My Air France Business Class Review. Is It Worth It?

If you’ve ever flown Air France economy, you already know it’s decent compared to other airlines—okayish quality, nothing extraordinary. So, you might be wondering: is it worth upgrading to Air France Business Class for a long-haul flight? Well, I’ve upgraded a few times, so you don’t have to (though, let’s be honest, I just wanted that lavish experience and I’m hiding behind the excuse of needing to inform my readers). I’ve experienced some of the longest flights any airline offers—from Paris to Santiago de Chile (14 hours) and from Lima to Paris (12 hours). Here’s my review of their newest Business Class service on the 777-300.

If you know me, you know I set the bar high in all my travel ventures. My taste for comfort is unapologetically refined. Whether I’m booking a hotel, exploring a new restaurant, or, in this case, evaluating airline travel, the value for money has to be on point.

So, keep your seatbelts fastened and your seats in the upright position as I walk you through the Air France Business Class experience. I’ll uncover the highlights and peculiarities that make this upgrade so tempting.

A successful trip starts with choosing the right airline

1. Is Air France Business Class worth it?

Upgrading to Air France Business Class cost me about USD 500 on the flight from Paris to Santiago, which is not great, but not terrible either. Compared to other airlines, Air France is definitely trying to stay competitive, at least in pricing. The second flight upgrade (Lima to Paris) cost me about USD 300, which I consider a superb deal for Business Class. Let me tell you upfront, after 300+ flights, the experience of flying is kind of annoying for me, so getting through more than 10 hours is more of a survival skill than anything else. I've even written a long-haul flight survival guide if you feel like you’re in the same boat, err, plane. I would definitely say flying Air France Business Class is more than worth your money, as it’s at least double the experience for not double the money.

In this review, I’ll give you my candid opinion on all the questions you might have: price, seats, entertainment, boarding, food, service, lounge quality, and more.

So, let’s get down to business. I’ll spoil it right away: Air France is one of my favorite airlines, if not the absolute favorite.

My overall rating

• Value for money: 10/10
• Compared to economy class: 12/10
• Food: 9/10
• In-flight entertainment: 7/10
• Boarding: 7/10
• Service: 8/10
• Seat: 10/10
• Overall: 90%

Ladies and gentlemen, we're ready for takeoff, make sure your seat belts are fastened, no need for emergency exits from this article!
 

Ready for the details? Let’s dive in!

2. Value for money

That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Luckily for us, it’s not literally a million dollars, but is it good value for money? Honestly, I can’t imagine better value for money. The upgrades to Business Class on Air France are reasonably priced, not overpriced like with some other airlines. I genuinely think Business Class is so much better than Economy. If you have the extra money, it’s certainly worth it—easily more than twice as good as Economy Class.

I usually justify it to myself by skipping one night in a hotel, which is about the price of the upgrade (speaking of which, I always, always use booking.com to book my rooms). I strongly suggest upgrading to business class for night flights. You might wonder why you’d want to sleep through an expensive experience, but that’s exactly the point. With Business Class, you can have a great dinner onboard, sleep through the night, and then enjoy a perfect first day of vacation with no jet lag. It’s logic, plain and simple!

If you’re especially frugal, you can break it down to cost per hour—on a 12-hour flight, it’s about USD 25 per hour, which is cheaper than many other less worthwhile things... like doctors.

The only downside? Once you go Business, you’ll never go back. Usually, my experience with Air France Business Class is that the price doesn’t fluctuate much, so you can buy your ticket almost any time before the flight. But remember, there’s always the risk of running into a full cabin if you wait too long, or you can try to buy Economy and hope for a cheap upgrade offer via email like I did from Lima—but then you might end up stuck in Economy.

I'm telling you, on a price-performance basis, business class on Air France is worth it

3. Boarding and lounge

After my upgrade and a missed flight in Paris, I had to wait 13 hours for my flight to Santiago. Honestly, I was very happy to have access to the Air France Business Lounge, which you can only enter with a Business Class ticket or by purchasing access. Trust me, I made full use of the lounge.

The lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle is two floors and can comfortably accommodate around 200 people. The seating is very comfortable, though the air conditioning was set to near-freezing levels. There are power outlets at almost every seat, which is a big plus. The buffet offers a nice selection, from standard non-alcoholic beverages to champagne (good quality, of course, being in France). The food includes a decent cold buffet, reasonable warm dishes, and superb cheese platters.

As for boarding, it’s pretty standard for any Business Class. You board first, but we didn’t have a separate door for Business Class, which is sometimes the norm with other airlines. You’re greeted with a welcome drink, either champagne or fresh orange juice. It’s nice, but nothing special. After spending your hard-earned money to be elevated above other classes, you might expect something more, right? After landing, you’re the first to leave the plane, and your luggage is prioritized—but that’s standard elsewhere, so no extra points for that. There might be a minus if they didn’t provide it, though.

4. Dining and breakfast

In Air France Business Class, you have a choice of several meals, and I always enjoy them
 

I was looking forward to the dining experience, as Air France has a neatly done website that literally sells you their dining experience.

Years ago, it was my first time flying Business Class. After takeoff, about 30–45 minutes into the flight, the flight attendants handed out printed menus. You can choose between two options—we had vegetarian and salmon. I chose the salmon. Of course, you’re served first and get porcelain plates and real cutlery, which is the norm.

The meal is served course by course, starting with a salad, followed by salmon with gratinated potatoes and more salad, and ending with crème brûlée and a cheese platter. The cheese platter is the absolute highlight for me—five different cheeses that lasted me about two hours. There’s a good selection of wines and other alcoholic beverages, though I can’t really attest to that as I’m not much into alcohol these days.

The dinner is so much better than in Economy, though Air France has really good food in their Premium Economy, which is almost comparable to Business.

After sleeping, we were served breakfast about two hours before landing. It included an egg omelet and some granola, nicely done with fresh spinach. The breakfast was decent, much better than Economy, which usually has the weakest meals.

I'm a big fan of good food even off the plane
 

A highlight for me was the sandwiches and panini available throughout the flight. On a 12–14-hour flight, you’ll certainly get hungry, so big plus points to Air France for that.

5. In-flight entertainment

The screen in front of you is a good size, with plenty of options for setting it up whether you’re sitting or lying down. The screen is 17.3 inches (about 45 cm), which is more than sufficient from a 1-meter distance.

Admit it—the first thing you do after getting seated is check the movies they have. So, I did my routine and, honestly, Air France consistently has some of the best in-flight options, with hundreds of new movies to choose from. The screen’s response is very good, but it really depends on the type of plane you’re on. Usually, the newer the plane, the better the screen.

Before buying Business Class, I’d certainly check which plane you’re flying on. We flew twice on Air France’s most modern plane, the Boeing 777-300—it’s funny, considering Airbus is a French company, but I suppose it has something to do with Air France’s sister company, KLM, which I honestly hate. It’s funny how one company can do the best while the other is the worst.

But back to entertainment—Air France has one of the best selections and the most modern screens, regardless of the class. You have the same options in Business and Economy, so well done, Air France. Anyway, after I got seated, I spent the first 15 minutes of the flight planning which movies to watch and in which sequence... what a fruitless effort, since I slept almost non-stop beginning about 20 minutes after take-off, which brings us to seating.

Air France Business Class offers quality entertainment on board

6. Seats

The seats in Business Class are arranged 1-2-1. When flying as a couple, you can opt for the middle seats, where you can mechanically lower the separator wall and enjoy your little couple cocoon.

After getting seated, you receive the standard amenity kit—earphones (which are annoying as they are big, awkward, and heavy), socks, a face mask, and other necessities. The blanket is superb and much larger than the ones you get in Economy, and the pillow is really soft and nice. But also, yuck! They reuse the sheeting, but hey, we all sleep in hotels, so...

The seat itself is really comfy, big, and fully reclines into a 2-meter (6.5 ft) bed with lumbar support (a big plus for an old cripple like me). Everything is electronic, and you can really distance yourself from other passengers. And you know what? After my dinner, I slept for 10 hours straight, which very rarely happens to me in a normal bed, let alone on a plane. On Air France Business Class, it happened to me on both occasions!

So, you can evaluate anything about the seating, but this is the most important thing on a plane—the ability to sleep. Air France absolutely smashes it. It’s god-tier sleep. I still remind myself of it every night before bed. I’ve probably never woken up so well-rested and pain-free in my life. So, 10/10 is not enough.

For those of you who like numbers, their seating is 70 cm wide (27 inches for Americans).

You're no longer wondering how I got 10 hours of sleep out of a 12-hour flight? These Air France business class seats worked perfectly fine.

7. Air France Business Class—Quality of service

Alright, here’s the big question and one of the most important factors for the money: Is the service worth it? The short answer is mostly yes. Air France’s service is usually of very good quality, even in Economy, which is rare these days. It’s only a short step up in Business Class.

Most of the good things are due to established processes. The flight attendants were really attentive, but none of them went the extra mile. I’d say ¾ of the service was really good. However, on the flight from Lima to Paris, I had a good attendant taking care of me, but my girlfriend had a terrible one who frequently forgot her orders. She was given a choice of dishes, but in the end, the attendant told her they had run out—in Business Class, really?

But overall, everything was just fine. Everything was on time, and mainly you want to go into Business for the seats, boarding priority, and service. I honestly think Air France did their best in training them.

Exellent service of Air France Business Class

FAQ 1: Can you sleep in Air France business class?

Absolutely, you can sleep—and sleep well—in Air France Business Class. The seats fully recline into a flat bed, stretching out to 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) long, providing plenty of space for a comfortable sleep. With high-quality blankets, a soft pillow, and a cocoon-like setup (great for couples), it's practically designed for rest. In fact, I slept for 10 hours straight, which almost never happens to me in a normal bed, let alone on a plane. So yes, you can not only sleep, but sleep like a baby.

FAQ 2: Can business class passengers use Air France Lounge?

Yes, Business Class passengers have access to the Air France Lounge, and trust me, it’s worth it. The lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle is spacious, with comfortable seating, plenty of power outlets, and a selection of food and drinks that includes everything from cold buffets to champagne. It’s the perfect spot to relax before your flight or during a layover, especially if you’re stuck for 13 hours like I was. Just show your Business Class ticket, and you’re in.

FAQ 3: What are the seats like in business class on Air France?

The seats in Air France Business Class are superb. Arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration (depends on the plane), they offer direct aisle access for every passenger. The seats themselves are wide, measuring 70 cm (27 inches), and can fully recline into a 2-meter-long (6.5 feet) bed. You get a comfortable blanket, a soft pillow, and a private space that makes it easy to distance yourself from other passengers. If you are flying alone, you can use the divider wall in the middle seats, or take it away if you’re part of a couple. Whether you want to sleep, work, or just relax, these seats are designed to meet all your needs.

FAQ 4: Does it make sense to fly business class?

If you want to arrive at your dream destination (Machu Pichu for example) completely broken and exhausted from a long flight, then no.
 

Yes, flying Business Class makes a lot of sense, especially if you value comfort and have a long-haul flight ahead of you. It’s not just about the better food and bigger seats; it’s about arriving at your destination well-rested and ready to start your trip. The upgrade cost is often reasonable, and when you break it down to a per-hour cost, it’s a bargain compared to many other expenses. Plus, once you experience the comfort and service of Business Class, it’s hard to go back to Economy.

FAQ 5: What is the disadvantage of business class?

The main disadvantage of Business Class? Once you experience it, there’s no going back to Economy. You’ll be spoiled by the comfort, service, and amenities, and anything less will feel like a major downgrade. Also, while Business Class is much better value for money than Economy, it’s still more expensive—duh. For a full comparison of all plane classes and to see which one suits you best, check out my article explaining all plane classes.
 

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