Air France Review — Seats, Amenities, Customer Service, Baggage Fees, and More

Key Takeaways

• Air France offers a comprehensive network of domestic and international routes, with various cabin classes, including economy, premium economy, business class, and La Première first class.
• Flying Blue members benefit from earning and redeeming miles across Air France’s SkyTeam partners, and elite status adds additional perks like upgrades and priority boarding.
• Skytrax ranks Air France as a 4-star airline (out of 5).

Air France is synonymous with first-class luxury and holds a 4-star Skytrax rating. It is recognized for its service quality, cabin comfort, and safety standards.

Based at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), Air France is one of Europe’s leading airlines, offering a global network of destinations and operating closely with its partners KLM, Transavia, and members of the SkyTeam alliance.

Basic Information

• Airline: Air France
• Alliance: SkyTeam
• Category: International airline
• Frequent flyer program: Flying Blue (shared with KLM)
• Tagline: “France is in the air”
• Number of passengers annually: 72 million
• Fleet: 238
• Main hub: Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
• Destinations: 29 domestic and 201 international destinations

Frequent Flyer Program

Flying Blue is the joint loyalty program of Air France, KLM, and several partner airlines. It offers travelers plenty of ways to earn and redeem miles worldwide. Members can earn miles from flights, credit card partnerships, hotels, and everyday spending.

Redemption options include flights, seat upgrades, and non-air rewards, though the best value often comes from booking award tickets on SkyTeam and other partner airlines. With a mix of flexible earning opportunities and dynamic award pricing, Flying Blue is a versatile program for both frequent flyers and occasional travelers. The program also offers a unique, valuable promotion each month called Promo Rewards.

Hot Tip:

If you want to earn miles quickly for your next reward flight, check out our article on the best ways to earn lots of Flying Blue miles.

Ticketing Options

Economy Fares

Air France separates its offerings between short- and medium-haul flights and long-haul flights. For short- and medium-haul flights, you’ll find the following economy fare types and associated benefits:

On long-haul flights, such as flights from the U.S. to Europe, you’ll see these economy fare offerings:

Premium Economy Fares

Air France doesn’t offer premium economy on shorter flights, and you’ll find these options on long-haul trips:

*SAF stands for sustainable aviation fuel

Business Class

Whether you’re flying a short hop in Europe or across an ocean, you’ll find these offerings in business class:

La Première First Class

Air France’s renowned La Première first class isn’t available on short flights, and you’ll find 3 options when booking it for long-haul trips:

Air France Baggage and Other Fees or Add-Ons

• Air France carry-on allowance: All fares include a personal item and at least 1 carry-on bag; premium economy and above allow 2 carry-on items plus a personal item
• Air France checked baggage allowance: Varies by fare type, from 1 to 3 items, weighing up to 23 kilograms (50 pounds) each in economy and premium economy or up to 32 kilograms (70 pounds) each in business and first class
• Additional and excess baggage fees: Between €45 and €200 ($53 to $235), depending on your flight length and how far in advance you add the extra item to your booking

Note that those with Flying Blue Silver and Gold status get 1 additional checked item at no cost. Those with Platinum and Ultimate status get 2 additional items at no cost.

Hot Tip:

Learn more in our dedicated guide covering Air France baggage policies, including fees and inclusions.

Other Fees and Add-Ons

Change or Cancellation Fees (Cash Tickets)

If free changes aren’t allowed for your fare type, you’ll pay between $82 and $199 to change a booking. Even when changes are permitted at no cost, you will pay the fare difference if your new ticket is more expensive.

You’ll also pay a fee of €30 ($35) if you change a ticket through Air France’s social media channels.

Hot Tip:

If you’ve booked an award flight, you can find more pricing details in our article on airline cancellation and change fees for award flight bookings.

Reservation Service Fees

There aren’t any fees for purchasing tickets over the phone, in the mobile app, or online. However, if you purchase via social media channels, there may be a fee, depending on the starting point for your flight:

• Most points of origin: €30 ($35)
• France: €40 ($47)
• China: CNY 200 ($28)
• Taiwan: TWD 900 ($30)
• Hong Kong: No fee
• U.S., Canada, and Mexico: No fee

You’ll also pay a fee for purchasing a ticket at a reservations agency:

• Short-haul flights: $90
• Medium-haul flights: $90
• Long-haul flights:
  • Economy: $90
  • Premium economy: $100
  • Business and La Première: $120

Booking fees don’t apply to infants under 2 years old.

Extra Legroom Seats

Elite members may have access to these at no charge, but others can expect to pay €10 to €40 ($12 to $47) on shorter flights, but €50 to €100 ($59 to $117) on longer flights. The price is clearly shown at the time of seat selection.

Onboard Wi-Fi

Depending on the package you purchase and its speeds, expect to pay between €8 and €30 ($6 to $35). You can also redeem miles for these purchases at a not-so-good 0.5 cents apiece.

Onboard Food and Drinks

In addition to your included meals and drinks, Air France offers à la carte and for-purchase items on some flights. Costs vary by item, ranging from €12 to €28 ($14 to $33) for meal boxes.

Unaccompanied Minor

If you book the Kids Solo option, a paid service, children ages 12 to 17 can travel alone on shorter flights and 15 to 17 on longer flights. Shorter flights charge €40 for nonstops or €50 on trips with a connection ($47 and $59, respectively).

Flights to French overseas territories charge €50 to €65 ($59 to $78), while long-haul flights charge €80 to €120 for this service ($94 to $141).

Pet Transportation

This price is based on the overall itinerary, not each segment. A flight from the U.S. through France with an onward connection would not be charged separately for each flight.

How To Avoid Paying Excess Fees and Expenses

Earning Flying Blue elite status can provide extra perks like a higher checked bag allowance and premium seat upgrades. However, a more straightforward route for many U.S.-based travelers would be getting the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard^®, which has an $89 annual fee but offers 1 extra checked bag on all SkyTeam flights.

Additionally, paying your excess fees with a credit card offering a travel credit can be a good way to offset these expenses, potentially leaving you with no out-of-pocket cost afterward. Moreover, you can use some types of credit card rewards to cover your recent purchases, typically offsetting them at a value of 1-cent-per-point, letting you use rewards to cover your baggage or unaccompanied minor fees paid to Air France.

Air France Lounges

Air France operates numerous lounges in multiple countries. Here’s an overview of their locations (a full list can be found here).

First Class Lounge

The sole La Première lounge is located in Paris’s Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport.

Business Class Lounges

Air France operates numerous business class lounges worldwide, with U.S. locations in Boston (BOS), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK), San Francisco (SFO), and Washington, D.C. (IAD).

Air France also provides access to partner lounges for its premium passengers flying out of airports without an Air France lounge. The brand at these lounges varies.

Inflight Inclusions, Amenities, and Seat Specs

Economy

Amenities include:

• USB-A charging at your seat on long-haul flights
• Wi-Fi available for purchase
• Air France Press app access for news, magazines, and more
• Seatback entertainment system, available in 12 languages
• Complimentary food and drinks (offerings depend on route)

Premium Economy

Amenities include:

• Greater recline and more legroom
• Elevated dining options
• Wider screen for entertainment
• Adjustable reading lamp at the seat
• Universal outlet and USB-A port
• Noise-reducing headset
• Simplified amenity kit

Hot Tip:

The Air France premium economy experience can vary significantly. Check out our reviews from Paris to New York, Paris to Zanzibar, Rio de Janeiro to Paris, and Washington Dulles to Paris to see how different they were.

Business Class

Passengers have these amenities:

• SkyPriority benefits at check-in and boarding
• Priority checked baggage delivery at your destination
• Blocked middle seat on short-haul flights (excluding Embraer aircraft)
• Further elevation of inflight dining, including dishes instead of disposable items
• Extra legroom and recline on short- and medium-haul flights
• Lie-flat seats on long-haul flights
• Lounge access before departure
• Amenity kits and mattress pads on long-haul flights
• Universal outlets and/or USB-A outlets, depending on the plane type
• Inflight entertainment screen at your seat (except some regional flights)

Hot Tip:

Read why one of our writers says Air France business class is his favorite way to cross the Atlantic.

First Class (La Première)

Only available on long-haul trips, travelers will get these perks:

• Private driver and personalized welcome
• Private check-in experience on departure from Paris (CDG)
• Exclusive lounge experience in Paris with Michelin-starred gastronomy, wellness spaces, and more
• Personal driver to take you to the plane in Paris
• 3-star French culinary experience
• Elevated entertainment, onboard amenities, and comfort

Hot Tip:

Want to see what these flights are like? Check out our Air France La Première review of a flight from São Paulo to Paris.

Seat Specs

Air France operates multiple plane types, and seating varies. Here are their details:

Air France Customer Satisfaction

Most Common Complaints

The most common complaints on TrustPilot.com, where Air France has a 1.3/5 score (from 1,361 reviews), include dissatisfaction with the booking process, customer service, and especially service when encountering problems. Multiple customers also cite delays and obstacles with receiving refunds, while reviews of the inflight crew are mixed.

Consumer Rankings and Ratings

• Skytrax ranking: 4-star airline (out of 5)
• Tripadvisor airline review rating: 3/5 (average from 37,537 reviews)
• Kayak customer rating: 7.4/10 (average from 1,466 verified reviews)
• AirHelp.com overall rating: 7.17/10 (quality of amenities, on-time arrivals, and how well an airline resolves flight delay compensation claims)

Safety and Performance

Air France has a generally strong modern safety record, but it has faced some high-profile accidents. The most notable were the 2009 crash of Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, which killed 228 people after sensor failure and pilot error, and the 2000 Concorde disaster outside Paris. Both cases led to major investigations, training changes, and industry-wide safety improvements. Air France and Airbus were acquitted of criminal charges in the AF447 case but held civilly liable, with compensation paid to victims’ families.

Beyond accidents, Air France has faced regulatory scrutiny and fines, including antitrust penalties and criticism for mishandling passenger rights under EU compensation rules. While serious crashes are rare, the airline still experiences routine technical incidents and operational delays, which are generally resolved without harm. Air France is subject to strict European safety oversight, has updated training and procedures in response to past tragedies, and is legally bound to provide compensation under EU passenger rights regulations.

Overall, it operates with high safety standards, though like any global airline, it is not without operational and regulatory challenges.

Recent Awards

Air France has received several awards for design, a traveler-based voting system, awards for being a great place to work, and other accolades.

Skytrax World Airline Awards 2025

Air France was named the eighth-best airline in the world at the 2025 Skytrax awards. The carrier was the best airline in Western Europe (for the fifth year in a row) and took home awards for the best first class lounge dining and best first class comfort amenities.

Final Thoughts

Air France remains a desirable airline for many, thanks to its aspirational first-class offering in La Première and its innovations in business class. Its award program, Flying Blue — which it shares with KLM and other airlines — is also a great option for travelers interested in using miles to save money on flights, thanks to some solid redemption options.

While Air France has its share of complaints, no airline is entirely free of negative reviews or bad customer experiences.

Thanks to its mega-hub in Paris and globe-spanning route network, Air France can take travelers to numerous locations, including short hops and ultra-long flights.