Air France has just revealed its newest destination in the United States, and it’s a pretty exciting new route.
Continue reading: Air France Launching Paris To Phoenix Flights
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
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?
The early Paris arrival is great for onward connections, factoring in customs and re-passing through security.
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!!!
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.
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.
There is a mixed bag from the west coast of arrival times. Most seem to arrive at 11 am or later, so this is earlier than normal.
And I am considering PHX west coast as it is following Pacific time for the majority of the year.
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.
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.
"It's technically PST without Daylight Savings time."
No, Arizona follows Mountain Standard Time year-round. When Daylight Saving (without the s) is in effect, then MST==PDT. When it is not, MST==MST.
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.
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.
Phoenix MSA is the 10th largest in the United States, and was the only market in the top 10 not served by Air France.
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.
Depending upon the month, the AF flight to SEA is either 3x/week, 5x, or daily. Keep in mind that Delta has its own SEA-CDG flight which is daily most of the year (sometimes 6x in low season). And Air Tahiti Nui also flies that route 2x weekly. So the route is rather well served, given the size of the metro area.
Works for me considering I won’t be paying huge fees in award tickets to fly through lhr
AF didn't fly to ORD in the 80s? I only ask because I know they did in the 70s, but I'm wondering if they stopped service in the 80s and then resumed it again...
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.
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.
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.
I am so excited right now! The best news ever for Phoenix!!! Cannot wait to fly to Paris more often!!!
You may have answered your own question. Lufthansa is back to daily (with a hub switch) and BA recently added another flight. AF might not see room right now.
Yup, also probably some spillover to LAX
PHX has nothing within a drive
I'm more surprised LAS didn't come first but they have the data, I don't
Odd to launch going into the heat of summer, again they have the data, I don't
Now I get the summertime and route logic. It's for PHX origin pax heading east to escape the heat. Not for Europeans to come to PHX.
Still surprised LAS didn't 'beat' but I guess well served and not as much of a wealthy retiree market for summer trips
LAS may have more traffic (I don't know) but it also has a lot more competition to Europe, including a SkyTeam member who's part of their joint venture, so Air France can make some money off of that.
Also, it's the heat of summer, but it's also right before the Paris Olympics.
CDG has premium cabin departure surcharge as well
There are also carrier surcharges on AF, just not as much as BA
Maybe they stopped, maybe not. Online in 1977, it was JFK, BOS, IAD, ORD, LAX, IAH/MEX.
I remember SFO was an expansion and post 1988. Around 1988, it was UTA serving SFO.
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.
I think you're using the Chamber of Commerce measurement of "city limit" population versus "metro area" population...no one other than you thinks that PHX is really the 5th largest city in the USA.
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.
I'm super excited for redemption opportunities too and not having to reposition to LAX
Condor and BA already contract with the escape lounge, the other option would be the new Sapphire Lounge opening soon
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.
Perhaps you don't have more transatlantic flights because you are not the fifth largest city. Wake up!
A simple Google search shows that Phoenix is in fact the 5th largest American city after NY, LA, Chicago and Houston
Any city can be the 5th largest when the city boundaries are stretched to the size of Rhode Island.
Even if they were, which they’re not, it also comes down to its economy and city offerings. Sure there maybe a lot of people, but it’s no San Francisco or Boston in terms of economy. What is really in Phoenix besides a lot of strip malls and retirement homes?
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.
Not sure it will be the Sapphire lounge either as it's on the polar opposite end of T4 (15-20 min walk, which I did the other day out of curiosity). I could see them either contracting with Escape/Centurion or they will reposition the plane to T3 so passengers can use the partner Delta lounge there. Looking forward to seeing how this element plays out.
How cities are defined is interesting. If you go by city council borders then, yes, Phoenix is the fifth largest US city with 1.6m within the city council area. But by this definition Phoenix doesn't include Glendale or Tempe etc. And it also means Phoenix is bigger than, say, the Dallas council area. But if you take the entire metro area - which I think is a more realistic definition of what a city is - then Phoenix is merely 10th biggest with 5m while Dallas/Fort Worth has 8m.
In reality, Phoenix is the 10th largest city in the US. Yes, the area covered by the city council makes it the fifth largest city council but that's a pretty arbitrary definition as some councils are big and some small. Some council used to cover the whole city, but the city grew beyond its borders. A better definition of a city - the population of the entire metro area - puts Phoenix at 10th. Still big though.
"What is really in Phoenix besides a lot of strip malls and retirement homes?" I love when ass clowns like yourself make ignorant comments about Phoenix. You are on the the freaking internet, a few key strokes would show you that your hot take is complete nonsense. Just another lazy tired take on Phoenix.
By the way Phoenix is the 5th largest city by population, contrary to what you want to spew online. It is the 10th largest metro area by population and Phoenix is the 10th largest city by area.
Phoenix needs a new airport-location between Phoenix and Tucson would be the best.
Sapphire lounge will be near the new D gates, whereas the plane would need to be in the high B gates. Given the early departure time I'm guessing the Escape Lounge.
PHX’s location in Phoenix is one of its best assets. They would be insane to move it elsewhere. Also a lot of the wealth and tourism in Phoenix is concentrated in the north part of the metro area (some of it already relatively far from the airport) moving the airport further south to the middle of nowhere would make no sense.
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.