Air France is set to unveil its refreshed La Première ground experience, and it’s definitely raising the bar when it comes to offering an elevated check-in, pre-flight, and arrivals process for First Class passengers.
The new exclusive airport experience debuts July 23, 2024, at Charles de Gaulle Airport just in time for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games, and Prince of Travel’s Founder & CEO Ricky Zhang was live-on-location to get a sneak peek ahead of the official opening.
Air France Debuts New La Première Ground Experience
When Air France opens its new La Première ground experience on July 23, 2024, eligible passengers will be treated to an elevated experience from the moment they arrive at the airport.
The new upscale service begins with a landside “vestibule” at the far end of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, where La Première passengers are dropped off in their included car transfers.
It’s important to point out that this isn’t just a dedicated check-in area for First Class passengers like other airlines around the world; rather, it functions as both a dedicated check-in area and an arrivals lounge for First Class passengers which is a bit of a game changer for the elite passenger experience.
Departing passengers can complete their check-in formalities in this exclusive space while enjoying coffee and a light snack.
Meanwhile, arriving passengers can opt for a coffee and snack, or even a full meal catered by chef Alain Ducasse. The menu is the same as what’s available in the airside La Première Lounge.
Once inside the landside check-in vestibule, passengers will find two private rooms: Étoile and Palais-Royal. These rooms can be connected to offer more space, and they can also be booked for dining and relaxing (more on pricing below).
There’s a dedicated security and immigration checkpoint within the facility, as well as car transfers from the check-in point to the La Première Lounge for both departing and arriving passengers.
This means that a departing passenger in La Première will now be able to enjoy not one but two car transfers: one from the check-in vestibule to the lounge, and one from the lounge to the plane!
Also new as of July 23, 2024, are three ultra-private Lounge Suites within the La Première Lounge, officially named Champs-Élysées, Vendôme, and Montmartre.
All three offer passengers an exclusive living and dining area where they can relax, take a shower, and sleep, as well as enjoy a drink and dinner on the expansive outdoor terrace – incroyable!
Guests can order from the same Alain Ducasse menu that’s offered in the main lounge. If you’re travelling with family or as a larger group, two of these Lounge Suites can be combined into one shared space.
Lastly, each Lounge Suite comes complete with a butler who is available to assist guests with all of their needs.
La Première Lounge Suite Pricing
Upgrading to both a landside and airside Lounge Suite will cost La Première passengers an additional €800 per person.
Business class passengers who are travelling on non-La Première routes can upgrade to both the landside and airside Lounge Suites for €1,790 per passenger. That’s equivalent to the standard cost of paying for La Première Lounge access for €990, plus the €800 Lounge Suites surcharge.
All pricing includes access to the lounges for up to three hours.
Air France La Première Raises the Ground Experience Standard
The addition of Lounge Suites to Air France La Première sets the standard for ground experiences in commercial aviation, but it won’t come cheap.
Lately, we’ve seen increasing monetization of premium airport spaces for those who are willing to pay, and the airline has gone straight for the top end of the market in true Air France style.
Even outside of the Lounge Suites, the new La Première check-in experience makes for a significant improvement over the old one, which required you to go through the regular security queue with everyone else while an agent helps you cut the line.
Furthermore, the bar has been raised for arriving passengers, who get to enjoy a car transfer to the lounge, plus fine dining on the ground before heading into the city.
When Air France’s new First Class product launches later this year, it’ll complete the airline’s premium transformation.
Booking La Première with Miles
As a reminder, it’s possible to book La Première using miles; however, the privilege is reserved for those with Flying Blue Platinum status and above.
If you don’t have Flying Blue Platinum status, keep in mind that there’s an ongoing status match opportunity, which could pave the way for you to experience Air France La Première without paying full price.
In Canada, you’ll need to have WestJet Platinum or Aeroplan 75K or Super Elite status to be eligible for the status match. In the United States, you’ll need to hold United Premier 1K or Premier Platinum or American Airlines Executive Platinum or Platinum Pro to be eligible to status match.
Then, a one-way flight from Paris to North America can be booked for 160,500–230,000 Flying Blue miles, depending on if your destination is in the eastern or western half of the US.
While it’s surely a tidy sum to pay in miles, all reports suggest that it’s surely worth experiencing at least once. Plus, if you’d like to go all-in, you can add a Lounge Suite upgrade to your ground experience to the next level.
Conclusion
As of July 23, 2024, Air France La Première passengers will be treated to a revamped ground experience, just in time for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games in Paris.
Passengers in Air France’s top cabin will have the option to book an exclusive Lounge Suite in both the landside and airside lounges. Passengers arriving in La Première will also be treated to an arrivals lounge in the same space as the revamped check-in area.
While the refined experience comes with a price tag attached, Air France has raised the stakes when it comes to premium ground experiences for First Class passengers, which is set to be enhanced when it launches a new First Class cabin later this year.