The Air France First Class is one of the most exclusive and highly-regarded experiences in air travel. Air France’s La Premiere first class product is only available on a few 777-300ER planes flying to and from Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport. The airline will soon receive new A350 aircraft with first-class seats, but for now, the 777-300ER is the only option. Air France first-class is frequently ranked as one of the top First Class flights in commercial aviation. While Singapore Airlines concentrates on seat size, Air France strives to offer a comprehensive experience for their First Class product. This guide offers tips for booking Air France’s La Premiere first class, which includes private cabins, high-quality food and drink options both on the ground and in-flight, as well as top-notch service.
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Air France First Class Overview
Here is some basic information regarding the Air France La Premiere class.
- La Premiere first class offers a luxurious experience that begins before boarding the plane. Passengers originating from select cities in France can enjoy a chauffeur service to the airport.
- When flying with Air France‘s La Premiere, passengers are escorted to a special check-in area where a personal concierge takes care of all formalities.
- La Premiere first class lounge offers spa treatments, fine dining and luxury car service to the aircraft. The cabin has only four seats in a 1-2-1 configuration with curtains for privacy.
- It offers luxurious bedding, excellent service, and a dining program created by famous chefs like Jean-Francois Rouquette and Michel Roth.
- Passengers may pinch themselves when experiencing one of the most luxurious and exclusive first class flights available.
Expectations for First Class
Air France’s La Premiere class is available on their Boeing 777-300 planes and features four first-class suites.
Air France offers a luxurious first-class experience that includes a personal driver, access to La Premiere Lounge, gourmet dining options, and comfortable suites on board.
- The airline provides complimentary airport transfer for first-class travelers on international flights departing or arriving in Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Lyon, or Nice within a 40-kilometer radius.
- You can get priority check-in and a concierge to aid you with your luggage at a private lounge while waiting for your flight.
- The La Premiere Lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport offers snacks, cocktails, fine dining, showers and a spa for travelers with extra time before their flight.
- Air France La Premiere passengers enjoy exclusive boarding privileges, including transportation to their gate in a dedicated vehicle and a separate jet bridge for first class boarding.
- Air France’s Boeing 777-300ER offers four closed suites in a 1-2-1 layout with aisle access for everyone.
- The seats are spacious and can be converted into a comfortable bed, complete with a memory foam mattress, pillow and duvet.
- La Premiere passengers can bring up to three checked bags weighing 70 pounds each, in addition to two carry-on bags and a personal item on board.
- Air France offers gourmet meal courses with original recipes that are updated every four months. Passengers can enjoy Champagne and signature cocktails during their flight.
- Air France provides amenity kits to passengers, which includes Carita Beauty products such as moisturizing cream, anti-fatigue eye patch, hand cream and lip balm.
- Additionally, the kit contains a cotton bathrobe, slippers and socks.
How to Redeem Miles for Air France first class?
Air France La Premiere is considered the best first class product in the world, but it is also the most difficult to access using miles.
To redeem miles for first class, one must have Flying Blue Platinum status and use the Air France-KLM Flying Blue program.
- Air France’s frequent flyer program, Flying Blue, does not allow Gold, Silver or non-elite members to redeem miles for first class tickets.
- Upgrades with miles have restrictions and carrier imposed surcharges, but they are mild compared to other airlines like British Airways and Lufthansa.
- Air France only offers one first class award seat per flight, meaning couples will have to pay for at least one seat if they want to travel together.
- Redeeming awards with Flying Blue can be expensive, and the “miles price estimator” on their website(wwws.airfrance.fr) can give an idea of how many miles are needed for redemption.
- A first class ticket from New York to Paris can be obtained for 220,000 Flying Blue miles.
- A first-class ticket from LA to Paris and Frankfurt costs 230,000 Flying Blue miles.
- Flying Blue, the frequent flyer program of Air France and KLM offers first class tickets from Miami to Paris to Singapore for 320,000 miles and from Washington to Paris to Dubai for 350,000 miles.
Steps for Earning enough Miles for First Class
There are two ways to book Air France La Premiere first class using points.
- You can redeem Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles earned from points transfers.
- Customers can redeem their flexible points directly through the bank’s travel portal.
- You can earn Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles easily by transferring points from various rewards programs at a 1:1 ratio, including Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Brex Rewards and Bilt Rewards.
- You can transfer 50,000 Chase points and 250,000 Amex points to Air France-KLM Flying Blue and get 300,000 Flying Blue miles.
- You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to Flying Blue at a 3:1 ratio and get a bonus of 5,000 Flying Blue miles for every 60,000 points transferred.
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue frequently offers transfer bonuses of up to 30% with Capital One, Amex, Brex, and Chase.
Instructions on How to book a First Class Ticket
Below are instructions on how to book a first-class ticket with Air France.
- Redeeming Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles for a La Premiere seat on a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft is difficult.
- Air France limits its own program members from redeeming miles for first-class seats and does not release any first-class space to partner programs.
- Only Flying Blue Gold and Platinum members can use miles to book an award seat in the La Premiere cabin.
- Redeeming miles for Delta flights through the Flying Blue program just got more expensive.
- The airline recently increased redemption rates, making it harder to earn rewards and offering no low-level or saver redemption rates on tickets. For example, a one-way ticket between New York and Paris now costs 220,000 Flying Blue miles plus taxes.
- Flexible rewards programs like American Express Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Points offer occasional point transfer bonuses of 25% to 40%.
- Taking advantage of these promotions can help reduce the cost of travel. For example, a 30% bonus means that transferring 100,000 points results in receiving 130,000 miles in your account.
Booking first class with cash is expensive for most people, but it is still a great option.
Tips for Good Value
If you book a La Premiere flight, arrive early to make the most of it by enjoying the lounge.
- The La Premiere Lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport offers various amenities such as dining, spa services and showers for passengers to enjoy before their flight or during a layover.
- Arriving early is recommended to fully experience the lounge’s exclusivity.
Use Pick-Up Service
Travelers flying to or from certain French cities can utilise an airport transfer service at no additional cost, avoiding the inconvenience of public transportation or taxis. The service is available in Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille and Nice.
Utilise bonus for a One-Way Flight
- Flying Blue Gold or Platinum members can wait for transfer bonuses with American Express Membership Rewards or Citi ThankYou Points to experience a flight in La Premiere.
- Chase Ultimate Rewards points can also be transferred, but there are fewer promotions available.
- Consider booking a one-way ticket in first class and the return in business or economy due to high redemption rates. This allows you to experience the cabin without using too many points for a round-trip journey.
Is Air France First Class a Great Redemption?
Yes, Air France First Class is a worthwhile redemption option.
- Air France’s La Premiere first class cabin is popular among the ultra-wealthy, celebrities, and aviation enthusiasts due to its exclusivity and high prices.
- La Premiere first class offers excellent value for redeeming points, with a potential value of over 10 cents per point. However, it may not cover the entire cost of the flight.
- Air France offers a luxurious ground experience for La Premiere first class passengers departing major cities in France, providing them with a chauffeur to take them to the airport.
- After checking in at the airport, travelers can unwind at the La Premiere First Class Lounge with amenities such as meals, Champagne, showers, and massages.
- La Premiere first class experience is focused on exclusivity and hospitality.
- La Premiere first class cabin has only four seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, making it one of the smallest first-class cabins globally.
- Air France first class delivers a costly dining experience with renowned celebrity chefs, many of whom have obtained multiple Michelin stars and James Beard awards.
- La Premiere first class passengers can enjoy a plethora of food and drinks in both the lounge or on the plane.
- La Premiere first class provides a luxurious dining experience with free-flowing Champagne, caviar service, and freshly-served espresso drinks.
- French delicacies and international alternatives are also available to satisfy your appetite.
Air France’s La Premiere first class offers a top-notch luxury experience for commercial aviation. While lacking the flashy features of other airlines, it provides a well-rounded and flawless experience.
Booking an Air France first class flight using points is becoming more challenging. It’s recommended to have Flying Blue Platinum or Ultimate Elite status and redeem around 200,000-250,000 Flying Blue miles for a one-way flight. Another option is to book business class award tickets and hopes for an upgrade two days before the flight.
You can use Amex or Chase points to book La Premiere first class flights. So mentioned above, the guide provides assistance in planning the booking process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Air France First Class
Redeeming Air France miles for a one-way ticket in La Premiere first class requires around 200,000 miles and membership as a Flying Blue Platinum or Ultimate member. Business class award tickets can be upgraded to La Première for $2,000-$2,500 each way if available within two days of departure. Alternatively, Amex or Chase points can be redeemed at a fixed value to book La Premiere first class flights.
First-class passengers enjoy luxurious amenities such as beds and private apartments, while business class offers more legroom but lacks privacy.
First class is exclusive and expensive to maintain luxurious standards. Passengers who sit in the first class feel they are getting outsized value through upgrades, awards or discounted tickets.
Row One in first class is the best seat option due to its location at the front of most planes, providing ample leg room and no obstruction from seats in front.
La Premiere provides a superior experience compared to Air France Business Class with more space, personalized service, on-demand dining, and greater comfort. Passengers in La Premiere Suites have three square meters of personal space.
