Air France Launching Paris To Phoenix Flights

Air France Launching Paris To Phoenix Flights

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Air France has just revealed its newest destination in the United States, and it’s a pretty exciting new route, as flagged by @JS_Cassady via @IshrionA.

Air France adds Paris to Phoenix route

As of May 23, 2024, Air France will launch a new year-round flight between Paris (CDG) and Phoenix (PHX). The flight will operate 3x weekly with the following schedule:

AF68 Paris to Phoenix departing 10:10AM arriving 12:10PM
AF69 Phoenix to Paris departing 2:10PM arriving 9:15AM (+1 day)

Air France will fly from Paris to Phoenix

The 5,481-mile flight is blocked at 11hr westbound and 10hr5min eastbound. The flight will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in both direction. I should acknowledge that some people won’t like that eastbound schedule, given the very early departure. Personally I don’t mind it, since it’s not that long before my bedtime. 😉

Air France will use a Boeing 787-9 for the service, featuring 276 seats. This includes 30 business class seats, 21 premium economy seats, and 225 economy class seats.

Air France Boeing 787 business class

How this route fits in Air France’s network

Phoenix will be Air France’s 17th destination in the United States, and it’s a pretty cool new addition. Phoenix is of course an airport that’s dominated by American. Currently the airport’s only year-round transatlantic service is on both American and British Airways to London, given that the two airlines have a transatlantic joint venture.

On top of that, German leisure airline Condor operates seasonal flights from there to Frankfurt. Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings Discover was also supposed to add a seasonal Frankfurt to Phoenix route in April 2020, though that was canceled due to the pandemic, and was never pursued again.

So it’s cool to see some transatlantic competition at long last from one of the “big three” transatlantic joint ventures. Air France has a partnership with Delta, KLM, and Virgin Atlantic. Currently none of those airlines have transatlantic flights from Phoenix, and Delta doesn’t have that much connectivity from Phoenix.

I imagine that Air France figures there’s enough room for another player, especially with just three weekly flights. I’m curious to see how Air France performs in Arizona. I’m sure the airline will have no issues filling flights in summer, given the amount of seasonal transatlantic demand there is. I think winter will be a bit trickier, though, especially since Air France can’t compete with the frequencies offered by American and British Airways between the United States and Europe.

Admittedly Air France has a huge global network, so this could also be useful for those traveling to Africa, India, and beyond. This is the second 3x weekly service that Air France has added in the past year to a new US market, as the airline also launched a route to Raleigh-Durham as of October 2023. However, that replaced service of joint venture partner Delta.

American has a big hub in Phoenix

Bottom line

As of May 2024, Air France will launch a new 3x weekly flight between Paris and Phoenix using a Boeing 787. Phoenix currently only has year-round transatlantic service from American and British Airways, so more competition is great for consumers. Hopefully this route proves a success.

What do you make of Air France adding service to Phoenix?

Conversations (61)
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  1. HktalksCasually Guest

    Great ! Now given Phoenix has a good Indian diaspora there, India to Phoenix flights will be just 1 stopover away. Add to that AF's good reputation, as opposed to BA who has a similar service.

  2. yamsir New Member

    I do wonder if AA is interested in competing in this route. DFW is the closest city to the Western US that AA operates nonstops to CDG from; their SEA hub failed recently and they don't seem too keen on adding international routes to LAX either.

  3. Leslie Guest

    Yet another airline to squeeze into Sky Harbor that is already getting too big for its britches WITHOUT another terminal or adding to terminal #4.

    1 more reply
  4. Cy Guest

    That schedule is a real killer. One a potential one week trip you lose two days by having to leave and return Saturday, whereas the BA/AA flights you can leave Friday night and return Sunday. I hate Heathrow too, but CDG isn’t much better and that scheudle sucks.

  5. Tom Guest

    I live in Tucson and flew to DEL 4 times this year, always thru LHR. After All the great comments here about Air France service and quality, I am looking forward to connecting through Paris. Time to get the Air France credit card I guess.

  6. DT Gold

    Interesting. Would have thought AF69 would have flow to Nice, not Paris.

  7. Chris T Guest

    I am so excited right now! The best news ever for Phoenix!!! Cannot wait to fly to Paris more often!!!

  8. fab Guest

    Wonder why PHX and not San Diego. BA is adding a second daily flight LHRSAN, so I would have imagined that AF's interest in SAN would be greater.

    3 more replies
  9. Kenneth Holland Guest

    Too funny, I was in PHX today after coming in from MCO and saw a bunch of cameras and lights etc... it was Air France and PHX brass doing a presser for this route.

  10. KLM New Member

    We travel to Paris at least once a year, and having lived in Phoenix since 2005, this is GREAT news! We're the 5th largest city in the US, and one of the fastest growing, so I think we'll easily be able to sustain three flights weekly.

    3 more replies
  11. Dander Guest

    Works for me considering I won’t be paying huge fees in award tickets to fly through lhr

  12. Java Cool Dude Guest

    Any ideas when the flights will be bookable?

  13. derek Guest

    17th Air France US destination. In the mid-1980's, Air France has roughly 4 destinations....JFK, IAH/MEX, LAX, IAD. Later, it started a mini-hub at MIA and SFO. Now 17 cities in the US.

    UTA is dead. So is Air Inter. Air France ate them.

    2 more replies
  14. Peter Volny Guest

    We have lived in Phoenix for 19 years and have flown BA 2-3 times a year. We are ecstatic that finally they have some competition. While the cabin crew are great, the management of BA are the worst in the entire business. After many years they finally upgraded their industry worst, abysmal, horrendous biz class 2-4-2 seating to an actually 1-2-1 good layout. Now they need to work on their dining and wine offerings. Hopefully...

    We have lived in Phoenix for 19 years and have flown BA 2-3 times a year. We are ecstatic that finally they have some competition. While the cabin crew are great, the management of BA are the worst in the entire business. After many years they finally upgraded their industry worst, abysmal, horrendous biz class 2-4-2 seating to an actually 1-2-1 good layout. Now they need to work on their dining and wine offerings. Hopefully Air France will force them to do so. Since this is the fifth largest city in the USA , and has virtually no weather delays ever, I don’t know why we don’t have more Tran-Atlantic airlines. We’ve already booked our 2024 flights but will try Air France for 2025. Fingers crossed.

    5 more replies
  15. Sharon Guest

    Very interesting choice. They must have insight from Delta regarding booking partners to help confirm their choice.

    What's so unique is that Air France doesn't even serve Seattle daily (I think 3x weekly) and they have connectivity via Delta and they chose to launch this route before going daily to a hub in the west.

    2 more replies
  16. Alex Guest

    As someone that uses flying blue a lot and is based in PHX I'm looking forward to this. I usually have to book out of LAX or LAS. I can see the flights doing well throughout the year due to the connection destinations.

    1. luiszx New Member

      I'm super excited for redemption opportunities too and not having to reposition to LAX

  17. Jay Deshpande Guest

    Quite an interesting route addition. Phoenix is no doubt a growing city that, until now, has lacked much competition for international routes due to there being only one year round choice of Heathrow. It will be interesting to see how PHX will perform.

    Maybe we might see a couple of other international airlines like Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, etc. follow suit with PHX routes at some point.

  18. ConcordeBoy Diamond

    On a less-happy note, AF also just slammed the ass of an A359 into the runway at YYZ, so who knows how long *that* aircraft will be out.

    Might short-circuit immediate expansion plans for a while.

    Passenger onboard was filming, you can hear the tail-strike at 0:17.

    3 more replies
  19. ImmortalSynn Guest

    AF has been on a roll with N.American expansion as of late, but definitely didn't see this one coming!

    Shocked that they'd pick Phoenix over San Diego, but happy for any place getting new service. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised to see them re-enter Orlando, as well as launch San Diego, New Orleans, and/or Las Vegas, as well.

  20. Paul Becord Guest

    WooHoo!! About time to have some choices!!! Better to fly to CDG and enjoy a Paris layover, then take a regional jet to LON to avoid LHR ridicules fees!!! Save me a seat on AF!!!

    1. Greg Guest

      CDG has premium cabin departure surcharge as well

      There are also carrier surcharges on AF, just not as much as BA

  21. Hammerofguam Member

    The early Paris arrival is great for onward connections, factoring in customs and re-passing through security.

    4 more replies
  22. NK3 Gold

    I am assuming they will have to fly into terminal 4 for customs and immigration (I don't think they have that at terminal 3?). I wonder what lounge they will use, given that Delta is in terminal 3. Will they contract with the Escape Lounge?

    2 more replies
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KLM New Member

We travel to Paris at least once a year, and having lived in Phoenix since 2005, this is GREAT news! We're the 5th largest city in the US, and one of the fastest growing, so I think we'll easily be able to sustain three flights weekly.

8
Tom Guest

I live in Tucson and flew to DEL 4 times this year, always thru LHR. After All the great comments here about Air France service and quality, I am looking forward to connecting through Paris. Time to get the Air France credit card I guess.

6
DT Gold

Interesting. Would have thought AF69 would have flow to Nice, not Paris.

6
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