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Ooh la la: Air France shares details of its upcoming La Premiere first-class revamp
May 25, 2022
•
3 min read
Ooh la la: Air France shares details of its upcoming La Premiere first-class revamp
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Prepare to say bonjour to Air France’s upcoming first-class offering, as the airline teases details on an overhaul of its already characteristically chic La Premiere suites.
The airline is scheduled to roll out the La Premiere suites between winter 2023 and spring 2024 on existing flights as well as new ones. Air France claims the larger revamped suites will be “the longest on the market.”
Related: As good as it gets: A review of Air France La Premiere (777-300ER) from Paris to Beijing
According to the French carrier, the complete redesign of the current suites will include a seat, a sofa and a fully flat bed in a space bigger than the current almost 8-foot length.
Indeed, eschewing the single-berth format that makes up most first-class cabins, Air France’s seat-and-bed combination would put the airline on par with some of the giants of luxury long-haul travel, including Etihad, Singapore and Qantas.
Images of the finished product aren’t available quite yet, but from the details that have been shared, it seems like the update could be a great win for the airline; Air France also recently debuted a rather elegant long-haul business-class seat complete with sliding door.
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In addition to top-rate onboard amenities, travelers booked into La Premiere can also make use of a chauffeur service, a concierge to look after baggage check-in, access to the Air France La Premiere lounge and a limousine shuttle to the plane on departure.
Related: Nordic flair and gourmet fare: Finnair A350-900 business class
Despite losing half its seat capacity when the French carrier put its Airbus A380 to pasture in 2020, the carrier has bounced back terrifically with a renewed determination to become one of the go-to airlines for luxury travel.
The current La Premiere cabin, which is available on 19 of its Boeing 777s, consists of four seats capable of converting into a fully flat bed that measures over 6 1/2 feet long. The revamped model will be featured on all existing planes as well as some of the carrier’s inbound Airbus A350 fleet. “La Première represents the highest level of French excellence and is an intrinsic part of Air France’s DNA," Benjamin Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM, said of the redesign. "Even at the height of the Covid crisis, we could see the attractiveness of such an offer for our customers, particularly on the North Atlantic route, where load factors in the La Première cabin are currently higher than they were back in 2019.”
Imagine taking off from Paris surrounded by this sort of elegance come 2023. If that’s too long to wait, you can enjoy Air France’s new business-class seats when they come to the skies in September.
Ooh la la — it’s shaping up to be a big year.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Best for dining at restaurants
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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. |
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| 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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$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
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
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- 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.