What It’s Like to Fly La Compagnie, the World's Last-Standing Business-Class-Only Airline

06.12.2023 - 16:39 / cntraveler.com

In 2021, I gave up on major airlines for my regular flights between Paris and New York—despite being a frequent flyer club member with a cache of points. I had purchased economy tickets for my toddler, my husband, and myself, and called the airline to double-check that we could sit together. The customer service rep said seat selection was a privilege for the half-step above economy, but they would let one of us sit next to our daughter—as an exception. Or what? I wondered. Have a stranger tend to our two-year-old?

Fed up with being nickel-and-dimed by the big guys, I decided to forgo the points and play the field. I have since been exploring the spectrum of options for traveling to my native New York (while praying that the three-hour transatlantic flight of the Concorde someday rematerializes). I’ve tried heavily discounted flights sans entertainment with stopovers in Iceland and final destinations in tiny upstate airports. I’ve tried premium seats on low-cost airlines that were like sparkling wine instead of champagne—not the same air of luxury but a respectable alternative.

Most recently, however, I flew with French boutique airline La Compagnie from Orly to Newark. Founded in 2014, La Compagnie is the world’s last-standing business-class-only airline (others have taken off and later folded). The carrier advertises rates that are 30 to 50% less expensive than the competition—a roundtrip La Compagnie flight during the second week of January 2024 is currently listed at $2,038 (approximately $300 less than a United Business Polaris flight and $1,100 less than a Air France business class ticket on the same dates).

On my Paris to Newark flight in November, lunch was a four-course menu courtesy of Bretonne chef Nolwenn Corre.

Collaborations with cool France-based brands and influencers are a USP of La Compagnie. It begins with the welcome apéro. French- and English-speaking flight attendants make their rounds with flutes of crisp Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Brut, as well as non-alcohol bubbly from French Bloom. Co-founder Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger told Traveler, “Lately when I look around while flying, I see fewer and fewer people opting to drink alcohol during their journey. This shift in preferences aligns perfectly with the evolving travel landscape.” Discerning clients want comfort and quality—wellness, including abstaining from alcohol for whatever reason, factors increasingly into that equation.

I’ve heard that the best strategy for beating jet lag is to fast during the flight, but when the menus are developed in collaboration with Michelin-decorated French chefs, it’s worth chancing some missed sleep. On my Paris to Newark flight in November, lunch was a four-course menu from Bretonne chef Nolwenn