Mar 18 2025
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First Look: New Air France La Première First Class

By Leila

a woman reading a book on a plane

Earlier today, Air France officially unveiled its new La Première first class cabin and my assessment is that it looks stunning…I would have expected nothing less from the French carrier.

First Look At Chic New Air France La Première First Class

The new first class sets a new standard in terms of luxury and space, with each seat measuring over three meters long (118 inches) and spanning five aircraft windows—an upgrade from the previous first class, which covered four windows. At 3.5 square meters per seat, that’s a 25% increase in personal space compared to the current cabin.

a seat and table in a plane

a woman sitting in a chair in a plane

a woman sitting in a chair

a woman sitting on a chair in a plane using a tablet

a woman in a chair on an airplane

a woman sleeping in bed

a laptop on a table in a plane

a pair of red shoes in a box

a white luggage in a metal container

a close up of a seat

The modular design marks a new approach for Air France. You’ll find a seat facing one direction and a chaise longue positioned in the opposite direction, allowing you to seamlessly adapt to every stage of the flight. Whether you’re sitting upright for a meal, stretching out on the chaise longue to relax, or reclining into a fully flat bed, the experience is designed for maximum comfort. The chaise longue converts into a bed that stretches two meters long (79 inches) and is a generous 75 centimeters (30 inches) wide—plenty of room to get a good night’s sleep above the clouds.

While curtains will offer some separation from the aisle, the two center seats will feature a full-height electric sliding partition for maximum privacy. For those traveling together, the partition can be lowered, allowing you to enjoy the flight side by side.

The new seat marks an evolution rather than a revolution and will continue to appear on a sub-fleet of Air France’s Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and be arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration (which makes so much more sense to me than the 1-1-1 configuration of Lufthansa’s new Allegris first class).

a close-up of a chart
You can also expect a wireless tablet and upgraded high-speed Wi-Fi onboard

Which Routes Can You Fly On The New Air France First Class?

It does appear that Air France will rollout the fleet to more 777 jets, though precise numbers have not been announced. The first plane with the new seats, F-GZNQ, will begin service to New York this spring, with the first four “new first class” destinations including:

  • New York (JFK)
  • Los Angeles (LAX)
  • Singapore (SIN)
  • Tokyo (HND)

(in this order)

Is it just me or does the new seat for takeoff and landing look narrower than before and perhaps will not be as comfortable? Other than that, the new suite looks stunning and chic…I far prefer the curtains to the doors.

A Tour From Air France CEO Ben Smith

One Mile At A Time shares a very cool video from Ben Smith which includes an in-depth tour of the seat and commentary on why particular elements of the new suite were chosen. It’s worth 7-minutes of your time:

The Ground Product Separates Air France From All Other First Class Products

The beauty of Air France first class is that no carrier comes close to matching the entire experience. Air France will pick you up from your home and you’ll be met by a personal concierge at the airport who will escort you through the entire check-in and security process. In Paris, you’ll be driven from the lounge to the aircraft in a car and the lounge itself is one of the best first class lounges in the world, with sumptuous dining and spa treatments. Even when you land, you’ll be met by an attendant to take you through passport control and gather your luggage.

a room with a couch and a table

a patio with chairs and tables

a woman sitting in a red chair

a woman in a white suit sitting in a chair and holding a straw

a woman sitting at a booth

a room with a bed and a mirror

a woman in a suit and red gloves standing next to a plane

a woman in a white suit walking up stairs

It’s a truly first class service.

The promotional video released with the new first class product highlights this ground service:

CONCLUSION

Air France’s new first class suite is a beauty. Rather than a drastic change, the new La Premiere simply makes an excellent product even better. Clearly, a lot of thought went into the design of this product and it seems that it will roll out efficiently across the 777 fleet. I do hope to try it sooner rather than later!

What are your thoughts on the new Air France first class?

images: Air France

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