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When flying, I often read phrases like the following:

Special Meals only available on select flights […]

Then again, wouldn't it also make sense to say

Special Meals only available on selected flights […]

What's the difference between these two? When should I use one over the other?

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In the given context, 'select' is correct. There is a difference, but the incorrect use of 'selected' is widespread, so much so that many believe both are correct, some even think 'selected' is correct. – Kris Feb 13 '12 at 11:18
@Kris: Per my answer, in this context it's virtually certain selected is correct - by 119 instances to 5 for the exact form, and 39 to 2 for "only on selected flights" as compared to "only on select flights". – FumbleFingers Feb 13 '12 at 21:43

2 Answers

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In constructions such as this,

select followed by noun-phrase implies that there is a predefined subset -- select flights is a list of flight numbers/ other flight designations specifically listed for this purpose.

selected followed by a noun-phrase merely suggests a subset that may be chosen (at an unspecified time, by unspecified selectors); even at a future date by a future selector.

Discount is offered on 'select items'. -- Specific items set aside for discount sale. One list applies to all customers throughout the sale.

Present the 'selected items' at the packing counter. -- Customers select items of their choice. Items differ from customer to customer and from time to time.

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Nah. Advertisers sometime use "select" loosely to mean "high-quality", but I don't accept the distinction you make between pre-selected in advance by a clearly-identified selection process, and arbitrarily selected in unpredictable ways at unpredictable times. – FumbleFingers Feb 13 '12 at 16:45
@FumbleFingers: "Select" can be used to mean "high-quality", but I think in some cases it is clearly not intended to convey any aspect of quality but rather of subsetting as Kris wrote. The example in the OP's question is clearly the latter case; the "select flights" aren't of any differing quality; they are just the flights that have Special Meals available. – Mr. Shiny and New 安宇 Feb 13 '12 at 20:27
@Mr. Shiny and New 安宇: I only mentioned the "quality" meaning because that is peculiar to select, not selected. My point is simply that I don't accept Kris's distinction between two different types of subset not based on quality, but on some other pair of different selection criteria, time of selection, or whatever. – FumbleFingers Feb 13 '12 at 21:36
@FumbleFingers: Your aspect of 'quality' emanates from the practice where individual items are selected by a pass/no-pass test for quality. 'Made from select grapes.' does imply good quality grapes, only indirectly in the sense grapes of proper quality were selected for use. Use of 'select' as a synonym for 'high-quality' is a commercial exploitation of the public perception. – Kris Feb 14 '12 at 4:02
@Kris: We're just going round in circles. Perhaps there's a regional dialect involved here. Google books has 1790 instances of "made from selected grapes", which I understand to mean "specifically chosen varieties", with an overtone of "high quality". There are only 8 instances of "made from select grapes" – FumbleFingers Feb 14 '12 at 14:31
up vote 2 down vote

US car manufacturers in particular seem to be prone to say some feature is only available on select models, but I wonder if this is influenced by the fact that automatic cars have a gear selector.

As a rule, the preferred form is available on selected flights (113 hits in Google Books), rather than available on select flights (5 hits).

Advertisers sometime use "select" loosely to mean "high-quality" (i.e. - they have selected certain products as being "better" than others), but usually the selection process involved is more neutral. A cynic might well think that optional extras on select models are often included as an inducement to buy something that's not actually such good value - which is why it's not selling well, and needs extra promotional offers.

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For 'high-quality', please see my comment above. Use of 'select' as a synonym for 'high-quality' is a commercial exploitation of the public perception. – Kris Feb 14 '12 at 4:04

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