Air France is betting on a strong recovery in the transatlantic travel market, planning for nearly 200 weekly flights between the U.S. and Paris in its summer schedule.
Air France Ramps Up U.S. Summer 2022 Schedule
Outside of France itself, Air France offers more seats to the USA than any other nation. It has has gradually scaled up operations over the last few months and currently operates about 90% of its U.S. schedule compared to 2019.
In the weeks ahead, however, Air France plans to add additional flights, including:
- Resumption of New York (JFK) to Paris Orly (ORY) service on March 27, 2022
- Resumption of Dallas (DFW) to Paris Roissy (CDG) service on March 27, 2022
- Launch of seasonal service between Denver (DEN) and Pairs (CDG) on May 4, 2022
By the summer travel season, Air France plans close to 200 weekly flights, representing a 20% increase over transatlantic U.S. flights in 2019.
Air France 2022 U.S. Gateways
By this summer, Air France will serve the following U.S. cities:
- Atlanta (ATL)
- Boston (BOS)
- Chicago (ORD)
- Dallas (DFW)
- Denver (DEN)
- Detroit (DTW)
- Houston (IAH)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Miami (MIA)
- Minneapolis (MSP)
- New York (JFK)
- San Francisco (SFO)
- Seattle (SEA)
- Washington D.C (IAD)
Air France has a longhaul fleet that includes Boeing 777 and 787 as well as Airbus A330 and A350 aircraft.
Through February 28, 2022 Air France tickets carry no changes fees and are refundable to a voucher for travel that occurs up to June 30, 2022. With the new BA.2 subvairant of omicron seemingly evading vaccines, Air France should consider extending that waiver if it wants consumers to lock in travel now rather than taking a “wait and see” approach.
CONCLUSION
Air France is throwing its weight behind a robust U.S. travel recovery this summer, planning 200 weekly flights and a 20% increase in flights compared to 2019. The carrier will return to Paris Orly from New York next month, re-launch service to Dallas, and then re-launch Denver service later in the spring.
With KLM, Delta and Virgin it’s interesting to watch them quietly looking like the most powerful alliance across the Atlantic. Which makes me curious, of the three alliances which now actually has the largest market share between the U.S. and Europe? It must be neck and neck between Sky Team and Star Alliance.
Was looking for some potential summer Europe trips, and fares are still sky high. Hoping to see more border openings and more flights (all 3 alliances please) so we can see some competition and reasonable fares.
Air France service to Denver is a resumption. They flew it last summer. It’s not a launch.
Nor is Denver new service. They launched it summer 2021. This is a seasonal resumption.
I heard you the first time.
I have a business class saver award RT (55K FB miles each way) for June. When you can get those saver awards, AF is one of my favorite airlines for TATL Good food, good service, good lounges.
I agree, Air France is often one of the best redemptions out there for off peak award pricing. I find the cabins and service to be overall better than Lufthansa. The Amex partnership makes them a good choice when Aeroplan has nothing more convenient or F in LH.
Also, a hidden trick, they will allow you to “buy up” from your business booking using a redemption to Le Premiere. It’s around $1K from the U.S. east coast and an incredible experience that rivals, probably surpasses, LH. Just ask at check-in.
I’ve done that, and I agree it is a neat experience. I think those buy-ups are only available when flying to CDG, not out of CDG, which is too bad.
Ah, explains why it’s never available out of CDG. I have asked there and received a blank stare, lol. But out of Dulles it’s almost always available when I have flown out. Often even proactively offered.
BA does that out of IAD, too, for a lower price of around $600 pre-COVID. For the Concorde dining room, it is a very good price for international F. Though they don’t have an agent walk you to the lounge like AF does. Which always seemed a little awkward, having to make small talk.
Oh, and when connecting through LHR, you can use the LHR Concorde lounge, including cabanas. I think AF does that for F connecting at CDG as well, but have not done that.
@Arthur, Yes, I have done it with BA as well both ways. It’s even cheaper and typically comes in around $700.00. Though the product of course is only marginally better than Club World. I have actually done it on a redemption though some say that they have been turned down for it on redemption flights. However, I had no problem with it on two occasions.
I have not taken advantage as of yet but there are a lot of reports that Swiss is also doing it now.
“..With the new BA.2 subvairant of omicron seemingly evading vaccines..”
Lol, do the variants have variants now?
Apparently…
Air France will do well with their new flights to the US this summer.