Air France’s Business-Class Seats Got an Upgrade—and We Tested Them Out

28.10.2023 - 16:35 / afar.com / John F.Kennedy

Earlier this year, Air France announced some exciting upgrades to its business-class seats for its long-haul flights. The French airline’s previous (and, on some routes, current) business-class offering already used a pod-like, lie-flat seat and continues to do so in this latest upgrade. However, new seats now include a retractable door between each pod and the aisle for additional privacy, a do not disturb button, and Bluetooth connectivity to the personal entertainment screen. Bulkhead seats also swap the footwell for an ottoman, where a passenger can sit.

Recently, I flew Air France to test out the new business-class seats. Here’s what it was like.

Although initially available on only a handful of flights between Paris’s Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and New York City’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) airports, the new seats have been slowly rolling out across additional routes. They are now also available on select flights from Paris to Los Angeles (LAX) and Paris to Washington, D.C. (IAD). For my flight, I first flew from San Francisco (SFO) to Paris (CDG) in its previous business-class offering (the new seats are not yet available on this route), then from Paris (CDG) to New York (JFK) in the newer seats.

The Air France lounge in Paris airport, CDG, has ample seating, food options, and other traveler-friendly amenities.

The upgraded experience began before I even stepped on the plane. Business-class passengers with Air France have Sky Priority access. In Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport, this allows them access to a dedicated, and faster, lane both when passing through security before boarding and when clearing customs after landing.

After clearing security, all business-class passengers have access to Air France’s lounges (there are five in total in Charles de Gaulle). I went to the newly updated lounge in terminal 2E, a large, modern space with ample seating; at 7 a.m., there were only a few dozen other passengers. Amenities included access to a self-service buffet full of French specialties (breakfast offered crepes, baguettes, pastries, eggs, and fresh yogurt, among other items); a bar serving wine, beer, and cocktails; a kids play area, complete with an impressive video game setup; free W-Fi; showers; a sauna; and—perhaps the most distinctive—a spa by Clarins. One highlight of the spa (open from 7:40 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily except Sunday): guests have access to complimentary, 20-minute facials available on a first-come, first-served basis. I arrived too early to make use of this particular amenity but appreciated the breadth of services available within the lounge.

One of the newest features are doors on each pod that give extra privacy to passengers.

Courtesy of Air France

After boarding the flight in the