I had just settled into Seat 1A of the Air France A350-900 when a voice (a French one, naturally) came over the PA system. “We apologize,” it said—or at least it seemed to stay; I hadn’t formally studied français for nearly two decades since then—”but everyone will need to get off the plane.”
Unfortunately for everyone, I had understood the announcement correctly. Ground staff, it seems, had failed to do their normal pre-boarding security sweet, and flight attendants had later found something onboard that wasn’t supposed to be there. Thankfully, they removed it without incident, but it did delay our departure to Paris by nearly an hour.
Now, this isn’t the fault of the airline or the crew—I won’t factor it directly into my review of Air France business class. But it did color the entire experience, so I think it’s relevant to mention it from the jump.
Why It Took Me So Long to Fly Air France in Business Class
Looking back on the array of airline content I’ve written, it might seem surprising that I didn’t have an Air France review until now. But when you dig deeper, it makes sense. And not even a whole lot deeper. The reality, to be frank, is that I’ve focused my travels (and, thus, my air travel) primarily on Asia the past decade or so, with few exceptions. It’s not just that I hadn’t previously flown Air France in business class. I’m not sure I’ve ever flown Air France at all, or had a reason to.
There’s also the fact that expediency (whether for cost in cash or points availability) has always taken precedent for me on previous trips to Europe, which have seen me fly carriers like Finnair, Turkish Airlines or, shamefully, American. It was only on this occasion, in the lead up to my most comprehensive trip to France ever, that I set the intent of flying Air France. It was actually relatively easy to find availability, as well—more on that in a minute.
What to Expect in Business Class on Air France
Seat
Part of the reason I was disappointed when the captain announced we’d all need to deplane? I had settled into the bulkhead Business Suite (1A, in my case) I’d assigned myself thanks to the fact that I booked an award ticket departing North America. While many business class passengers can’t assign these for free, all flying long haul will enjoy flat beds with direct aisle access. Suites with doors, meanwhile, are available on select A350 and 777-300ER aircraft.
Service
I also had a glass of champagne in hand when I deplaned before leaving Dallas, though that’s free-flowing in Air France A350 business class, so I didn’t feel robbed. In terms of service more broadly speaking, I’m mixed. While the older flight attendant who served me for most of the flight was professional and relatively warm (she even humored my poor French skills and allowed me to speak to her en français), other flight attendants seemed aloof or even annoyed, especially after the lights came on to signal the start of the breakfast service.
Food
Food is one of the things I was most looking forward to onboard Air France, given that it’s one of the most enjoyable parts of France, once you land there. Unfortunately, I mostly found it to be lacking. The smoked salmon appetizer was beautiful, for example, but was…limp and didn’t have much flavor. Likewise, my chicken entree was sloppily presented, and seemed to be swimming in oil. I also wasn’t a fan of Air France’s recent (as of 2026) decision to eliminate all non-French spirits from their menu.
Entertainment
This is the part of the Air France A350 review I’ve been dreading, but not because I want to spill the tea about bad WiFi (my plane didn’t have Starlink; the expensive non-Starlink WiFi wasn’t work). Rather, because of how short even a “long” flight from the US to France is, I simply didn’t have time to avail much of the entertainment system. I briefly began watching “Anatomy of a Fall” after dessert, but ended up falling asleep before I could finish it. By the time I woke up, there was so little time left for breakfast that I couldn’t put the movie back on.
Arrival at CDG
A few pieces of serendipity accompanied my delayed arrival at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport. First, because the DFW-CDG flight is blocked to accommodate long taxi times in Dallas, we ended up arriving less than an hour later in technical terms. Next, the much-feared EES system was not live; I simply got stamped in as I did in the olden days. Even better, my Air France business class ticket afforded me entry to the “Accès No. 1” lane for expedited processing, further minimizing the impact of the pre-flight snafu.
The Best Way to Book Air France Business Class
I mentioned earlier in this post that it wasn’t too difficult for me to find Air France Business Class availability. This is true in one sense—I found it several months before my trip—but with an important caveat. Namely, that it was only because I’d set an alert on Seats.aero (which is not sponsoring this site, but should be) in advance of my trip. Once I set that alert (I think in March of this year), it took just weeks for availabiity to trigger it.
The good news? It ended up costing just 60,000 FlyingBlue miles (and around ~200 USD in taxes and fees) for me to fly AF business class from DFW-CDG. The not-as-good news? I ended up needing to purchase some extra miles to top off my order (I only had around ~40,000 available to transfer), which was nerve wracking. Thankfully, at least in this case, it doesn’t seem like Air France is quite as vulnerable to “phantom availability” as some other carriers.
Other FAQ About Air France Business Class
Is Air France business class worth it?
If you can score a good cash fare, or find “Saver” award availability using FlyingBlue miles, then Air France business class is absolutely worth it. If not, then don’t stress out too much. While it’s obviously better than flying in coach (and better than other options over the Atlantic, like Lufthansa and Delta), it’s not in the top tier of global business class products, as far as I’m concerned.
What is included in Air France business class?
All Air France business class tickets include a flat-bed seat, in-flight meal, two checked bags, lounge access (and, if you’re arriving at CDG, access to priority immigration queues) plus the assignment of a standard seat at check-in. However, unless you’re on a “Standard” (or higher) ticket, or have booked an award departing from select North American markets, you’ll need to pay extra to select the bulkhead Business Suite seats.
Does Air France have flat beds in business class?
Yes, Air France offers flat beds on all long haul business class flights. Do note, however, that this is not the case within Europe, and may not even be the case when flying to destinations peripheral to Europe, such as the Middle East and North Africa. Check the seat map for the flight that interests you before you purchase it.
The Bottom Line
As I write this review, I can’t help but wonder whether I might have had a more positive impression of Air France business class if I had I flown it many years before I did. In 2026, the reality is that I’ve now sampled many of the world’s best business class (and first class, for that matter) product—I’m not necessarily jaded, but I am selective. To put it another way, Air France probably won’t knock your socks off if you’re flown JAL or EVA Air, though it’s much better than any US airline. Need help planning your next business or first class adventure, no matter which airline you plan to fly? Consider hiring me as your Travel Coach!
