York to Chicago will continue to get a three-course meal, the airline says.