Air France Opens Expanded Business Class Lounge in Paris
Air France's Terminal 2E lounge has expanded to a third floor, with a new "petit salon" and exclusive area for Flying Blue Ultimate travelers
Photo: Courtesy of Air France
A lavish renovation of Air France’s Business Class Lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) has given SkyTeam business-class travelers and elites an even chicer place to unwind before their long-haul flights.
The lounge has expanded to an additional floor in CDG’s Terminal 2E Hall K, the departure point for many of Air France’s transcontinental flights. The additional 9,700 square feet takes the lounge’s footprint to a gigantesque 30,100 square feet across three stories.
The Lounge
Air France is making good use of the extra floor space. Not only can the lounge now accommodate 45 percent more guests, but it’s also packed with more amenities. The new third floor offers a “petit salon,” a quiet space ideal for reading or resting. The adjacent work area combines individual tables with co-working spaces and a meeting room, meeting the needs of everyone from freelancers to traveling teams.
Photo: Courtesy of Air France
The lounge has also gained a dedicated space for travelers who have achieved coveted Ultimate status in Air France’s Flying Blue loyalty program. The exclusive lounge-within-a-lounge offers restaurant-style dining and panoramic views of the runway.
Photo: Courtesy of Air France
The interiors have also been given a facelift, with a “refined, chic“ design from Air France and SGK Brandimage. The design is rendered in the airline’s signature colors—blue hues, bright white, and pops of red—with oak wood and champagne-colored metal. Air France’s logo, the winged seahorse, is also featured in the design, alongside posters depicting the airline’s heritage and advertising current routes.
Photo: Courtesy of Air France
Air France is keen to make an impression on all of its guests’ senses, including smell. Through the lounge’s entrance wafts the airline’s new signature fragrance, AF001, crafted by French master perfumer Francis Kurkgjian. It’s a musky scent, combining jasmine, rose, and mimosa from southern France.
Food and Beverage
Each of the lounge’s multiple dining areas offers “a refined French dining experience.” Menus change throughout the day and incorporate hot and cold and sweet and savory dishes, including ample vegetarian options (not a given in France!).
Photo: Courtesy of Air France
In April, highlighted beef cheek piperade and fish fillet with lemon sauce. Famed restaurant Ducasse Paris has produced dishes for the buffet, including a salad with the restaurant’s signature dressing, a mango and passion fruit dessert, and chef Alain Ducasse’s plant-based burger, the “Burgal.”
Photo: Courtesy of Air France
Following Air France’s “eco-responsible“ policy, the catering prioritizes local and seasonal products and strives to limit food waste.
Amenities
To refresh, travelers can swing by the lounge’s mini spa, powered by French cosmetics brand Clarins, a long-time Air France partner.
Photo: Courtesy of Air France
In a private booth, they can sample complimentary revitalizing plant-based facial treatments, including “goodbye dry skin,” “revitalizing youth booster,” “healthy glow,” and “beauty in a flash.” The lounge also offers shower cubicles, which are open throughout the day.
Other perks include loungers offering “bed-like comfort“ and the airport lounge standards: free Wi-Fi, electric and USB sockets at every seat, and local and international newspapers.
How to Access?
The lounge is open daily from 5:30 AM to 11:30 PM. Eligible guests can enter through an entrance kiosk.
To access, you must be:
- Flying in business class on an Air France long-haul flight or a shorter departure outside the Schengen Area
- Flying in a comparable class with a SkyTeam partner, such as Delta
- Be a SkyTeam Elite Plus member
Photo: Courtesy of Air France
The renovated lounge is just part of Air France’s recent investment in premium travel. Last month, the airline unveiled its new La Première first-class suites, offering a private-jet experience aboard select Boeing 777-300ERs. Each of the four suites spans five windows and 38 square feet. Overhead bins have been removed and replaced with a sliding drawer for carry-on luggage, giving each suite an airy feel.
The French flag carrier is also sprucing up the lie-flat seats in its international business class, adding mattress pads from the luxury hotel chain Sofitel.
