Air France’s La Première is the crème de la crème of commercial aviation. The private suite is one of the most exclusive and polished first class products flying today—and now, following the cabin's recent update, the French carrier has managed to raise the bar even higher.
I was among some of the first to experience the new La Première cabin this October, when I boarded a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Paris in full VIP mode. From ground to lounge to sky to lounge again, you are made to feel very important indeed: Passengers can expect luxuries large and small, including a 6.5-foot-long lie-flat bed, floor-to-ceiling privacy curtains, world-class meal service, and designer pajamas, as well as special pre- and post-flight perks that rival those of private aviation.
The new La Première cabin first debuted on their Boeing 777-300ER planes in April 2025, with the full rollout expected to be completed by the end of next year. Retrofitted cabins are currently available on select flights between Paris (CDG) and Los Angeles (LAX), New York City (JFK), and Singapore (SIN).
Air France's first class experience extends far beyond the plane itself, and with tickets starting at $13,000 roundtrip, it's well worth knowing exactly what's included in La Première. Below, see everything travelers need to know about Air France's latest and greatest iteration of the ever-iconic and superbly chic, La Première.
Pre-flight: LAX airport
Getting to LAX was in my own hands, but from the second I stepped out of the car, I didn’t need to think about a single thing. (In Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, and Toulouse, a private driver transfers you to the airport.)
At LAX, La Première now has its own dedicated entrance in between Terminals 1 and 2—specifically at door L2-9—bypassing the main Air France check-in crowd at Terminal B (Tom Bradley). Upon arrival, I handed my passport to my dedicated concierge, who swiftly took care of check-in and baggage. A private security area is set aside for La Première customers, meaning there was no wait at all. The most stressful part of the airport was transformed into a seamless experience, with a level of personalization that I imagine is on par with flying private. Before I knew it, I had arrived at the lounge with time to kill.
The La Première lounge is nestled within the larger Air France Business Class lounge. Despite being small, it felt spacious—given that there are only four La Première seats on each flight, you never risk a chance of crowds. I was immediately led to my pre-scheduled complimentary 30-minute facial treatment at the Clarins spa, where I entered a state of relaxation I can honestly say I’ve never experienced at an airport. Properly pampered into blissful oblivion, I felt all my lingering travel anxiety melt away.
Elsewhere in the lounge, plush seats, a couch area, and a few dining tables provide plenty of options for kicking your feet up. If you'd prefer to unwind solo, there’s also an adjacent quiet room with individual chairs and footrests surrounded by privacy curtains. Passengers can order from a large menu of dishes like lobster gnocchi, filet mignon, and a vegetarian bourguignon, as well as desserts like flourless chocolate cake, Crème brûlée, gelato, and a French cheese plate. Every dish arrived plated and fresh—no buffet self-serve here—and a quietly polished bar offered aperitifs and snacks. All the while, a private concierge keeps tabs on my boarding window, fortunate for me as I had nearly forgotten that there was an actual plane to board.
In-flight: The new La Première cabin
Once it was time for boarding, I was escorted to a discreet entrance and dedicated jet bridge reserved exclusively for La Première customers. While entering the plane, you never catch a glimpse at any other cabin—with the curtains separating first from business class always kept closed, you would never know there are over 300 other passengers flying behind you.
The new La Première cabin features just four suites arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration (two are by the windows and another two are next to each other in the center, a popular choice for couples). Each suite spans the length of five windows, an upgrade from four windows in its older iteration—making it the longest commercial airline seat in the world. Suffice to say, a lack of legroom is not a problem here.
The oversized scale is palpable. Each suite is essentially its own private section, with two seating areas facing one another: a chaise lounge that transforms into a fully lie-flat bed, and a plush traditional armchair. As is the Parisian way, the design isn't over-the-top or flashy; creamy leather, brushed light metal, and soft lighting create a chic, residential feel. Part of this airy, uncluttered atmosphere is due to the fact that there are no overhead bins. My suitcase, backpack, and more was tucked away into a large storage compartment that slides out from beneath the chaise armrest, completely hidden but easily accessible.
Once settled, Champagne was poured, seatbelts were fastened, hot towels were served, and then it was time for takeoff. Wasting no time, the multi-course meal service soon began shortly after. Of course, Air France is known for its next-level in-flight dining, prompting the age-old dilemma of a first-class red eye: to sleep or to eat? Luckily for me, the La Premiere meal service is impeccably timed to allow for maximum enjoyment and rest.
Menus for this flight are curated by Michelin-starred chefs Daniel Boulud and Dominique Crenn, who create specialized menus that rotate seasonally. We started with warm bread with French butter (a highlight in itself), and Sturia caviar with blinis. Then came a velvety pea soup, followed by a make-your-own salad with an impressive selection of topping options like mozzarella cheese, radishes, and olives. It was seriously fresh—the lettuce was actually crispy and crunchy, which felt miraculous at 30,000 feet. For my main course, I opted for sea bass with miso sauce, chestnuts, and pickled blueberries, a well-balanced dish with no trace of “airplane” flavor. I ended my meal with hot tea and a few melt-in-your-mouth Pierre Hermé Parisian chocolates.
Should you choose to sleep instead of eat, a roster of amenities guarantee deep, uninterrupted rest. Amenities included plushy over-ear headphones, a Sisley amenity kit filled with hydrating creams and lotions, and multiple charging options adjacent to both seating options—USB-C, USB-A, traditional outlets, and a wireless charging pad built into the side console. Each suite also features two 32-inch 4K screens (these were big), positioned for perfect visibility whether seated upright or reclined in bed. As I changed into my Jacquemus pajamas, the flight attendant gave me a hanger for my clothing (which she then delivered to my seat the next morning), and promptly made my bed during the few minutes I was washing up in the bathroom: plush mattress topper, thick duvet, and a fluffy pillow layered onto one another like I was already at a five-star Parisian hotel. Cocooned in soft blankets, and lulled by the plane’s faint movements, I watched Wicked for the umpteenth time and drifted off. This is one case where it is not hyperbolic to say that it felt like sleeping on a cloud.
For the next four hours, I slept deeply and was woken up just in time for breakfast: scrambled eggs topped with truffles, fresh fruit, and some more hot tea. As we descended into Paris, a live camera feed of the approach played on the large screen in front of me, a small but unexpectedly moving detail that made our arrival feel straight out of a movie.
Post-flight: CDG airport
As expected by now, I was met the moment the plane doors opened: no struggling to get my bags up the walkway, no waiting in the aisle. Within minutes I was brought directly to a private exit adjacent to our gate, from which a Porsche whisked me away to passport control. I didn't even need to get out of the car—my driver collected my passport, walked it inside, and within minutes returned ready to go. It was the kind of detail that makes you realize how much of the exhaustion surrounding air travel stems not from the flying itself, but from all the little tasks and stressors required to get to and from the plane. Just like that, we were back on our way into the airport.
From here we headed to the La Première “vestibule,” a small lounge for passengers arriving to CDG, which is divided into distinct zones: a large bar area, a relaxation area, and a handful of different seating areas. The crown jewel of Air France’s ground experience—the La Première Lounge at Terminal 2E—is much larger at a whopping 11,000-square-feet, but is reserved for La Première passengers departing from CDG.
While intimate in size, the arrivals vestibule still maintained an exclusive and uncrowded feel. For high-profile individuals seeking complete privacy when arriving, there are three fully-enclosed suites inside that can be reserved for rest or work. Several impressive food options, including Air France's signature elbow pasta dish, croissants, baguettes and butter, scallops, and more, are on offer.
The true luxury of the CDG arrival experience are the private shower suites, which would not feel out of place in a five-star hotel spa. Each suite is outfitted with a Dyson hair dryer, a robe, several fresh towels, more Sisley products, with plenty of space to lay out your suitcase. After an 11-hour overnight flight, that shower was a moment of pure transformation. I nearly skipped it—“How great can an airport shower be?” I naively thought—but I'm glad I didn’t. Within minutes, I felt refreshed, reset, and ready to take on my day in Paris without missing a beat. My ride to the hotel was yet another private Porsche, allowing me a final quiet moment to linger in the dreamlike haze that was my past 12 hours.
How to book
An experience as luxurious as this is priced as such, with round-trip tickets from the US to Paris starting at $13,000. The suites are not bookable with points unless you hold top-tier Flying Blue status, and upgrades from business class are unheard of, even when seats are empty. Every element of this experience, from access to execution, is designed to preserve its mystique and glamour.
The new La Première cabins, along with updated La Première lounges, are still in the process of being rolled out, so not all first class tickets will guarantee the new cabins just yet—full rollout is expected by the end of 2026.
By the end of next year, the new La Première will be available to book on flights between Paris (CDG) and 11 global destinations: New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Miami International Airport (MIA), São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), Abidjan's Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport (ABJ), Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport (TLV), Dubai International Airport (DXB), Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND).
The bottom line
La Première remains one of the most coveted first-class experiences in the sky—now, with these updates, even more so. I’ve been fortunate to fly in several first-class cabins over the years, but La Première is in a league of its own. Service is poised, professional, and attentive, cuisine is exceptional, and the attention to comfort and stress management went above and beyond. The experience does not just make travel smoother and more luxurious, but it transforms the idea of what a flight can be. For those willing and able to invest in this price tag, know that you are getting much more than a plane ticket. For one day, you get to feel like the most important traveler in the world. The indescribable feeling of watching a five-window sunset while tucked into a bed above the clouds—now that's priceless.
