4 Things You Should Know About the Air France Island Hopper

Did you know that Air France operates an A320 aircraft departing the U.S.?

Most people have no idea that Air France operates a fleet of 2 of these narrow-body planes in the Caribbean, serving several French territories. While it’s highly unusual to see a European carrier operate from the U.S. like this, this flight is a lifeline to people in several French overseas territories and provides a much-needed link to the U.S., Europe, and beyond.

1. Routes and Plane

Air France operates a twice-a-week flight from Miami (MIA) to Pointe-à-Pitre (PTP), Guadeloupe; Fort-de-France (FDF), Martinique; and finally Cayenne (CAY), French Guiana. The route used to stop in Haiti (PAP) but no longer regularly stops there because of the violence and turmoil there that has bled into the capital’s international airport.

If you’re headed to French Guiana, the flight departs early in the morning from Miami and takes almost 8 hours to complete the full journey. If you’re headed to Miami, the flight leaves French Guiana in the afternoon.

All flights are operated by an Air France A320, a plane you’d typically only see Air France operate on European routes from France, such as Paris to London. There are 2 Air France A320 aircraft (you can search their registration codes F-HEPB and F-HEPC) based in the Caribbean for these Island Hopper flights, as well as some flights to the U.S. and Canada from the Caribbean.

The plane is equipped with 2 rows of business class seats in a European business class configuration. This means these seats are traditional economy class seats with the middle seat blocked. If you’re looking for extra legroom, choose row 1 for extra space at the knees.

Business class seats do not recline more than their economy class counterparts, though you do get a few added benefits:

• Lounge access in Miami, Pointe-à-Pitre, Fort-de-France, and Cayenne
• Complimentary checked luggage
• Priority boarding
• A blocked middle seat onboard
• Complimentary meal service on select legs

There are approximately 168 economy class seats behind the curtain in a 3×3 configuration.

2. Immigration and Security Stops

Unlike the Alaska Airlines Milk Run, which is entirely within the U.S., the Air France Island Hopper operates among different Caribbean territories, so you need to clear immigration at select points.

Of course, if you’re only taking the plane 1 stop, you’d exit as normal and clear immigration as you usually would.

Here’s what to expect if you’re flying the entire route:

Miami to Pointe-à-Pitre

After flying from Miami to Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, all passengers must exit the plane. Those staying in Pointe-à-Pitre exit immigration and head to baggage claim. Those continuing on to Fort-de-France pass through immigration (passport check and stamp) and then are directed to an Air France employee who checks you off of a list.

You’re then asked to walk up a set of stairs and proceed through a full airport security check. Based on my experience, this check at this airport is extremely thorough, with airport personnel checking every inch of your bag. For me, this check took much longer than it usually would.

After passing through security, you can proceed to the Air France Lounge, if you are eligible to enter, or right to the gate where you board the plane as if you were originating from this airport.

Pointe-à-Pitre to Fort-de-France

Once you land in Fort-de-France, you’re asked to stay on board if you’re flying to Cayenne. Passengers exiting at Fort-de-France can leave the plane and head to immigration. For those continuing on, it’s a chance to use the bathroom or stretch your legs, and the plane sits on the ground for approximately 20 minutes before departure.

Fort-de-France to Cayenne

Cayenne is the terminus of this route, so all remaining passengers exit at Cayenne. Here, all passengers must pass through an immigration checkpoint before checking bags, and there are separate lanes for European Union passport holders and those from other countries.

3. Meals

Since this route is about 8 hours long from end to end, you’re likely to get very hungry!

I flew this route in business class, where the food was much more substantial than the food in the main cabin.

In Miami, I was entitled to use the LATAM lounge, which is the lounge Air France contracts with. The lounge offered a traditional American breakfast of eggs, sausage, potatoes, cheeses, pastries, fruit salad and more. It was a substantial offering, and not knowing what to expect on the journey, I filled up on food early.

From Miami to Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, I was offered a full breakfast in business class. I had a choice of pancakes or an omelet, both served with a fruit salad, croissant, jam, and a beverage.

From Pointe-à-Pitre to Fort-de-France, I was offered a light snack (a bag of cookies or a packaged pastry) and a choice of beverage. This flight was only about 20 minutes long, so there was no time for any big service, though it was surprising that Air France managed to provide a beverage service in that short a time.

From Fort-de-France to Cayenne, I was given a full lunch in business class. On this leg, there was no choice of entrees. I was served a fish pie served with a side salad, crab salad, cheese, and macarons. I would have appreciated a choice, though the fish pie was extremely tasty.

If you’re flying the route in reverse from Cayenne to Miami, you receive 2 lunch or dinner services: 1 from Cayenne to Fort-de-France and another from Pointe-à-Pitre to Miami. Some flyers report being offered the same meal choices on both legs, so you may want to be prepared for this.

4. Passing the Time

Entertainment is limited on board, so if you’re traveling the full itinerary, bring a few good books or downloaded movies to watch on your own device.

Wi-Fi is available on all segments, and the price starts at €5 (about $5), which I thought was quite reasonable. However, on my flights to Cayenne, the internet was barely usable and did not function for most of the flight despite me paying over €20 (about $21) in internet fees for all the segments.

On the return trip from Cayenne, which was on a different plane, the internet worked without any issues, so I suspect the first plane had a malfunction in its internet system.

There are no inflight television screens or any plane-wide entertainment, so you must bring your own entertainment in all cases. To charge up, there is a single USB-A port at each seat, though I found it very slow to charge my devices. Even after a full day of flying, my devices were still not fully charged. Keep in mind that if you have a device that only takes USB-C, you need to bring a converter or proper cord to make use of the USB-A port on board.

Final Thoughts

The Air France Island Hopper is definitely something you should add to your bucket list if you’re an aviation geek! It’s a vital route that serves a number of French territories and is a great way to spend a day visiting new islands! If you’re headed to Martinique or Cayenne, book the Island Hopper for an unusual flying experience.