Everything you need to learn about Air France Airlines

Introduction

Air France operates scheduled passenger and cargo services worldwide on a regular and seasonal basis to over two hundred destinations and airports. Flying as France's flag carrier, the airline is based at Tremblay-en-France. The airline is also known as one of the members that founded the Skyteam Alliance. As of 2023, Air France has transported over 95 million passengers and serves 100 countries. The airline is also known for its sustainable development and practices, and it has reduced 30% of carbon emissions per passenger per km compared to 2019. Get a deep understanding of Air France's services, facilities, classes, booking process, and essential policies that help you get the most out of your travel on this page. 

Air France Types of Fare Classes.

Air France has four kinds of cabins or classes in its fleet. Generally, medium- or short-haul fleets have three classes, but long-haul fleets have cabins that offer both quality and leisure, which justifies the cost.

• First Class (La Première): A completely immersive experience on selected routes, and you can have unforgettable moments with Air France First Class, which they call La Première. A private driver will take you to the airport, and you get personalized welcome greetings and airport assistance from the staff handling your boarding check-in and others. Enjoy wellness and relaxation in the VIP lounge, meals from the Master chefs, sit or sleep in the La Première suite, and more. 
• Business class: Get the benefits of flying in business class on Air France by resting in the airport lounge. The next perk is the business class seat, a full flat bed offering direct access to the center, and is entirely private. A world-class dining experience with endless entertainment and an amenity kit, keeping you hygienic and comfortable.
• Premium class: This class includes everything you get in the economy but a lot of premium experiences. In the Air France premium cabin, you can find a noise-reducing headset, a reading lamp, a touchscreen for entertainment, and an amenity kit. Some premium benefits include free check-in with SkyPriority and extra baggage allowances depending on elite status.
• Economy class: Available on almost all of Air France's fleet, economy class is the lowest class of service, mainly focused on budget travelers. It consists of a seat made of genuine leather and breathable fabric, and it includes USB ports, a tray table, and drink holders with adjustable armrests. In-flight dining and entertainment are included on long-haul flights.

Air France Services & facilities

• Air France Elite Lounge: Air France has VIP lounges at various airports where travelers can enjoy world-class service before departure. Lounges offer a world-class dining experience, with a wellness and relaxation session filled with luxury, complementary assistance, and connectivity. 

• Entertainment: All the fleet seats have a large screen for entertainment throughout the journey. Travelers can watch movies, shows, music, games, and more with multilingual support. In-flight entertainment is included with Air France's ticket, so enjoy as much as you can, and you don't have to pay any extra. 
• Internet and connectivity: Now, passengers don't have to get bored because they can chat with their favorite people throughout the journey with the Message Pass, where texting is free. High-speed wifi for streaming and surfing is allowed and comes with prepaid plans for selected fleets.
• Air France Mobile App: Install the Air France mobile application to access all Air France services. 
• Families and children: Air France can help families and children sit together so that they can enjoy their trip fully. 
• Unaccompanied minors: For little travelers, Air France allows unaccompanied travelers to travel solo, go above the sky, and roam around the world. The crew staff will make them feel like a family. 
• Pregnant Women: If you are pregnant and want to travel, Air France will ensure that everything is perfect to ensure a safe and comfortable travel experience for you and your child. 
• Senior travelers: all senior travelers can easily get discounts or baggage benefits on Air France, making an easy and comfortable air travel experience. Senior passengers can have seats specially reserved for them.

Air France Hubs

Air France is based mainly at two airports in Paris, France, where it controls most domestic and international operations. 

• Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG): This hub focuses more on international flight operations. 
• Orly Airport (ORY): This hub is the primary focus of domestic flight services, with a majority of its focus on routes to Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Nantes, and Toulouse. 

Top international destinations of Air France 

Air France offers more than 150 international flight services connecting the world. Air France also offers connecting flights and has partnered with other airlines to offer service on more travel routes. Below is a list of some of the most popular international destinations where Air France operates services and people love to go.

• Amsterdam---Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
• Rome---Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
• London---London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
• Vienna---Vienna International Airport (VIE)
• Toronto---Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
• Prague---Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG)
• Berlin---Berlin Airport (BER)
• Athens---Athens International Airport (ATH)
• Cairo---Cairo International Airport (CAI)
• Mauritius---Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU)
• Delhi---Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)

Air France loyalty program - Flying Blue

You pay for a flight but don't earn any rewards; Air France does not let you go empty-handed. With its loyalty program, Air France offers generous perks and benefits that make loyal customers feel special. They call it Flying Blue, and with that, any traveler can easily earn Miles depending on how much they spend on airfare and use their services. Not only the miles, but Air France also gives XP (Experience Points) and more generous perks to each level of tier status. A loyalty program for a traveler is valid for a lifetime; however, you must take a flight trip with Air France once every 2 years. 

Status and benefits:

• Flying Blue Explorer: Each year, you can earn up to 100 XP and earn 4 miles for each Euro you spend on Air France, and when you earn over 100 XP, move up to Silver Tier. 
• Flying Blue Silver: Earn 6 miles & Euro Spent and maintain at least 100XP. Enjoy priority check-in, free seat selection, extra baggage, and more. Gain 180XP or more to the next tier. 
• Flying Blue Gold: Earn 7 miles & Euro spent and free access to SkyTeam lounges with upgraded benefits of Silver tiers. Gain 300 XP and more to the next tier. 
• Flying Blue Platinum: Earn 8 miles & Euro spent and Global Youngs access with SkyPriority. Get an exclusive Platinum Service Line 24*7, two extra baggage allowances, and all the benefits of gold status. 

How to join it?

• Go to the Air France official travel information page and find the Flying Blue option. 

• Hit the signup button and complete the Air France membership signup process. 
• After that, go to the member account and enroll in Flying Blue. 
• You may need to upload documents and wait for the airline to verify them. 
• Once done. You can easily enjoy the benefits. 

Air France Booking Process

Flight booking on Air France can be done by going to its official site or using the mobile application. You can also connect with the reservation team at the airport or make a phone call. The fastest way to make bookings with Air France is online, and you can also select seats by accessing the available seats on the plane yourself. Let's learn how you can book a seat.

• You must browse wwws.airfrance.fr and visit its official booking site.
• You can find the reservations tab on the screen and initiate a flight search by choosing one-way, round-trip, or Multi-city trips.
• Provide your departure and arrival stations, travel date, the number of passengers, and the fare class. 
• When you do a flight search, depending on your requirements, the system will show you a flight with vacant seats. 
• Choose your flight from the list and follow the booking process reset shown on the screen.
• After completing the booking process, you must review the details you have filled out and then pay the fare cost.
• Use different payment options to complete the flight payment.
• Your Air France flight ticket has been successfully booked.

Air France Flight Change or Cancellation Policy?

Travelers who have booked a flight with Air France need to learn about change or cancellation because plan changes can occur at any time, and it is better to be prepared for that. Air France has one of the most flexible change or cancellation guidelines among its peers, and you can learn it online by visiting their help page. You can read the major highlights of their flight change or cancellation policy below this line.

• You can cancel or change your flight anytime using online and offline methods if you do not wish to travel with Air France.
• Tickets purchased via a third party require the respective company or agent for change or cancellation.
• There will be a cost for modifying or canceling a ticket on Air France. 
• Flight modification or cancellation after check-in or flight departure is not allowed on Air France.
• If the change or cancellation is not made within 24 hours of booking, then Air France may not offer you a full refund. 
• To be eligible for a full refund, change or cancel the flight within the risk-free period and ensure the flight has a departure after seven days of booking. 
• Only changeable or cancellable fares are allowed for cancellation. 

Air France Flight Change or Cancellation Process

Here is the Air France flight change & cancellation process, which is elaborated in easy-to-understand steps.

• Go to the Air France website to manage your booking.
• Provide the flight details and select your desired Air France flight to cancel it.
• Go to the flight change & cancellation option as shown and proceed with the on-screen process.
• It may ask you to pay the change & cancellation fee and provide a reason for cancellation.
• Lastly, if the system finds that you meet the criteria, your change or cancellation will be made, and you will soon receive a confirmation. 

Air France Refund Policy

Many travelers have found the Air France refund process enjoyable and easy. They have a flexible refund policy. You must remember some essential things regarding the refund criteria and guidelines. 

• If you booked your ticket between October 2024 and December 6, 2024, you will receive a refund for the ticket cancellation. 
• You're entitled to a refund if your flight ticket originates and ends in France.
• You can easily request a refund if your flight's departure date is later than January 1, 2025. 
• You can request a refund for flight cancellations and delays.
• All fares may be entitled to a refund; only the refundable fares are. 
• For flights that are delayed for over 3 hours, passengers can demand refunds.
• The flight was canceled due to any operational failure or any reason where Air France caused the delay. 
• You may get a refund when Air France cancels a flight, but only if the airline controls the factors. 
• No refunds will be given if the cancellation or delay is caused by weather or natural phenomena beyond the airline's control. 
• To get a refund for your canceled flight, you must make sure that you purchased your ticket from the authentic Air France platform.
• The refund amount is not fixed because it varies based on various factors, such as the fare route and the time of cancellation. 

Air France Seat Upgrade

Travelers on Air France who need to change their selected seats can opt for the upgraded seat option and get an upgraded flight experience. Upgrading to a higher class can be requested online or offline on Air France. The seat upgrade options on Air France are given below. 

• Upgrading Seat with Miles: People on Air France can upgrade seats anytime they wish, simply by using their miles points, and get a seat reservation on the plane. Miles that they have earned as a bonus, using miles can help them get a free seat upgrade. 
• Upgrading Seat with Cash: This option is used by nonmembers of the Air France loyalty program who are willing to upgrade their seats. One can easily use a credit or debit card to pay for the seat and earn extra rewards. 

Seat upgrade process of Air France

• Go to the Air France official site or open the mobile app.

• Find the My Trips to access the Manage My Booking page.
• Kindly enter your flight ticket details, like PNR or the traveler's last name.
• Look for the seat and then choose the upgrade option. 
• Once you choose, look for the seat option and tap to upgrade it.
• Follow the instructions displayed, and your seat upgrade will be completed.

Guidelines for seat upgrade or Air France

• Passengers can get a flight upgrade refund if they cancel their flight ticket or the airline doesn't honor the seat upgrade service. 

• Except for the short haul, seat upgrades are only allowed for long-haul and medium-haul flights. 
• Flight upgrades are available only for the fares of Air France's Economy, Premium Economy, and Business Class cabins.
• Sadly, when you go for a flight upgrade on Air France, the service is non-negotiable, non-exchangeable, and non-changeable. 
• Seat upgrades can be made using travel or miles points, which vary for every ticket on Air France based on the route and fare type. 
• Due to limited availability, upgrading at the last minute may not be possible for all passengers; only elite-class passengers have a winning edge. However, upgrading at the last minute would be non-refundable. 

Air France Group booking?

Group booking on Air France can help you make reservations for 10 or more 10 passengers under a single itinerary. Group travel on Air France is cheap when you pay the cost per person. It also gives several offers and perks that may not be available on individual ticket reservations. Keep in mind that group booking is different from standard individual booking. You must request the airline to reserve several seats at least 2 months before the departure so that the airline can make arrangements as per your needs. You can make group reservations online by filling out a group booking form, emailing a request, or contacting the Air France team over the phone or at the airport.

Air France Group Booking Process

Here's how to easily book your Air France group by following the steps.

• You can browse https://wwws.airfrance.fr to reach its official website. 
• You will see the reservation section, where you can complete your trip details. While entering the number of passengers, you can select the "Book for 10+ passengers" option.
• It will take you to the Air France group booking page, or visit the "https://wwws.airfrance.fr/en/group-travel" page. 
• Fill out your travel information in every field of the group travel form and click "Send My Request."
• An Air France executive will contact you and help you make the reservation. 

Air France Pet Policy

Air France allows traveling with your little companions. Here is what you must keep in consideration.

• You must keep the pet in its kennel throughout the journey. You must keep them under your seat.
• Pet dogs and cats are allowed; no other animals or restricted species of dogs and cats are allowed.
• Pets, including their carrier, must weigh 6kg/13.2 lbs or less. Pets weighing over the limit will be checked as luggage. 
• The max weight limit is 75 kg or 165.3 lbs; otherwise, it may be restricted from flying. 
• The pet's vaccination must be completed, and the pet should be 8 weeks old.
• If you are carrying your pet on board, the size of the kennel or pet carrier should not exceed 17inx12inx8in, 18inx11inx11in, or 20inx12inx12in.
• In-hold kennel size should not exceed 21inx16inx15in, 27inx20inx19in, and 32inx22inx23in.
• Ensure your kennel is leak-proof, has enough ventilation, and has room for your pet to roll, stand, sit, and turn around. It is made of fiberglass or rigid plastic with absorbent litter. 

Air France Name and date of birth change

Most passengers want to book in a rush to have their choice of seat, but they unknowingly make mistakes while entering their names. For such cases, Air France offers a name correction service that can be done online, by contacting the Air France customer service, or at the airport ticket counter. You can easily make that possible if you want to correct a misspelled letter in your name or have a legal name change. Similarly, if the date of birth is incorrect, you can change it. For any such changes, Air France needs documents as proof for verification, plus a change fee. The best you can do is email them where you are appealing for the name correction or change as needed. Call their customer service telephone number if you want to speak with the Air France agent about the name correction & change or date of birth change. 

Additionally, below are some important things to keep in mind when contacting Air France-

• When attaching your government-issued ID to the email, be sure to hide your photo.
• Hide your Social Security number as well.
• You must show your passport number to Air France for verification purposes. 

Important guidelines.

• Name and date of birth can only be changed if the flight number starts with 057.
• When you correct your name, your flight ticket will be reissued.
• The name can be changed as many times as needed, but each time, there will be a fee for the re-issuance of the ticket.
• It is important to upload a valid document as proof of the change of name or date of birth, and it must be government-approved. 
• If your name is misspelled, it will be considered under the name correction process. If the whole name is incorrect, it would be considered under the name change process, depending on the request type.
• The name change request is subject to the availability of seats in the fare class because it consists of canceling the first ticket and booking with the correct name procedure, in which you may have to compromise on the seats.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are Air France flights usually the cheapest?

There are no fixed days, but booking at least three to five months before departure would be the cheapest and most reliable option. 

Does Air France offer free wifi?

Yes. Air France offers free Wi-Fi to selected business or first-class travelers. However, people can also use Wi-Fi by purchasing a pass. 

What rating does Air France have?

Skytrax has given Air France 4-star ratings for its quality of services, cleanliness, IFE, catering, staff, and crew members, among other things.

Can I change my seat on Air France after departure?

No seat change is allowed on Air France once the flight has departed for its destination. 

When can I get a full refund on Air France?

Air France offers a full refund when the cancellation meets the full refund eligibility criteria. If you cancel within 24 hours, the ticket is refundable, or the airline makes the cancellation.