Seat. I tend to go Delta, but prefer Air France. When you fly Air France business class from their hub in Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), you receive free access to the newest Air France lounge at Terminal 2E. Air France Business Class Cabin Configuration. Theres also a handmade eye mask inside the kit. The cost in delta skymiles is much more for delta one than AF business class. Other amenities include ten shower suites, each with a Dyson hairdryer and thick towels. Aboard the Delta One cabin, guests can pre-order meals from 30 days up to 24 hours before their flight. It might not be as extra friendly but its highly professional. Curved glass ceilings allow bright sunlight to filter in the daytime as well as views of the runway in the distance. For drinks, Delta has a good roster from top-quality champagne and wine to common liquor like Peach Bellini and Grey Goose Vodka. Simply referred to as Delta, the latter airline is a legacy carrier and among the major ones in the United States. In 52 countries on 6 continents, Delta serves 325 destinations as its carrier flies as many as 200 million passengers in a year. A noise-reducing headset is also available on the seat but the monitor has Bluetooth capacity so you can use your headset if you like. Virgin is the best if you're going to the UK (especially Heathrow and Manchester). If you get hungry in between, theres a small self-service area where you can grab beverages and light snacks if you fancy. That way you can drink even more champagne and enjoy the experience more ;) so that may be a possibility for you. I seem to remember that used to be true. Welcome to your private Delta One business class suite. Throughout the space, freestanding buffets with drink and food options are in strategic spots. One on Air France that flies a 777-300ER. I want to do LAX-AUK in Aug 2016 with SO's in China, HKG, MEL on outbound. Then it's the same plane. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. You make me want to have some skypesos to burn. This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity. Two Adults and one three year old child. I'm SkyTeam Elite+ (via my Delta status) and I can pick any seat in my ticketed cabin on an Air France flight, even when I've purchased it through Delta's website and it's a Delta marketed flight (ie, it has a Delta flight number, though the actual metal is Air France.) Business class sits directly behind the exclusive, four-seat La Premiere first-class cabin. I could go on but you get the drift. Meanwhile, I could not get anyone to refill my water. I was unceremoniously rebooked into a middle seat on a777 leaving three hours later. Re: Delta One Suites vs. Air France Business Class Jun 29, 2022, 1:57 AM Save They are both comfortable seats. I feel it is hype over substance. However, its the highest and most premium cabin offered on long-haul and international routes. Air France Business Class passengers connecting to or from their Air France gateway on a SkyTeam flight are also entitled to use SkyTeam-operated and SkyTeam member lounges (such as Delta SkyClubs) throughout their journey. For information on refunds, visit their website. The seats include excellent legroom including a big footwell. The reconfiguration is being done by aircraft type in the following order: At present, the new business class is available between New York and Paris, along with flights AF72 and AF69 between Los Angeles and Paris. In short: replace AF premium economy by Delta premium select. Look forward to the Upper Class review Nick. Guests on Air France business class receive priority check-in, boarding, and even custom inspection lines, especially in Paris CDG. I've been to Europe each of the last 4 summers, all on Skymiles partners. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners. She called the Executive Platinum line to make the bookings (and she did it on the first call!). Delta has always offered a robust in-flight entertainment program with Delta Studio. We generally recommend a flexible points currency such as American Express Membership Rewards or Starwood Preferred Guest, as both programs allow you to transfer your points to Delta without being committed to SkyMiles. It's very different from Delta domestic first class, where most will not even exchange a quick hello. I was not happy. You will findAir France Magazine, the airlines official in-flight publication, in Business cabins and lounges andLa Premire. On Air France the flight to Europe will be covered by the EU261 rules, on Delta it will not be. Delta Air Lines, Inc. is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Air France Business Class Best Seats. These are the basics to know before flying either airline. For those that have flown is their a major. You can also lower the armrest of the seat to give you extra width. If you get peckish in between the flight, there are light snacks and beverages available. They also offer free in-flight Wi-Fi for basic messaging over WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. Virgin Atlantic is an unbelievably fun airline. Some guests might feel its impersonal, but its only because there are a lot of guests attendants have to handle. On the newer Safran Seats, guests can enjoy a 17.3-inch 4K touchscreen monitor. He claimed this because his wife was seated away from him. Jack - Many thanks for your thoughts. Their current amenity kit is a beautiful chevron zip pouch containing a dental kit, Clarins skincare items, an eye mask, and socks. Could be worse. Review: read my review of Delta's Business Class in a Airbus A350 here. Just go to the partner's website and add your Delta FF# to the itinerary. For the return, I had a late connection from Rome. Aircrafts in the Air France fleet and their respective age: The company operated a fleet of 750 aircraft made by Boeing and Airbus as of December 2020. If it's only Delta One, not the suites, you aren't in a completely enclosed space. Both airlines had good food, but I thought . I will note though that you left off Delta themselves, which can still be available at the Tier 1 number of miles on many TATL routes if you book well in advance. I'd initially chosen Seat 1A, but was involuntarily moved to the last row in the middle-most of three seats. 8/10. Delta has officially announced that there will be no change of fees on tickets in certain fare classes on flights originating from North America. Fingers crossed that no one is in the 'F' seat next to me. However, for surfing and streaming, the plan starts at $6.96 to $12.95, respectively. The biggest issue, however, is that the old Air France business class product is dated and uncomfortable. All rights reserved. If the spa is open, guests can get a 20-minute Clarins spa treatment. It has fantastic food, a beautiful cabin, as well as impeccable service. Delta One is the top Business Class product of the airline and it is available on extended hauls international flights such as from Los Angeles to New York-JFK and San Francisco. On the return, you could fly on QF from AKL-SYD-HKG and then HKG-LAX/JFK (and then pay for a flight from JFK-LAX) on CX. Staying in the Basic Economy with no elite status or an airline credit card means you will incur fees for checked luggage wherever you fly. I did find that, for all hour KLM flights, my stranger-seatmates were delightful. The most basic cabin is economy class followed by premium economy, then business class and finally first class, also. Schipol is acomparativelyeasy airport (though they could really stand to invest in some moving sidewalks), so if thats a concern for you Id consider choosing KLM over the other airlines on this list. For the last (and shortest) of these flights, KLM switched equipment, moving from a 777 with new World Business Class to one with old (Northwest product). Videos will show you, that the AF seats angle away from the aisle, the partition encircling the pod doesn't close entirely, leaving room to enter and exit. Image Credit: Air France, Air France Seats B777. You may undergo a schedule change that switches you from one to the other. Sure the soft product and food on the partner airlines is better (although the service and food are slightly worse on VS or at best no better than DL) but not drastically so. These newest seats convert to a 2 metres (6.5 feet long) flat bed. Which SkyMiles partners have you flown? I have flown Air France, on the sloped sleeper seats. I would like to go to both Rome and London at some point, so it will probably be either Virgin Atlantic or Alitalia (Although I would also like to visit Amsterdam and Paris). Air France also has a better rebooking offer (generally free) than Delta, it's a covid era offering. There's also the overlooked Air Europa for Skyteam although there may be a good reason why they are overlooked Nice article! Your email address will not be published. However, this doesnt apply to Basic Economy fares. Professional and attentive, the service on Air France business cabins is great. Whether to relax or get some work done, the new Business seat boasts new features to enhance your travel experience: 17.3-inch 4K screen, noise . SU (Aeroflot) is another option for Europe. Its a multi-course experience, beginning with starter options like vegetable salad, bread rolls with French butter, seafood, or Foie gras. Thank you for this informative and well narrated post. If lounges are important to you, its hard to do better in business class than the Virgin Clubhouses. If you pre-ordered, the attendants will confirm that your orders are loaded. Delta cabins are as comfortable as they come. KLM doesn't operate the 787 yet at the moment, but when they do (the inaugural is in late october), they'll have the Zodiac seats on board - the same as the new AF product, in 1-2-1. Although, I've found most of their flight attendants to be bored and uninterested (or as Lucky says, they are "going through the motions.") What seats are available and what are they next to. @ Sergey -- I actually haven't flow Aeroflot yet. Does Air France give preference to their own FF members and those that booked with them, as far as allowing seat assignment choices? Inside is a multitude of seating spaces, from individual chairs to loungers, couches, and recliners. You can expect a width of 21 inches and a pitch of 77 to 78 inches, providing plenty of room to lounge and sleep. Should Parc des Princes Become An Official Travel Attraction? if you do some Google, Air France's premium econ seats are pretty well reviled. Top Line Scoring of the Best Business Class IFE. The airlines cancellation policy entails that the tickets fare conditions determine flight cancellation. As maddening as the program is, we probably redeem more Delta miles fortransatlantic tripsthan any of the other major programs, so SkyMiles can certainly come in handy. Posts: 97,896. If youre looking at travel between North America andEurope, SkyMiles are still one of the best options once you factor in availability and overall cost. Anyone have experience with either or both of them? I know my preference but that is only one factor in the selection. People discount Delta because the lack of "prestige" airline partners like Lufthansa, Cathay, Singapore, Emirates, the perceived lack of availability of premium award space, and a previously broke award calendar. Air France Business Class Dining. Definitely a consideration when looking at your overall routing. Their Delta One business class is a premium cabin with excellent seats and plenty of storage. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Wonderful posts and responses. For those that have flown is their a major. Featured user comments Read user reviews for Air France Boeing 787-9 (789) Submitted by SeatGuru User on 2020/01/19 for Seat 12J Onboard Entertainment: Air France offers 500 hours of on-demand video programming, including classic and current movies, foreign films, concerts, documentaries and TV series, plus a variety of music channels and games. You can expect great service from the staff and crew. It had a great amount of thoughtful detail clearly explained. Tiffany - I have lots of AA miles, and lots of Chase Ultimate Rewards, SPG miles. Air France recently refinished all its business class cabins in its Airbus A330s. AF main meal leaving Paris was excellent but the smaller one prior to landing was odd. I have no idea what model planes, but I found them all to be very uncomfortable (both the seats themselves as ell as the space) and the crew (ground and air) less friendly than Delta. I mean, look at these bowls: KLM business class breakfast bowls. She said she had used AAdvantage miles because she travels a lot for work. If you are skyteam elite/plus and you notice that Air France sells 'light' fares and a standard fare that both are listed as having 'no skypriority benefits', don't worry about that. Fortunately, Business Class Experts is able to find you affordable airfare as low as $2,700/ticket so you can travel in comfort without breaking the bank. Wonderful posts and responses. The service and food on the return 777 was awful. Just head to the Delta App or your booking, and choose from the various options of mains, drinks, and dessert. delta flies the airbus A330 and AF the airbus A350. The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered. They both hang up your coat. I want to go back to South Africa again, and would happily use KLM, but options seemed to be better for VS, ergo my seeking out this site. You can still (usually) earn towards status when flying partners. Image Credit: Delta Air Lines, Delta Air Lines Delta One Business Class Overview. As a business class passenger, you get priority check-in and boarding, allowing you to zip through long economy lines. Meals aboard Air France are noteworthy, both in presentation and taste. While Delta doesn't quite have the foreign flair of any of these 4, it does have good seats on all aircraft, very good catering (great on certain premium routes like JFK and ATL to LHR, CDG, AMS and FRA), and the rest of the soft product is very good as well. I flew British Airways to Paris in business class with my wife and daughter. I generally shop by price and fly main cabin, so in the big picture, it doesn't matter. On the seat are a few goodies waiting for you. Air Frances drinks menu is also extensive with premium liquor, an excellent wine list, cocktails, beer, as well as champagne. Air France and KLM booking classes are organized first by cabin. The airline was recently ranked second among the worlds largest airlines by the number of scheduled passengers carried, fleet size, and revenue passenger-kilometers flown. That is why it is hard to ask people for their opinions about airlines. Watch out for the AF aircraft with 2-3-2 seating in business class. So, does everyone discount DL because there's no availability? Air France has La Premire, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy. Absolutely correct. (Old rule was that the credit is valid for one year from the date of original purchase of the tickets.) The newer cabins are more stylish and now feature sliding doors to give guests absolute privacy. @ bobbieddie -- What miles do you have at present? It was a combination of a horrible catering choice (Lentil salad at the beginning of a 9 hour flight) and an inconsiderate person in front of me who put his chair on recline for the entire time. Seriously, though, Tiffany-- fantastic post. Not to derail the thread, but Kerouacs timeline is obviously his own individual one. If youre actuallygoing to London, then Virgin is a great choice (probably the best choice when redeeming Delta miles). The second meal, or breakfast, is served an hour or so before landing. If you prefer using your own devices, there are USB and charging ports within easy reach. time because they are twice as expensive on my route. Air France A350-900 routes. I could go on but you get the drift. Maybe it's the esthetiques. The best seats are typically the ones that have the most legroom and are located near the aisle. My husband and I have status on Delta but are flying Air France and Virgin Atlantic on two different itineraries this year. Is the flight just sold-out on miles, or is Delta hiding non-Delta inventory? Next comes Delta at 2.76/3. These were miles I already had sitting in my account from a cancelled trip Austin - Amsterdam roundtrip at the start of the pandemic. Alitalia is poised to get some hand-me-downs a makeover from Etihad, which will result in a more stylish cabin, Wi-Fi, and some updates to the catering. I don't remember Delta offering the champagne. My preferred airline is Delta. I was unceremoniously rebooked into a middle seat on a777 leaving three hours later. Image Credit: Delta. Moreover, a rowdy group of AF non-rev people were having a party, and they did not invite me. Delta also offers about 1000 hours of free entertainment, including TV series and movies, via the Delta Studio system. We went through some bumpy skies, especially over the equator, and it was refreshing not to be awakened with seat belt announcements, which are common on Delta. So the comment about IROPS with AF turns out to align with my experience. Along with its subsidiaries and regional affiliates, the airline operates more than 5,400 flights every day. To upgrade from a lower class of service, such . It is headquartered in Tremblay-en-France and is a subsidiary of the Air-France-KLM Group. I am (most unhappily) seated in such a section on an AF from ATL to CDG tonight. If Air France is Fashion Week, Virgin Atlantic is Spring Break. If you are on a long-haul flight, you will be served complimentary champagne and drinks in every class. Plus, this month only, enroll in my FREE 5 lesson course that has helped others book over $4MM+ every year in free travel using points. I prefer Delta's business class, though. The current Air France promo that provides for refundability of the ticket price is only for flights through June 30, 2022. Id pay more to enjoy nonstop flights. I also love how KLM has continued their pre-deregulation tradition of giving passengers a last drink on the house. If you thought the dishes were fun. She called the Executive Platinum line to make the bookings (and she did it on the first call!). Aboard the Boeing 777-200 and certain 777-300, the seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 layout. The 777 is older. On occasion, you might spot high-end toiletries stocked here. This is one of those times where knowing what type of plane you're flying in is important. God help you if you ever experience any disruptions or IRROPS on Air Franceas soon as anything deviates from the 'norm'/going by the book they do not have a CLUE. Delta offers convenient center seats with adjustable privacy dividers for traveling with your spouse or partner. Some have 2 while others may have 3. Maybe a different aircraft may make the difference, but I doubt it. Although I tried their Prem Econ onboard the 777 it's kind of better in terms that it is cheaper, you still get champagne, entertainment, and a seat that reclines well for a day flight (or night if you are like my wife who can only sleep in an airplane seat of its in the nearly upright position.) To make your sleep extra cozy, you also get Coz-z-z pillows and thick blankets. Both seat styles though come with plentiful storage space including a reading light, power outlet and side table. Rest of Europe I'd say KLM because of the better seats than AF (though I'd say AF once refurbishment is completed), the strong regional network (especially in Scandinavia and the UK), Schiphol being a better airport than CDG and FCO combined and tge Delft houses which are a reason to fly in itself. Or is that a gay thing like Lucky Ben and The Points Guy? Delta vs Air France 4 years ago Save My family is considering a trip to Paris in August. I am (most unhappily) seated in such a section on an AF from ATL to CDG tonight. Premium Economy: Price. Your companion can drink dine with you. Nicks photo of Air France business, which makes it look much nicer than it actually is. While we do try to list all the best miles and points deals, the site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. Just a small tip of advice: do NOT fly AF B. Its going to make your trip extra comfortable thanks to its fully private doors, spacious legroom, and stylish design. Economy vs. On every flight, you have the option of watching a wide variety of movies from English to French to Spanish. A white tablecloth is laid out first a simple but often overlooked touch in other business class cabins. @RakSiam the DL 767s aren't great compared to their A330s. @ RakSiam @Bgriff -- Oh, absolutely, and Delta has a very nice business class as well! I've flown both airlines in business. All seats on Delta One Business Class lie flat. For messaging on Facebook or WhatsApp, its free. That hasn't been do-able when I'm on a KLM or Air France flight, even when the flights were booked through Delta. Join Date: Sep 2009. Youll find hundreds of movies, television shows, music, podcasts, and even Live TV on their 18.5-inch monitor. Swiss recently added the Boeing 777 to its fleet, which features a re-designed cabin interior with top comfort and visual appeal in all three classes. Has anyone recently. The brand of goodies in the goody bag differs, AF being Clarins. Delta One business class guests receive top priority when it comes to ground services. Food is served over white tablecloths in real ceramic dishes and silverware. Anyway, back to KLM, I found the FAs to be extremely pleasant, knowledgeable, and eager to keep the passengers happy. Image Credit: Delta Air Lines. Relax in privacy on selected aircraft Delta puts privacy front and centre on its newest and newly-refurbished aircraft, offering a sliding privacy door at your modern business class suite. Air France and Delta Air offer two of the most premium business cabins flying in the air today. Business Class is found mostly on international routes and planes that are configured for long-haul travel. Its followed by a cheese plate. I would easily choose to fly DL business class over AF, LH or BA business class. I guess that means no status next year. DLOne has fflatbed seats, good food /service. Perhaps not as impressive. So probably an even better product then the current New World Business Class. I may buck the trend here, but I HATED Virgin Atlantic. KLM offersfull-flat seats in their World Business Class, which is found on their 747 , 777, and 787 aircraft. Your personal space serves as an office, restaurant, entertainment lounge and bedroom. Their crappy old planes, the seat layout where you cannot look out the windows so you spend your time staring at another person because you are angled facing that person, the truly awful meals for a business class product. They serve meals and drinks from a cart to help speed things along. This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity. Have fun in Aukland and I hope you enjoy your trip as much as I did! Everyones intestinal process is their own and varied greatly. It also has a solid IFE and quality soft service. All my recent Air France transatlantic business flights have been in a Boeing 777, not the A350. (Just a tip, the cappuccino is excellent!). Theyve partnered with Someone Somewhere, a Mexico-based brand. Frankly DL's reverse herringbone business class on their A330 (which is used on many US-Europe routes) is probably only surpassed by the new AF Business Class. Being AF I expect good food but I will be skipping that trying to sleep. But while Virgin Atlantic partners withDelta, they arent a SkyTeam member. We earn Skymiles when we book on Delta even when the flight is on a partner airline, but I believe that if you book directly with the partner airline, you don't. I loved this post! I arrived at the boarding gate for CDG-LAX while the A380 was still there, but I was told I was too late and nothing could be done. I personally prefer Delta overall. I have flown DL pretty much exclusively the past decade or so, but just returned from four long flights on KLM -- LAX-AMS-CPT-AMS-JFK -- and was extremely happy with the experience. Depending on the aircraft, guests will get slightly different seats. I did find that, for all hour KLM flights, my stranger-seatmates were delightful. A points consultant is the right person to talk to if you want to experience luxury travel for cheap! The new partnership provides customers with more convenient flight schedules and a shared goal of ensuring a smooth and consistent travel experience, whichever airline people fly. On long-haul flights, the Surf Pass costs 8 Euros ($8.55). Image Credit: Air France. Wonderful posts and responses. All of the seats are forward facing and upholstered with striking blue leather fabric with diamond stitching detail. This has been managed by both Air France and KLM. What really impressed me, though, is that KLM turns off the seat belt light upon reaching cruising altitude and does not turn it back on until final approach. Air France offers one of the most prestigious and luxurious cabins in the air right, the Air France La Premiere. 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy. Answer 11 of 15: I have not flown to France in years and now doing my homework. Direct return to LAX. To create a full experience, Delta provides headphones to go with the entertainment system. While Delta also has fantastic seats, Air Frances new seats on their business cabin have the added edge of being beautifully chic! Planes depend on the flight. If youre lucky enough to grab the new seats, please do. Air France and Delta are outstanding airlines that have gotten their business product down to pat. It's much better :-). The Delta One business class cabin is made for business travelers and anyone who wants to be comfortable during their travels. The fuel surcharges can be a bummer on Virgin, but the others are pretty reasonable. The new product only has four seats across. The kit contains an eye mask, ear plugs, Clarins lotion, Clarins lip balm, a toothbrush with toothpaste, and socks. We noticed the there are two business class options from Atlanta nonstop to Paris. 6 Things You Should Know About Surfing Before Heading Out In The Ocean, 6 Awesome Travel Locations For All Golf Lovers, Essential Camping Equipment Everyone Needs, Useful Tips That Will Make Your Next Outdoor Adventure More Exciting, Hot Air Balloon Rides in Paris: Why You Should Take One, South of France Money-Saving Tips for Students, What To Do On a Romantic Weekend in Paris, Where to Eat the Best American Food in Paris, How to Host the Perfect French Dinner Party, 4 Cities in France That Are Perfect for Shopping, Marketing your Travel Website or Holiday Home: Tips and Tricks, The Best Travel Bags For Your Next Holiday In France, Why the Transport System of Paris is One of the Best, Paris Travel Blog: The Ultimate Paris Travel Guide, Must-Experience: 3 Fabulous Flower Festivals in France, Study in France: What Books I Read in College.