Fragrant flying: The special scents used by airlines and airports

Some of the Air France spaces at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) smell a bit different now than they did last month.

That's because, in mid-January, the carrier introduced its first-ever signature fragrance and began using it in its La Premiere (first-class) lobby and at a handful of lounge areas at CDG.

The carrier said it will gradually add the new fragrance — which is named AF001 as a nod to the Concorde flights that traveled between New York and Paris in the late 1970s — to other lounges in Paris and around the world.

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New Air France fragrance

France is the "fragrance capital of the world," and Air France is the French flag carrier. So, the stakes were high when it came to declaring a signature scent.

For the scent, Air France turned to Francis Kurkdjian — a master perfumer, artistic director of Maison Francis Kurkdjian and creator of the "it" perfume Baccarat Rouge 540.

"It was the illusion of a ray of sunshine on the wings of an aircraft that inspired me to create this light, fresh and comforting home fragrance," Kurkdjian explained.

What does AF001 smell like?

According to Air France, it has a "comforting. musky scent, combined with mimosa from the south of France" that adds "a sunny, natural vibrancy." The scent includes hints of jasmine and rose and has a "delicate floral aura" to take travelers on a "real olfactory journey, capturing a specific moment in time," Air France added.

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"The idea of the Air France fragrance, and particularly in the lounges, is for people to feel good," Kurkdjian said. "And with the fragrance, they feel even better."

Other airline scents

Air France may have the newest custom fragrance, but there are other airlines and airports with personalized scents.

In September 2024, Dubai-based Emirates partnered with Irish brand Voya to offer bespoke Eau de Toilette fragrances on board flights in first and business class.

Singapore Airlines introduced a new signature scent called Batik Flora in 2022. It worked with Singapore-based artisanal perfume label Scent by Six on a fragrance that features floral notes from the six flowers in the carrier's refreshed batik motif featured on the airline's uniforms: aquatic ginger, common dianella, seashore purslane, simpoh lak, utania nervosa and white kopsia.

The scent is currently in use at the Singapore Air Service Centre at the Ion Orchard shopping center, the SilverKris Lounge at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Terminal 3 and on planes as part of the hot towel service. Travelers can also purchase the scent in the form of reed diffusers, pillow mists and an eau de toilette fragrance.

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Singapore Changi Airport also has its own signature fragrance — appropriately called Changi Scent — which debuted in 2016. Inspiration for this scent comes from Changi's own lush gardens, Singapore's national flower (the orchid), as well as geranium, mint, citrus and Asian spices.

Changi dispenses the fragrance at departure hall doors and other key areas, hoping to "evoke pleasant sensory surprises" for passengers and visitors.

"By infusing the air with a soothing and refreshing aroma, the scent helps to ease moods amid the hustle and bustle of airport activities," according to the airport. The Changi Scent reed diffusers and candles are also available for purchase.

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific worked with Australian scent marketing agency Air Aroma on a signature scent that features lavender, jasmine, bamboo, juniper berry, tea leaves, white musk and cedarwood. You'll catch whiffs of it in the carrier's lounges around the world. Air Aroma has also created special scents for Etihad Airways, Virgin Airlines, Abu Dhabi Airport and several other airlines and airports.

"Airport scenting is not the time to go super bold with a very dark, rich floral fragrance that may be off-putting to some," the company told TPG. So, when creating scents to use in lounges and other airport spaces, "universally pleasing" scents are the goal. There are "so many thousands of people who will encounter the scent daily, all who come from across the globe with different backgrounds."

Japan's All Nippon Airways has a unique fragrance that it said is "reminiscent of a lush, expansive forest." It's made with a dozen natural ingredients, including Japanese umbrella pine, Yoshino Japanese cedar, mint and rosemary.

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The scent is used at check-in counters and lounges in Japan and onboard during the towel service on international flights. As a nice touch, the airline also hands out "aroma cards" that passengers can activate when they wish. Travelers can also purchase the scents online and on flights with inflight shopping.

Creating custom scents

Charlotte-based ScentAir provides special scents for the United Airlines lounges, the Heathrow Airport (LHR) arrivals terminal and a variety of other aviation clients that it will not mention due to nondisclosure agreements.

Tampa International Airport (TPA) is a ScentAir client. It began its scenting program in 2021 when it was looking for a fragrance to reflect the Tampa Bay Region. The airport settled on ScentAir's "Bamboo Tea" scent, which has notes of green bergamot (an Italian citrus fruit), jasmine, neroli (the blossom of the bitter orange tree), musk and tree moss. It now dispenses the scent in several areas of the airport.

"Many may not notice the scent, as it is subtle unless you're seeking it out," TPA spokesperson Emily Nipps said, "but it is light, pleasant and interesting when you notice it."

When creating scents for airports, "we begin by exploring the airport's unique attributes, including its branding, location, decor, amenities and even food and beverage offerings," Neohni Gilligan, director of fragrance and product marketing at ScentAir, said. The company also considers the emotional experience an airport wants to create for passengers and visitors.

"Airports want to address the stressed, impatient passenger, the business traveler that is in a hurry and family travelers that need to feel relaxed with all their kids in an airport," Gilligan said. "We help create a space that feels fresh, calming and aligned with the airport's identity."

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