This chic airport lounge has its own luxury apartments
Air France is pulling out all the stops with its latest first class experience.
By David Flynn, July 24 2024
Air France is well-known for embracing the finer side of life. Now, that experience begins before your feet leave the ground, with the opening of a dedicated first class check-in and trio of luxury apartments in its Paris lounge.
Debuting just days before the Olympics, a new private wing of Air France’s La Première first class lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport now boasts three self-contained apartments, replete with a dedicated butler.
One of the private suites in the La Premiere lounge.
Furnished in calming shades of white and grey, with bold splashes of red, each apartment features its own living area, double bedroom, bathroom and outdoor patio (for families, two of the adjoining suites can even be connected together).
A private suite bedroom in the La Premiere lounge.
Guests will be treated to an Alain Ducasse menu, with a butler on call to serve Champagne and refreshments.
A private suite bathroom in the La Premiere lounge.
“Adorned with fresh flowers, luxurious linens, and haute-couture finishes, the aim is to create a regal atmosphere within Air France's Paris-Charles de Gaulle hub,” Air France says.
Each suite contains “iconic examples of French design, including Charlotte Perriand’s writing table, Pierre Paulin’s Ribbon chair, and Philippe Starck’s Privé sofa.”
Each La Premiere lounge suite boasts its own outdoor patio.
However, access to the La Première lounge suites isn’t included in the cost of your ticket: this unrivalled degree of privacy and privilege will attract an additional €800 fee.
Of course, Air France isn’t the only airline offering beds. Swiss International Airlines also provides hotel rooms for passengers jetting out of its first class lounge at Zurich Airport... though Air France’s offering takes that approach to a whole new level.
In addition to the new apartments, the SkyTeam member has now upgraded the La Première ground experience with a dedicated ‘check-in lobby’ where guests are welcomed by a dedicated concierge who whisks away their luggage.
The new La Première check-in lobby.
Echoing the same colour scheme as the private apartments, the lobby boasts abundant natural light and showcases furnishings from renowned French designers such as Pierre Paulin and Christophe Pillet.
Air France's new La Premiere check-in lobby.
Once check-in formalities are concluded, travellers are escorted via a private passageway with its own security checkpoint to the La Première lounge, a sanctuary which includes an a la carte dining room and Sisley spa.
Air France’s new La Premiere first class suites
In addition to on-ground enhancements, Air France is also giving its La Premiere suites an extensive makeover, which will make them even larger and longer.
With five windows flanking each suite, “this cabin will boast the longest configuration on the market”, Air France says.
Travellers will relax in a residential “living space” with a seperate armchair and chaise longue sofa, the later of which will convert into a lie-flat bed facing a massive video screen, while a wireless tablet will control seat-and-suite functions.
Tres chic: Air France's current Boeing 777 La Premiere first class.
The new La Première Suite will debut in the upcoming winter 2024-2025, between October 2024 and March 2025.
Other airlines to adopt the seat+bed combination in first class in recent years, rather than a seat which converts to a bed, include Etihad Airways’ A380 Apartments, Singapore Airlines’ A380 Suites and Qantas’ new A350 First Suites for non-stop Project Sunrise flights to London and New York.
But with only three suites in the Air France first class cabin, it remains to be seen if the centre crib will be an oversized suite for two, along the same lines as Lufthansa’s Allegris first class.
Will Air France follow Lufthansa's lead with a double suite in the middle of its first class cabin?
And it seems one unique trait – the use of a full-length curtain instead of a sliding door for privacy – will remain, having become a hallmark for the carrier’s understated air of refinement and sophistication.
“La Première represents the highest level of French excellence and is an intrinsic part of Air France’s DNA,” says Air France-KLM Chief Executive, Benjamin Smith.
Elegant curtains frame Air France's current 777 La Premiere first class suite.
The airline is also promising “La Première will be extended across a greater number of aircraft compared to its current deployment” – the strongest indication yet that first class is coming to the Air France A350s, which currently top out at business class.
Additional reporting by Chris Ashton.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer P1
23 Aug 2014
Total posts 147
Thanks David
It's hard to see how the suite can be improved upon from its current calm et luxe iconic position - the curtains make it less claustrophobic than sliding doors, but i'm sure the envisaged separate seat/bed combo has more practical utility and the food is easily the best in the sky alongside JL and NH (packed with luxurious perfectly cooked ingredients all at the right temperature, a rarity these days)
I hope the width of the bed does not suffer as a result of this, which would be an great shame, a bit like the SQ suites compared to their (larger) 777-300ER F bed
The "usual" La Premiere lounge at CDG has IMHO the best lounge food around - the Alain Ducasse mac n cheese with ham and truffles is a staple although, paradoxically, on the ground and in the air, only an above average wine list, surprising given the obvious!
The 800 Euro fee is interesting given that Swiss have lovely bedrooms/en suite at ZRH which are first come first serve (free) and the SQ Private Room has complimentary bedrooms without an ensuite which are also generously allocated (I have never seen either of them full)
I accept this is a much grander product though, a bit like the PS LAX experience
A great addition to the premium travel experience
17 Nov 2023
Total posts 43
The only problem with these suites is that AF has naively installed them on (noisy) Boeing aircraft.
If you doubt me, check a recent Sam Chui review. The background noise in the cruise is excessive on the 777/787.
If they were on the A380 or A350, they would be the best suites in the sky.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 Oct 2017
Total posts 98
The suites may be one thing and the type of aircraft another however I must say Air France has amazing service that is under rated and unheralded. Vastly Superior to Lufthansa, miles in front of BA. best in Europe from my experience.
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