Air France reopens its famed La Première lounge — with some refurbishments
One of the world's most exclusive first-class lounges has reopened — and it's gotten a facelift. During the pandemic, Air France has taken the downturn in travel to completely close its La Première lounge and revamp some of its interior.
As confirmed to TPG by an Air France spokesperson, the new and refurbished La Première lounge has reopened its doors for eligible passengers as of Tuesday, May 4.
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In the refurbished lounge, passengers can expect to find more private areas, as well as new modern light fixtures and a lighter, mirrored bar.
In the bar area, which features a premium selection of beverages, Air France has opted for a lighter-colored design. The previous design, as you can see by swiping through the gallery, featured a strong red backlight. The bar itself is in quite a dark area of the lounge with no natural light, so I'm a fan of the brighter finishings.
In order to create more privacy for passengers seated in the alcove in the back of the lounge, Air France has installed a new lighting fixture. The aerial light bubbles provide those seated in the area with more privacy from their other neighbors — you can swipe through to see the old arrangement.
Finally, the airline decided to offer more privacy for passengers looking to rest before their flight. At the far end of the lounge, close to the spa, the airline has added two curtained-off areas. Behind each curtain, there's a chaise lounge for those looking for supreme privacy.
The Air France La Première lounge has been closed for more than a year — since April 6, 2020. During the time that the lounge has been closed, passengers traveling in the carrier's best-in-class La Première cabin have had access to a temporary lounge on the mezzanine in the airline's Business lounge in Hall K of Charles de Gaulle (CDG).
Ultimately, it's great to see the La Première lounge back open — and with some refreshments. Even before the refurbishments, the La Première lounge offered one of the most premium lounge experiences for passengers. It's part of what helped Air France's La Première cabin win the best international first class award at TPG Awards in 2019.
Related: As good as it gets: A review of Air France La Première (777-300ER) from Paris to Beijing
Unfortunately, it's incredibly difficult to access the lounge. Air France doesn’t release first-class award space to airline partners. It only allows certain elite members within the Flying Blue program to redeem for first class. And even when they are allowed to redeem, it’s only for Flex tickets, not saver fares, meaning you can expect to pay a huge number of miles.
Or, you can pay cash for a La Première ticket — but they don't come cheap. You can expect to pay thousands of dollars for the experience. However, if you've got your eyes set on a luxury flight, I cannot recommend La Première enough. It's by far and away the best flight I've ever taken. Now, I just need to fly it again to test out the new lounge furnishings.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.