Review of Air France First Class

La Première passengers travelling from the Air France hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle experience the epitome of French cuisine, hospitality, and culture. Starting with a personal driver transfer from your door to the airport (within a selected radius), a private concierge welcome awaits at the terminal, where all luggage, check-in and security requirements are seamlessly taken care of before relaxing in the fabulous La Première Lounge in Terminal 2E. From there, a private E-Hybrid Porsche Cayenne transports you in style across the airport’s apron right to the steps of the waiting aircraft.

The La Première Lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle oozes chic sophistication and exclusivity. Flashes of red décor catch the eye from all angles, making this lounge unmistakably Air France. A main lounge area offers a variety of comfortable seating options, plus a dedicated semi-private relaxing area, a separate bar area and a dining area where passengers can select from a beautifully presented buffet or indulge in exquisite French à la carte gourmet cuisine designed by celebrated multi-Michelin-star-winning chef Alain Ducasse. Of course, no French meal would be complete without fine wines, and the La Première Lounge delivers some of the best French Champagnes and wines exclusively selected by one of the world’s best sommeliers, Paolo Basso. The attention to detail, the excellence of the cuisine and the refined service make this one of the very best First Class airport lounge dining experiences in the world.

Another indulgence is the Sisley La Première Spa area, where passengers can enjoy a complimentary 30-minute treatment (when available), book a longer treatment session, or use the well-appointed shower suites. 

As with each step of the La Première experience, a concierge is on hand to guide passengers from the lounge to the private, waiting Porsche, which will whisk them across the tarmac to the steps of the waiting aircraft. 

The La Première cabin in the Boeing 777-300ER offers just four suites in a 1-2-1 configuration. Passengers will immediately appreciate the elegant design features with chic, minimalistic furnishings rather than over-the-top indulgence. This sophisticated and unpretentious cabin features light grey textile seats with soft leather and suede to complement visually and tactilely. Subtle light woodgrain and metal finishings add a layer of luxury.

The single cabin is configured in 1-2-1 forward-facing suites, each with an attractive and sizeable rounded ottoman, ideal for companion seating or dining. The seats have a roomy pitch of 78 inches (198 centimetres) and are among the longest beds in the skies for even the tallest people when electronically levelled. Seat width is also generous at 24 inches (61 centimetres) or 30 inches (76 centimetres) when fully flat. The large HD IFE screen is fixed to the wall above the ottoman, which offers ample storage space from a spacious drawer below the seat.

Air France has opted for floor-to-ceiling curtains that attach with magnets rather than rigid sliding privacy doors. Although the electronic retractable privacy divider of the two central seats does not reach the ceiling, it is high enough to ensure good privacy levels. There is also the option of a retractable partial aisle-side partition to screen passenger in their seats. Some will like the cosy feel and complete privacy the curtains offer, while other seasoned travellers may prefer sliding privacy screens, more commonly used on airlines such as Emirates, ANA, or SWISS.

Solo passengers will prefer the window seats, which provide natural light through four windows per suite. The two central seats are perfect for couples and passengers travelling together and, with the aisle curtains drawn and the central divider lowered, provide the feeling of a spacious and private double suite.

The suite features a private wardrobe behind the main seat, a large ottoman stage area, and two deep cubby holes on the rails, ideal for storing personal devices or other belongings. Overhead bins take the load of the larger carry-on items. Other design touches include an elegant table lamp with the signature winged horse design, an additional reading light, a literature rack, and electronic window blinds. The B777-300ER is not equipped with individual air vents, though the cabin crew will adjust temperatures to suit passengers’ needs.

The First Class cabin features one lavatory at the front of the aircraft. You won’t find a shower suite here, but the modest facility is maintained spotlessly clean throughout the flight.  

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes images, videos, and seat maps for most airlines and aircraft. Search results also include details such as seat pitch, width and recline. This way you can see the seat and cabin configuration of the flight in which you are interested, before making your choice.

Think of France, and images immediately turn to the exceptional cuisine the country is famous for, and flying with Air France is no exception. Air France is renowned for its onboard haute cuisine, offering the very best of French gastronomy in La Première, with delicacies provided by a collaboration of gastronomic French ambassadors. 

The menus and chefs change with the seasons. From April 2024, celebrated chefs working with the French flag carrier include triple Michelin-star-winning chef Glenn Viel, who has signed twelve exceptional dishes for the La Première cabin on flights departing from Paris. Delicacies include a delicious sea bream fillet and a mouth-watering guinea fowl dish. Those with a sweet tooth will adore the fabulous dessert selection created by world pastry champion Phillipe Rigollot, which includes strawberry and Black Forest gateau and an apricot tartlet with rosemary whipped cream. 

Three-starred-winning chef Julien Royer offers a selection of gourmet dishes on flights from Singapore, while passengers on selected routes from North America, including Los Angeles, Miami, New York-JFK, and Washington, sample Dominique Crenn’s inventive three-star artistry. 

Passengers enjoy a sophisticated dine-on-demand meal service akin to a Michelin-starred restaurant. The dishes use sustainably sourced produce of the highest calibre. Passengers peruse the extensive menus and choose whatever and whenever they wish to eat. 

A choice of four main dishes typically includes poultry, meat, and fish dishes alongside a vegetarian option. A French Sturia caviar appetiser, a soup and a starter course precede this course. You can also create your own salad from an impressive mixture of fresh ingredients and proteins, such as grilled chicken and smoked salmon, with the impressive meal service topped off with a delectable dessert and a mixture of fabulous cheeses. Depending on the time of day, a delicious light snack or breakfast is also available before landing at long-haul destinations.

Meals are served on expertly set tables with crisp white linens and a collection of Jean-Marie Massaud-designed tableware proudly adorning the distinctive Air France winged horse emblem. 

Air France has recently selected Xavier Thuizat - succeeding Paolo Basso - as Head Sommelier at Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, to curate its upcoming wine, Champagne, and spirits list for all travel cabins and lounges at its Paris airports. Thuizat will also be crafting a new selection of French beers.

Born in Burgundy, Thuizat, who was named Meilleur Sommelier de France in 2022, Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2023, and recently awarded the Michelin Guide's Grand Prix de la Sommellerie 2024, is celebrated for his impeccable and thoughtful selections. To develop this new offering, he will collaborate with Air France teams to conduct blind tastings across France's wine regions, ensuring only the finest wines are chosen for enjoyment on board and in lounges.

Air France has an enviable wine list that matches the exquisite cuisine. The finest French wines are selected to tempt and delight discerning passengers in La Première. 

Notable vintages have included Taittinger Cuvée Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2005 and Barsac Château Doisy-Védrines 2008. Other Champagnes served in La Première include Piper-Heidsieck Rare Champagne 2006

Passengers typically get a choice of two excellent white and two red wines, fine whiskies, dessert wine, apéritifs, liqueurs, beers, soft drinks, teas and coffees. 

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes information on which Champagne is served in Business Class and First Class on many airlines. We do our best to keep track of any changes, but feel free to let us know if there is something we missed.

Air France’s First Class service is among the best in the air. The dedicated yet unobtrusive cabin crew will greet you aboard the aircraft with a warm, personalised introduction and welcome. 

The First Class cabin is truly exclusive, and the crew’s courteous attentiveness matches the elegant and understated ambience, making this a genuinely prestigious flight experience. You may even get a personal welcome from the aircraft captain!

Your personal space has a state-of-the-art 24-inch (60.9 centimetres) HD touchscreen in-flight entertainment monitor in 12 different languages. Over 650 hours of entertainment, from the latest Hollywood movie releases to binge-worthy television shows, sports, kid’s channels, and music, are available at the touch of the screen or via the convenient remote control. Although other airlines offer more content or variety, there should be enough to keep most people entertained for the duration of the flight. Alternatively, external front cameras provide real-time progress along with the moving 3D flight tracker, which is also helpful for the central two seats that do not enjoy the benefit of windows. 

Air France offers complimentary unlimited high-speed Wi-Fi on all First Class routes. By entering booking details, users can pair personal devices, browse the internet, and keep up to date with emails.

Noise-cancelling headphones by Denon are pre-wired to the IFE system and do a reasonable job of keeping out external distractions. Disposable headphone covers maintain hygiene. 

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes information on Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment.

First Class passengers receive elegant travel kits from world-renowned French cosmetic brand Sisley. The kits include four professional beauty products: facial and body creams, a bamboo comb, a soft eye mask, ear plugs, and a winged seahorse-engraved pen.

Also waiting at your suite is a luxurious bright red throw, comfortable slippers, a shoehorn, flight socks, and a useful La Première-branded shoe bag. Good-quality pyjamas ensure a comfortable and relaxing flight.

The turndown service includes a thick memory foam topper, a crisp white cotton duvet finished off with the soft bright red throw, and a plump pillow, giving you the best possible chance of enjoying a comfortable sleep. 

The single lavatory at the front of the cabin isn’t the largest or most luxurious of First Class experiences. However, it is still a decent space with ample Sisley-branded amenities for all requirements and is kept spotlessly clean throughout the flight. 

Air France does not offer First Class cabins on short and medium-haul routes. However, the airline’s medium-haul narrow-body fleet offers a limited variation of the Business Class product, with meal service and an open bar. In general, domestic flights do not offer a Business Class option.

On domestic flights, Air France offsets 100% of its carbon emissions. On longer flights, the airline is committed to reducing its carbon footprint through careful route planning, more efficient ground operations using electric runway vehicles, and reduced taxiing times.

By 2030, Air France wants to reduce its carbon emissions by 30 per cent compared to 2019 and use more than 10 per cent sustainable aviation fuels. Air France is gradually replacing older aircraft with new-generation, fuel-efficient models, generating 20 to 25 per cent less CO2 and less noise pollution. Up to 45 per cent of the Air France fleet will be new-generation aircraft by 2025 and as many as 70 per cent by 2030. Pilots are already adopting eco-piloting methods to optimise energy efficiency.

The airline also effectively reduces single-use plastic on its flights and sorts and recycles cardboard, aluminium, plastic, and periodicals. Online pre-ordering of long-haul meals is estimated to have reduced boarding to more than 52,000 hot meals in 2023, also reducing the aircraft weight.

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes information on CO2 emissions for each flight. Our quality algorithms also give a higher score to flights operated by the most modern and environmentally friendly aircraft.