Air France unveils its new La Premiere suites in Paris
Don't tell Air France that international first class is a relic of yesteryear.
At a time when many airlines have abandoned the first-class experience of long-haul flying, France's national carrier is doubling down on it. This move was on full display Tuesday in Paris, where Air France rolled out the latest update to its posh La Premiere suites. The carrier is touting the experience as akin to flying private.
More space, greater comfort and complete privacy are among the features that stand to win over travelers — particularly those who have shown an increasing propensity to buy premium seats, even when flying on their own dime.
"We've seen that leisure travel has increased by 24% in 10 years, with a more recent surge in demand for luxury experiences," Air France CEO Anne Rigail explained.
Apparently, this demand extends to the ultrawealthy, whom Air France says is the audience buying La Premiere international first-class fares that can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
That was the message Air France executives portrayed as the carrier unveiled its latest product update in Paris on Tuesday. The prominent placement of the iconic Hotel de Crillon, one of the city's finest Palace Hotels, in its new La Premiere promo video was a clear sign of the demographic Air France is targeting: ultraluxe travelers who tend to fly private.
"We have clients who typically fly private but they experience the La Première product and they say, 'Well, it's a lot cheaper to get to Los Angeles and Tokyo this way,'" noted Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith. He added that the environmental optics and complete confidentiality in the experience are also key factors for the airline's clients.
The new suites, entering service on select Boeing 777-300ER aircraft this spring, are part of a strategy Smith says began five years ago. The plan is to secure the airline's future by emphasizing what Smith and Rigail insist has distinguished Air France for over nine decades: "Made in France excellence."
"We're spending $1 billion per year on retrofitting and renewing our medium-haul and our long-haul fleets, plus another billion on new lounges, new food offerings on board and staff training," Smith said.
Such improvements include a wholly reimagined ground experience for La Premiere passengers at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), making the process as smooth and seamless from arrival to boarding as it would be when flying private, according to the airline.
Despite continued investment in what Air France believes is a successful business-class offering, Smith said demand for even more luxury presented an opportunity.
"These passengers are looking for privacy and a great experience on the ground," he added. "And it's durable — the luxury hotels right around us have seen their rates go up almost 300% since COVID."
Smith also expressed confidence that demand for Air France's international first class would hold up, even amid the economic uncertainty currently roiling Western markets.
"La Premiere in its existing iteration is already profitable, and the demand is high; we don't see that changing," Smith said. "We know some of our competitors use [first-class] for marketing purposes of halo effect on brand. Our policy is that every single product we have has to stand on its own two feet. That's why you don't see La Premiere everywhere. Not every market can support this type of product."
Smith said U.S. demand for Air France premium products is growing fastest, with Miami leading the market.
These top-tier passengers will discover that the updated La Premiere suites have more space and several first-class firsts. Developed over three years, each of the four suites features around 38 square feet of modular space (25% more than the previous design); the space includes an ergonomic reclining armchair and a chaise lounge, both in full-grain leather and soft wool, that turns into a full-flat bed. At about 6 1/2 feet, it is among the longest seats in commercial aviation.
The cabin is arranged in a single-row, 1-2-1 configuration, with one suite at each window and two suites adjacent to each other in the center.
The exterior suites boast five windows per passenger, a feature exclusive to Air France. They also have thick floor-to-ceiling curtains for sound and light insulation. The airline completely removed overhead bins, allowing for a more spacious feel and easy movement inside the suite.
Instead, travelers will find storage space in a console that doubles as a side table and a drawer that holds up to two cabin-size suitcases. Another drawer beneath the chaise lounge is meant to store shoes, while a narrow closet is reserved for each guest's belongings. Central cabin suites may not have window views, but they have floor-to-ceiling electric sliding partitions for complete privacy.
When passengers are ready for shut-eye, they can slip on Le Pyjama, the cotton poplin loungewear collection designed by Simon Porte Jacquemus. Travelers can also hydrate their skin with products from the Sisley amenity kit.
Meanwhile, a specially trained cabin crew member transforms the chaise lounge into a bed, adding a mattress topper, a fluffy pillow and a duvet from the French bedding company Dumas Paris.
When they're not sleeping, La Premiere passengers can access not one but two 4K 32-inch inflight entertainment screens, a wireless touchscreen tablet to control suite functions, high-speed Wi-Fi and a wireless charging option (in addition to the USB-A and USB-C ports available).
The ground experience at CDG — which was overhauled last summer before the Olympic Games — makes this a particularly compelling offering for high-net-worth travelers accustomed to flying private.
La Premiere passengers get private access to a ground-level, check-in lobby to go through customs and security checks. They can then relax in a dedicated new lounge, which features a culinary offering by Alain Ducasse, a Sisley spa and three private suites complete with double beds and patios. When it's time to board, a Porsche Cayenne hybrid transports passengers directly on the tarmac right to the aircraft's door.
"Paris is a unique destination in Europe with a very big luxury element to it," Smith said. "This product fits right into that spirit."
Air France will gradually deploy the new La Premiere suites on select Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The inaugural flight is scheduled for spring 2025, with the first aircraft, named Epernay, set to connect Paris to New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Other destinations — such as Los Angeles, Singapore and Tokyo — will follow in the summer of 2025.
View this post on Instagram
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees