Air France reopens its famed La Première lounge — with some refurbishments
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
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.
Sign up to receive the daily TPG newsletter for more daily news!
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.
Featured photo by Emily McNutt/The Points Guy.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
WELCOME OFFER: 80,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,650
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening.
- Earn 2X points on dining including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel. Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.