Both Air France and SWISS offer exclusive first class products. Which overall product is better? Today I compare the 777-300 experience on both airlines.
If you’re interested in reading complete flight reviews, I’ve carefully reviewed both products below:
- SWISS 777-300ER First Class Zurich to Los Angeles Review
- Air France 777-300ER First Class Los Angeles To Paris Review
I’ll compare the first class products on the following metrics:
- Check-In
- Lounge
- Boarding
- Seats
- Bedding
- Food
- Drink
- Amenity Kits
- Pajamas
- Lavatory
- IFE
- Onboard Service
- Ground Service
Check-In
Both airlines provide dedicated first class check-in facilities. SWISS recently opened a new facility in Zurich, with a private security checkpoint connected to the A-Gates First Class lounge. While Air France will provide an escort from the check-in counter to the lounge, you are on your own with SWISS. Both airlines offer chauffeured car service to select passengers, though neither publishes explicitly details about this service (instead, inviting you to call the first class hotline).
Winner: Air France (because you will be assigned an escort immediately)
Lounge
Both airlines offer tremendous lounges that shine in unique ways. The E-Gates SWISS First Class Lounge in Zurich is gorgeous. With natural light, subtle colors, and tarmac views it win the beauty award by far. But this premier SWISS lounge also offers private hotel-like sleeping rooms with exquisite Hästens bedding and a superb Swiss-inspired a la carte menu.
Meanwhile, the Air France La Premier Lounge in Paris offers decadent cook-to-order meals, complimentary massages, and plenty of room to stretch out.
Choosing which lounge is better is difficult because service and food in both lounges were so excellent. But the Air France La Premier lounge has terrible coffee while the SWISS lounge offers excellent coffee. That along with the sleeping rooms makes SWISS the better lounge overall.
Winner: SWISS
Boarding
Air France is the clear winner in this category. While Air France offered a chauffeured limousine from the lounge to the aircraft, SWISS did not even notify me it was time to board. If you are hanging out in the SWISS lounge prior to your flight, you on your own…you’ll need to leave on time and find the gate yourself. Meanwhile, a personal attendant in the Air France lounge will be monitoring your flight and approach you when it is time to board.
Winner: Air France
Seats
For purposes of this comparison, I’m sticking to the 777-300. Air France also operates an A380 with an older first class cabin while SWISS operates an A340 with an older first class cabin.
The Air France 777-300 features four seats in first class that include floor-to-ceiling curtains that can be closed after takeoff or for sleeping. Thus, privacy is unparalleled. The seat is extremely comfortable in all positions and there is plenty of personal storage, including in a large drawer underneath the ottoman.
Meanwhile, the SWISS seat is also very comfortable, though less private and a bit odd. In order to close the suite door on SWISS, you need to open the closet. It’s not by any means a bad thing, just not as classy as the Air France seats.
Winner: Air France
Bedding
Both airlines offer plush, soft bedding including a mattress pad, comforter, and multiple pillows.
SWISS:
Air France:
While I slept better in Air France First Class in part due to the cooler cabin temperature, the bedding on both airlines is equally excellent.
Winner: Draw
Food
Both Air France and SWISS provide nuts and a choice of drink prior to takeoff. Air France also offers an amuse bouche.
An elaborate, multi-course meal service is offered by both carriers after takeoff.
The SWISS meal began with an appetizer cart offering a choice of Balik salmon and several Swiss-inspired dishes.
Soup and salad courses followed.
My main course of veal filet was very tasty and offered a great contrast of flavors.
Cheese, dessert, and coffee followed.
Prior to landing, a hot snack was offered. I had meatloaf and quiche.
My Air France meal began with soup.
It was followed by a tasty caviar course.
The main course filet was a bit overcooked but still tasty.
French eat salads after the main course and I enjoyed the best airline salad I’ve ever encountered.
Cheese and dessert followed, with coffee.
Prior to landing, breakfast was served. The waffles were suprerb…a very satisfying meal.
The main course on SWISS was better than Air France, but Air France won in every other category.
You can view the full SWISS and Air France first class menus here.
Winner: Air France
Drink
Here’s where I am in the weakest position to offer an authoritative comparison. I don’t drink all that much and while I can certainly appreciate a nice glass of wine, I don’t know that I can tell the difference between a $50 and $300 bottle of wine. And what constitutes good wine is so highly-subjective anyway.
Thus, for this section, I will only include the full drink menus on Air France and SWISS. You can make up your own decision.
SWISS menu:
Air France:
As for what is most important to me, both had fresh-squeezed orange juice and good espresso, while only SWISS had a proper cappuccino (it is powdered on Air France). But SWISS had no rose wine when I was in the mood for a glass with my lunch…
Winner: Air France
Amenity Kits
The SWISS amenity kit contains La Prairie as well as other Swiss-made items like Elmex toothpaste, Ricola lozenges and a wooden comb.
The Air France amenity kit also has a wooden comb as well as a nice pen and skincare products from Carita. Other amenities, like mouthwash, toothbrush, and toothpaste are offered in the lavatory.
Winner: Draw
Pajamas
Both airlines offer pajamas to first class passengers. I like the design and style of the Air France pajamas, with the hippocampe ailé (winged sea horse) stitched into the shirt pocket. But please order at least one size and perhaps two sizes above your normal. I chose “large” and it was already too small when I tried it on. After washing it the first time, the sleeves were too short to wear.
SWISS pajamas are comfortable, though I prefer the collarless Air France pajamas.
Both offers plush slippers.
Winner: Air France
Lavatory
Lavatories are rather small on both airlines in first class. SWISS offers La Prairie amenities while Air France offers Clarins.
SWISS:
Air France:
Winner: Draw
IFE + Wi-Fi
Both carriers offer an extensive in-flight-entertainment library with more than enough videos, films, and music to keep you busy.
Both also offer excellent noise-canceling headphones.
What sets the two apart is the wi-fi. Both offer it, but Air France provides first class passengers with a complimentary flight pass while SWISS only offers a 50MB voucher that is gone before it even begins…
Winner: Air France
Onboard Service
While I experienced excellent service on both flights, Air France did the little things better. FAs on both carriers addressed me by name, were courteous, and were always professional. But the precision on Air France was truly outstanding. I’m talking about the way each glass, each piece of silverware, and each bowl was so carefully arranged. Or the way the silver plate serving cover was gently lifted to expose the main course. Or the way I was thanked so profusely for my business.
But I appreciated the truly kind service on both airlines.
Winner: Air France
Ground Service
Air France ground service was truly comprehensive. Even though I was flying on an award ticket with Air France, I had an escort with me from the moment I checked in to the moment I was reunited with my wife in Basel, Switzerland.
I was impressed that upon arriving in LAX, we were met in the baggage claim area (not the aircraft) by a first class representative who already had gathered our luggage. It took a bit longer for my luggage to arrive on Air France, though the duty manager himself rushed to pull it off the conveyor belt as it arrived.
I’d like to see SWISS offer an escort from the lounge to aircraft…that would make such a difference.
Winner: Air France
CONCLUSION
Overall, Air France is better than SWISS in first class on the ground and in the air. As much as I love the SWISS first class lounges in Zurich, Air France offers a start-to-finish first class service that exceeds SWISS.
How about an update on the Aeroplan SWISS F award which was cancelled but you paid cash for. If you can’t comment due to ongoing legal proceedings you can just say no comment.
Hi Jack, unfortunately no comment.
If you received less than $5000 please say, “I can not say.”
If you received at or more than $5000 please say, “I am unable to answer.”
No comment
@Elitist
Best comment on here.
I think you have a typo in the “Lavatory” section. I believe you mean to say AF offers Carita products in the lavatories, not Clarins.
I’ve yet to try Swiss F, but to me what set AF apart was the impeccable ground handling and completely seamless transfer experience at CDG. I actually found myself thinking that La Premiere just might be worth the cost for the way it turns a CDG transfer into a completely no-hassle experience. Although I actually found the on-board service in LH F a bit better (stay tuned for that).
These sorts of comparisons are fun to read. For 1st class would love to see ANA vs. JAL, Korean vs. Asiana, Etihad vs. Emirates vs. Qatar, SQ vs. CX
First class is an aspirational trip for me. I will state that taking SWISS intercontinental their Business Lounge offers Coffee with choices of milk or substitute that include lactose free milk. This option stunned me, in a good way.
Great review
As a points and miles fan, I’m a little torn on this comparison. On one hand, I appreciate the photos, freshness of the information and your attention to detail. On the other hand the only people who could fly these products would either be the very rich or elite flyers willing to fork out a whole lot of miles plus surcharges unless there was a very unusual confluence of events. This leaves both products as something to be aspired to but utterly out of reach even to people with very large mileage balances. Kind of a “look at these products that you’ll never fly” situation.
Lufthansa is next.
Sweet. Thanks.
You can sometimes get an upgrade offer at check-in.
Correct. I wrote about it here on SWISS:
https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2019/03/02/swiss-first-class-airport-upgrades/
And here on Air France:
https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2018/08/13/air-france-first-class-upgrade/
Thanks, Matthew
I agree with Justin, those regional comparisons would quite a treat to read.
I have not flown Swiss, but your AF Premiere review is spot on. In all classes, AF food and wine is the best. I have found the escort a little awkward, when I knew the airport well. But I did like that they ask you if you want to board first or last.
I can see why most first class passengers would like to have an escort, it makes you feel special. I am rather shy and would find it awkward but I can see why it would be lovely to have someone monitoring your flight for you in the lounge and come get you to go to the gate when it is time. That is useful and provides relaxation value. The lounge in Zurich is one of the nicest I have been to, those hotel rooms to nap in are lovely.
In any event these types of reviews are incredibly useful when looking to get from point A to point B and looking for the best experience to splurge on. Please do continue with these comparisons of regionally competitive airlines first and business class. Head to head like this is really great.
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
Walla Matthew you shouldn’t be writing articles encouraging people to risk their lives. Stop flying people.
Obviously everybody is entitled to their opinion, but I honestly prefer Swiss First Class.
From the Check-In to the private Security checkpoint that enters into the A lounge directly you have to walk about 25 meters and I honestly do not need nor want an escort to walk in a straight line 😉
Furthermore I find the design and quality on Swiss just to fit my tasting better.
As for the lack of somebody getting you for boarding on Swiss: Swiss First Class tickets usually have a later boarding time printed than Business and Economy Tickets: 15 minutes prior to sheduled departure to be exact. So while you can obviously arrive at the Gate at any time you want and board upon request (skipping the lines and certainly receiving some angry stares for that) you will be allowed to board. But the idea was that F Class passengers would board as last and if you had not shown up at the gate before those 15 min before departure you can be certain that a lounge attendant would have informed you about it including what gate and which direction you’d need to walk.
Maybe it’s just because I’m Swiss, but whenever you I enter a Swiss plane, especially in First Class it just does feel like home far away from home and I just enjoy every minute of it so much more than on other airlines. (I am French too, so that evens out the bias a little).
I personaly love the modern design of Swiss Air, but Air France seemed to spcialize in comfort and in my opinion offers better meal service. The only thing Air France competes with for ground service shall be Lufnatsa for in my experience they drove me in a Porche Tycan. I suggest that you create a post on Luftansa versus Air France First Class.
very thorough – super well presented – Thank YOU