Quick Look: Air France Business Class, JFK-CDG-LYS

Hello from France, where I’ve been for a few days now following my flight on Air France business class from New York-JFK to Lyon Saint-Exupery airport (LYS), with a transfer in Paris-CDG. On this flight I was able to experience several products that I’ll give a sneak peek of before I post the full reviews, after I’ve returned to New York.

The products that I experienced on this trip

This trip had two segments: From New York-JFK Terminal 1 to Paris-CDG, and then from Paris-CDG to Lyon. All of these segments were on Air France. After checkin I was able to clear security through the VIP ONE lounge by virtue of having Priority Pass. This is a somewhat unique concept with various tiers, but priority pass gives you the basic one. Still, it was a pretty nice experience.

After this, I headed for the Air France Lounge where I had some food and a complimentary spa treatment, and waited for boarding. The flight to Paris was operated by Air France’s older Boeing 777-300ER still featuring the old business class product. As I understand it, these planes will be refurbished and by 2027 all the four-class 777s (meaning, those that have first class) will all get the new business class seats. Plus, as of July 2025, mattress pads will be rolled out gradually to all long haul Air France flights.

Upon arrival in Paris-CDG, we docked at one terminal 2E’s L gates, and it was a strikingly short 11-minute walk to get through passport control and to terminal 2F, from where I’d take my flight to Lyon. However, as I had about 2 hours to kill, I visited the Air France Lounge first, before boarding the flight to Lyon. This was originally scheduled to be operated by an A321, but the plane was downgraded to an A320 (I don’t think that would have mattered much for the passenger experience though).

So, how was it? Let me give you a quick look here, and then a full review of each experience will follow.

The JFK Terminal 1 VIP ONE Lounge

I arrived at New York-JFK at Terminal 1 as always, by taking the Long Island Rail Road and the AirTrain. When you enter Terminal 1, you turn right and walk all the way to the end, where you’ll find the Air France checkin desks a little bit hidden from view. There is a special line for SkyPriorty passengers, which includes business class and premium economy ticketed passengers. There were no lines at all and I was quickly helped by a lovely attendant who swiftly gave me my boarding pass. Then, she described the way to the lounge and sent me on my way.

Frequent readers of this blog will know already I have TSA PreCheck, which is a useful federal program that allows you to get ‘pre-checked’ though a background check, to enable priority, faster access through the security checkpoint. So I could have done that – but Terminal 1 has something special: the VIP ONE lounge. This is a unique concept that sort of mimicks the first class ground experience when flying with an airline such as Air France – and it’s not free of course. At its highest price tier, it’s a full ground experience from being met at the terminal’s entrance, to taking your suitcases, helping you through security and bringing you to your gate. I got access through priority Pass, so I got the basic option, which is to shuttle you through the security checkpint.

Let me preface this that the security checkpoint at this time was very busy. So, even though the VIP ONE Lounge almost seems like a gimmick when you have TSA PreCheck, I actually really liked it: the attendant checked my boarding pass, passport and Priority Pass member card, then let me through to the lounge. There’s complimentary drinks and food, but I thought the Air France Lounge would have higher quality, so I quickly exited back to the reception.

Here, the attendant brings a bin for you to put valuables and electronics in, then allows you through the door to the security checkpoint. Here now, you get priority over everybody else. The officer will check your passport and wave you through, and the attendant will help you maneuver through the lines. It was clear others that had been waiting in line were not so happy with me cutting them off, but so be it. I was through the whole circus in no more than 5 minutes, despite the fact that the checkpoint was incredibly busy.

*The attendant will bring out one of the bind by the door on the far side of the room for you to put your stuff in, and then you’ll go through that glass door. She has to beep you through.*

I gotta say, I loved the VIP ONE’s lounge process. I can do without it, but it really does make the security checkpoint a lot less painful, even when you have TSA PreCheck, but only at a busy time (which this was).

The Air France Lounge at JFK Terminal 1

When I came through the security checkpint, I went to the Air France Lounge. This is immediately to the right after the checkpoint. Just walk all the way to the end of the corridor and it’ll be right in front of you. I entered through the sliding door into the lounge’s lobby, were an attendant checked me in.

The lounge is spread over two floors, with a buffet of food and drinks on both floors, that appear to provide about the same selection. Further, on the lower floor, there are also showers and a spa, by Clarins, with complimentary treatments that you can book. I checked the spa first and signed up for a treatment. I was lucky to get an appointment at 9pm, which was well on-time before my 9:45pm boarding time.

I then checked out the lounge design and the food and drink selections on the two floors. On the bottom floor you can turn left and enter the buffet area, or go right and straight ahead into more of lounge area. The seating and design of the lounge is rather simple, but also kind of elegant in its simplicity. I liked that the general color palette was just white with elements of wood, and furniture in Air France’s signature colors: blue and red. It made for a neutral, relaxed atmosphere without going over the top.

At the buffet you’ll find different French wines, including red, white, rose and champagne, as well as some beers and soft drinks. Opposite the drinks is the food buffet. There are plenty tasty-looking options, all seemingly French cuisine, which does mean this food is heavy on cheese and butter, and so may not be best for all. I personally don’t eat cheese and shy away from large amount of butter (except in desserts), but pushed those preferences aside in order to have the chicken and fish options. Both were very good, and while buttery and creamy, those tastes were not too strong. I also enjoyed the beet salad and the bread selection, and found the chocolate mousse to be rich and silky in texture, and the mango smoothy similarly so. The food is very nice – as you’d expect from a lounge by a French airline.

While I was there (around 7pm) it never got particularly crowded, so I felt it was an excellent place to spend an hour or two and have some food. Particularly if you can score one of the comfy seats by the windows, you’ll find it fairly snug and peaceful. Just note that there aren’t actually any views of aircraft as the lounge is locate don the north-east corner of Terminal 1, which looks over the entrance roads to terminal 1 rather than the apron.

Briefly, the second floor is actually more quiet, I assume because people find the buffet on the lower floor and stay there. However, the buffet and drink selection appears to be the same as on the first floor, and much of the same seating.

Finally, I had a look at the restroom and showers, which were kept clean and looked well-maintained and spacious, with shampoo, soaps and towels provided. They also included a sink with a large mirror and a toilet.

I then went to my spa appointment, which was a 20-minute facial. You can take a seat in a comfy chair in the waiting room, and around 9:05 I was called in. The treatment room was didn’t have ay windows but did have some nice moodlighting and Zen music. The treatment itself was very nice, and I left feeling refreshed, at which point I made my way to Gate 8 to board my flight.

Air France Boeing 777-300ER Business Class, JFK-CDG (transatlantic red-eye)

I got to my boarding gate a little earlier than the 9:45pm boarding time printed on my boarding pass, but found that boarding was already underway, with boarding zone 2 boarding. The zone 1 line (business class and elite Flying Blue and SkyTeam members, since La Premier (first) class members board even before the ‘traditional’ boarding groups) had already emptied. As I entered the line though, the attendant swiftly held the line for me to pass through. Out the window was the lady that was going to take me to Paris.

As I made it onto the plane, a friendly flight attendant invited me to turn left into business class. I had select seat 3A for myself, which is the bulkhead window seat on the left of the plane, right behind La Premier. I do apologize for the rather yellow images. The lighting wasn’t actually so strongly yellow…

Truth be told, my first impression is that the seats look a little worn out and old, but still spacious and well thought-out, for the most part. It’s clear this product was introduced a little while ago, with the originally white finishes having become a little yellow, and the seat’s padding showing some wear and tear.

On the seat were waiting for me a soft blanket, a pillow (nice but not super substantial), a pair of slippers, and a coat hanger. I actually didn’t realize that Air France provides slippers. They were a little flimsy but certainly better than nothing, and this was the first sign how the Air France product is in some ways differentiated/elevated from that of KLM, even though they are essentially the same company these days.

Sitting down, there is a remote control for the entertainment screen lodged right by the seta, and further to the left there is an enclosed compartment with a door. This compartment is substantial and easily fits wallets, phones and other small personal items. This is also where you can headphones, and the door has a little mirror, which is nice. Then, below the console is another compartment of sorts, where you can find a bottle of water and the electrical plugs, including one USB-A port.

You can also view a short video on posted on the Points to Seats Instagram profile:

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You’ll note that the screen is actually at an angle to the seat, and is a bit small. There’s a button that allows you to pop out the screen, and it’ll come out and face you head-on. Given the proximity of the screen to your face, I didn’t find that the smaller size of the screen was an issue, and I found that the touchscreen was quite responsive. So, though initially I thought the viewing experience would not be so good, that wasn’t really an issue.

As we were waiting for departure, I was presented with a stylish amenity kit, with products by Clarins, socks, an eye mask, a pen, ear plugs and a toothbrush. Then came the menus, and finally I received a welcome drink, which to my surprised consisted of some fruit juice or water. I was certain there’d be champagne on a French airline, but apparently not? Finally, a flight attendant came by to take dinner orders, though they did not for me – I had pre-ordered a beef dish, but it would have been nice if they came by and confirmed my order at least.

We departed slightly early and had a short, 10 minute taxi to the runway, from where we swiftly took off. Probably about 15 minutes later the flight attendants sprung into action, closing the curtains in front and behind business class.

It didn’t take long for dinner service to start and throughout I was quite impressed by the flight attendant’s speed and efficiency. Service started with a hot towel, and was quickly followed by food and drinks. Drinks were served first, and I ordered a glass of champagne, which was served with a box of cheese puffs.

Just to remind you: this is a transatlantic red-eye flight, so on KLM that meant a reduced service, so I was expecting the same on this flight, especially given that they are the same company. Dinner service on Air France is however a little different from KLM. The menu states there is an ‘express’ option that skips the main dish, and everybody is served this on a single tray. On it you’ll find the appetizer, a cheese plate and dessert, as well as some bread.

I was hungry and proceeded to basically eat everything on the tray, but then a little later a flight attendant came by with a large tray that had a few separate plates on it, took the appetizer plate and gave me the main dish. She did the same for one or two more passengers before returning to the galley.

I really liked this service flow. I think it gives the best of both worlds: on the one hand giving everybody an ‘express’ tray allows some that want to eat and quickly go to sleep such an option, while those that don’t (like myself) get a more personalized restaurant experience where the flight attendant brings the main dish individually to those ready to proceed.

The food itself was very nice. I much enjoyed the main dish, which was beef bourguignon and was deliciously soft in texture and rich in flavor, with lovely sweet potato puree and strong beans. Unfortunately Air France only gave one option for appetizer and dessert, and I assume that’s because it’s a red-eye flight. Like KLM had additional options on the return flight, I would assume Air France similarly has more options on the day flight. But be that as it may, the appetizer was a burrata, and the dessert a raspberry cheesecake, either of which I wouldn’t normally choose. As I said before: French cuisine leans heavily on dairy products, even if burrata is an Italian dish. So, I did not touch the burrata other than the greens, though I had the dessert, which was actually very tasty. The raspberry on top was tart and refreshing.

Following dinner, I tried to sleep. I do not sleep all that well on planes, and unfortunately this was no exception. The seat was comfortable in bed mode, and I found that, sleeping on my side, the footwell was quite spacious. I do wish the pillow was more substantial. The blanket provided just the right amount of warmth. Fortunately the cabin was also kept relatively cool, since seats don’t have individual air nozzles. As I mentioned earlier, Air France will start rolling out mattress pads as of July 2025, which should elevate the sleeping experience significantly.

About an hour and 20 minutes before landing the cabin lights were turned back on for breakfast. I quickly snuck to the restroom, which was quite standard. For the most part amenities were rather basic, save for a bag of sorts with Clarins products, which was nice.

Once I got back to my seat, very quickly the flight attendant arrived to provide breakfast. Here there was again a smaller, continental breakfast option, or a hot dish, being a California omelet, which contained avocado, onions and mushrooms. I gotta say, the omelet was a little bland, but I enjoyed the fruits and pastry. I did not eat the yoghurt or cereal.

After breakfast we started our descent and made a smooth approach from the south. It was fun following along with the landing through the camera, installed in the front of the plane. Touchdown was a little hard, after which we parked at hall L of terminal 2E. Business class passengers were invited to deplane first, after which I had a swift 11 minutes walk (including passport control) to terminal 2F, from where I’d be boarding my flight to Lyon.

While that summarizes the flight in general, I have not mentioned one thing: I thought the service was very, very good. I didn’t know what to expect: I had flown Air Franc once before in economy and wasn’t particularly struck by the crew’s friendliness, but the crew that worked business class on this flight was terrific. I should especially call out the attendant that worked my section – she was really wonderful: consistently helpful, fun, and friendly, striking a great balance between being personable and professional. I was delighted with her service especially, but found all her colleagues to be very good. The crew came by a few times during dinner to proactively ask or suggest more drinks, or whether I wanted more bread. Great job to the crew of this flight!

The Air France Lounge at CDG Terminal 2F (Shengen)

Following my flight to CDG, I had some time to kill, so I went to the Air France lounge in terminal 2F. Business class passengers get free access, but I believe Flying Blue and SkyTeam Elites (Gold/Elite Plus and up) may get access as well.

People, this lounge design is stunning. It’s elegance is due to its simplicity. No over the top decorations, no gold or silver, no marble… Instead, simplicity brings an effortless elegance to the space that is hard to beat and makes for an airy, light atmosphere. I particularly love the large, curved window out front, and the curved stair case that allows you to go up to the second floor.

I also liked how similar the design language as of this lounge to the one in JFK Terminal 1. It seems to me that Air France uses the same color and shapes throughout their products, whether in their ub lounge, outstation lounge and on board, making for a coherent design from one experience to another that is both simple and chic. I also find that this design is quite French in style and does homage to France itself.

My favorite area was probably the second floor though, given that, thanks to the large windows, it got more natural light than some of the areas in the lower floor. it was lovely to sit here on one of the lounge chairs and look outside, onto the apron.

I found that the lounge was somewhat busy, but not crowded. I suppose in part because the lounge is quite big, with ample seating of different kinds (lounge chairs, restaurant tables, nap rooms, bar and high stool seating, etc), but also because the design is such that the space feels relaxed and spacious, even if it’d be busier, with the curves and high ceilings.

When I arrived, the buffets were being switched around from breakfast to lunch, so I caught a glimpse of both. Breakfast was heavy on pastries, breads and cold cuts:

…while lunch emphasized different kinds of sandwiches, both pre-made and for self-assembly with a variety of delicious-looking salads and spread. I made myself a little baguette with tuna, egg and pickles, which was delicious, all the ingredients were good quality:

Finally I took a lap around the wellness and relaxation part of the lounge, which included a Clarins spa (which was entirely booked up for the day, it seems), a number of elegant-looking shower suites (I took a peak into one that was being cleaned) and a spacious restroom (that could have used more urinals, to be fair). there were also several quite rooms and nap rooms, with a special juice bar. These nap rooms were packed, however – I didn’t see a single empty seat.

I left the lounge with about 15 minutes until boarding, and was so happy to have hd the chance to visit this lounge. I thought it was an excellent space to spend an hour or two with a gorgeous design, good food and plenty of amenities. I’ll happily come back here before my flight to Zurich, later in the trip!

Air France Airbus A320 Business Class, CDG-LYS

The last leg of my trip was aboard Air France A320 business class, on the short, 45-minute flight to Lyon. This was supposed to be operated by an A321, but I guess ended up with a small downgrade to its smaller sibling, the A320.

Zone 1 and 2 passengers were invited to board first, and I had assigned myself seat 1A, the window seat on the left side of the plane. Also, can I say just how much I like thje design of the two piers that extend from the Terminal 2F main concourse?

Intra-Europe business class is nothing to really get excited about, as the business class standard for such flight si very low: it’s essentially an economy seat with a different headrest, a blocked middle, perhaps additional charging options, and perhaps an elevated food option. That said, unlike US airlines, it’s still common on some full-service European airlines to provide a light snack or sandwich, so business class passengers may get an elevated version of that sandwich.

Since I was on the bulkhead seat, the tray table extended from the right armrest, but note that for other people the tray table extends from the seat in front – like in economy.

The plane departed essentially on time, and after a 15-minute taxi we were cleared for takeoff. I as in luck: it was a bright, sunny day in Paris and we took off in a northern direction, flew north and then west and south, all around the center of Paris. Since I was sitting at the window seat on th left of the plane, I was treated to fantastic view of Paris with all of its major landmarks!

It was a very bumpy flight so initially the flight attendants declared that they may not be able to provide service. Still, an attendant came by to hand all business class passengers a mystery box with a snack. Soon after, a cart rolled down the aisle for zone 3-5 passengers, and after that a cart came down business class for drinks. Turns out they ended up giving servcie regardless. And, really, what a difference with the US! On the 45-minute flights between New York and Boston or New York and Washington, with Delta, no service of any kind is given to anybody besides first class passengers. Looks like Delta has something to learn from Air France…

The box contained a sandwich with halibut, apple and pecan nuts, as well as a little cake and piece of chocolate, and I ordered a glass of orange juice, which was served in proper glassware. These were freshly prepared and tasted delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever had better food on such a short flight, so kudos to Air France for this delicious treat.

As for the service, on such a short flight there is little a crew can do, but with all the turbulence they stood fast and did what they could, still providing full serve to the entire plane, which I thought was a testament to their efficiency. They were also friendly in the process and provided their service with a smile.

Summary

All things considered, this was a very nice trip. I liked the priority access that the VIP ONE lounge provided, and I thought the Air France Lounge was a great place to sit and relax on account of the nice design and tasty food. The business class flight on Air France’s Boeing 777-300ER had delightful service and although the seat is comfortable, it really does need a refresh (and fortunately that’s going to start soon). Then, the transfer at CDG was easy and quick and allowed for some time in Terminal 2F’s Air France lounge, which was a beautifully designed and relaing place to sit for a while. Finally, the flight to Lyon was niot something get excityed about given the short duration and the seat that was essentially the same as an economy class seat. Still, the lovely sandwich and nice service made this flight nice in its own right.

Based on this experience I can recommend flying Air France in the future and would be happy to do so myself, though I’d try and seek out the new long haul business class product. Currently it is available on 3-class Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s, which are only serve New York on select frequencies. So, make sure to check the schedule properly before booking!

Full reviews will be coming after I’m back from this trip!