To continuemy four flights across the Atlanticjourney, I’d next be flying Air France’s new Boeing 777 business class from Paris to New York. Prior to my flight, I had the chance to check out the Air France Business Lounge Paris. Specifically, I visited the lounge in Terminal 2E Hall K, in the non-Schengen portion of…
Continue reading: Review: Air France Lounge Paris Airport (CDG)
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I've been to this lounge once and it felt like a high-style detention center with Champagne. It was unbelievably crowded mid-morning, people were pushing for food and crowding our table "encouraging" us to leave so they could sit down. It felt that much more crowded because of the low ceilings and shortage of natural light that you can enjoy in AF's nicer lounges at CDG.
Hey Ben, thanks for the review, we’re taking this same flight this summer. Do you happen to know if the AF business class arrivals lounge is open? We’re arriving there in a few weeks on a different journey and get in around 530am, so am hoping to get cleaned up
"you can only use the lounge corresponding to the gate area you’re departing from"
Please control that Ben, because I believe you can use whatever lounge in the 2E K, L, M terminals.
I have read lots of people doing that: of course you need to clear security everytime but otherwise I think this is possible.
The roped off area upstairs is for VIPs (spotted some political celebrities in there a few times) and I believe Flying Blue Ultimate members, the top status.
The upstairs area was also used as the La Première lounge while the actual lounge was closed, the whole floor was roped off. I remember being very disappointed when I ended up there instead of the actual LP lounge 😀 .
No Champagne? In the Air France Business Lounge?? That's a little shocking to be honest.
Three times have I departed on a SkyTeam non-Schengen flight and all three times have been in the K hall which disappointed me since I didn't get to try the L or M hall lounges.
However I do find this lounge comfortable and fine. The morning food spread is adequate and I've availed myself of wine there (5 ' somehwere) and it didn't seem cheap. Plenty of seating.
Never "turned right" so I can't comment on that one.
Same experience here. I felt I was in a basement. Terribly crowded, people eating standing up, leaning against walls, worn out furniture. I would it give 1/5 stars.
It’s not actually that easy. For example you’re in the departure areas of L or M, in order to get to K you would have to ask security to let you back through
Champagne is available after 11:00A, after the majority of USA flights on Air France and Delta Air Lines have departed. A significant cost savings.
If you look at the height of the room, that's exactly were you are. In a basement. With low ceilings.
I visited this lounge last October and thought it was absolutely underwhelming. Place was packed and almost no seats available, food was very poor and the seats were old and desperately in need of an update. Definitely the worst Air France lounge in CGD.
Exactly same experience. See my post below. Horrible lounge and terrible food. Nothing better than a Priority Pass lounge.
Just used this lounge in Jan of this year. Every single seat was taken downstairs and managed to find a couple open seats upstairs. The breakfast spread was similar to what you would find at a Holiday Inn Express with much better croissants. Not impressed at all.
Just going to also mention that with the exception of some third-world airports, CDG is an absolute abomination when it comes to its design.
Between the check-in counters that block people's traffic, the poor space allocated to lounges, the crazy gate areas and the lack of food and beverage outlets, I do my absolute best to avoid it. Really the only thing I like about it is that they had the vision to have a TGV station within the airport, so you can be on your way somewhere else in no time.
(and not even going to mention the collapsing ceiling. Whoever designed that building should hang his/her head in shame)
CDG 2 is easy to use. I don’t see a problem, although I agree it’s lacking in food outlets. It’s much improved over the years.
Check in is designed into islands as is the case with multiple airports, 2f is a linear check in
The ceiling collapse was in 2004
The architect is Paul Andreu, who also designed Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Shanghai pudong airports and the Grande Arche in La défense.
CDG terminal 1 has undergone a revamp
This is not true. Air France operates Terminal 2E with three distinct "Halls", K, L, and M.
If you transit Paris 2E via K, L, or M, you can only access the departure lougne from connecting flight, not arriving flight.
The Schengen Lounge, 2F, is now ONE lounge and the two downstairs lounges have been shutterted to make way for ONE seamless Air France Salon between the two terminals that comprise 2F.
While beautiful, all Air France lounges have been serving the same food for the last 20 years. The photography from 2023 could have been taken in 2003 when it comes to food.
Last time we were in this lounge it was so incredibly crowded that we had a hard time finding a place to sit. I agree it's an awful lounge. And the food was terrible too. However I have been in another AirFrance lounge also T2 that is really nice.
All indications are that my upcoming flight (CDG-SIN) will depart from 2E Hall L gates. Does anyone know with certainty if this L lounge has been renovated already?
Was there a year ago flying to SF. Terrible gate service. Is champagne for breakfast ridiculous? I guess so if they are making these Business Class flight space available on points. The only things I loved were the eggs and bread!
CDG has to be the worst international airport i have had the displeasure to travel through.
It is different of course in the lounges but you will still be kicked out after 3 hours regardless of what you paid.
The food outlets, the few that are there are pretty much banged up shut for 10pm every night of the week. In fact now when i pass through i take a packed lunch when I'm able. In Dec i ended up sharing it with two other passengers who had the misfortune of ending up there at 11pm God forbid. At least you can get a drink of water.
The airport is clean and tidy enough but facilities for food and drink are 3rd world airport standards. It almost beggars believe that it is an international hub.
I pass through twice a year and cant wait to see it disappear over the horizon.
La Première Lounge at CDG the best lounge in the world?
Ben, this sounds like this is the very first time you've been in a non-US lounge.
Totally agree. Despite having boarding passes that clearly stated we were travelling business class we were twice denied access. Reception staff were unfriendly, unwelcoming and generally 'jobsworth'. They behaved more like night club bouncers than the welcoming face.
Political celebrities (in France at least) are likely Hippocampe or Club 2000.
I used both in December and the L lounge is WAY better than the K lounge - newer, bigger, nicer, more comfortable seats, etc.
I dont like CDG airport at all. Ive been tbere last in 2014. Walked for miles looking to buy food, sim cards etc. Really just a terrible airport in general regarding layout, facilities etc.
I was in the L lounge in November for a morning flight; 730 am to Canada. Champagne was available and plentiful.
Even post-renovation, the K lounge will likely remain inferior to the L and M lounges, just because it can't really expand. Similarly, with the L and M piers having been designed to handle multiple A380s when AF had those, those lounges are likely to remain spacious relative to passenger loads.
Air France has been refusing to put the champagne out for flights departing in the morning, which are heavy Delta flights.
If you're connected in CDG (arriving in 2F, but then departing in 2E), can you visit multiple lounges during your layover? I have a 7hr layover, and would like to split my time across 2F and 2E-L if possible.
I'm there right now, after the ridiculousness of getting through Security. I don't know if all but a lot of people that work here should either be fired or an effective manager put in place to actually get things done.
So my experience already soured by the uselessness of security staff.
I went down into the lounge, they scanned my pass and that was it. I asked, where do I go? And their response was "either side is fine". I went to the right.
I headed straight for the bathrooms after sleeping most of the 14hour flight from Tokyo to CDG.
Toilet at the end, slightly bigger cubicle, full of flies.
Next cubicle along, out of order.
Next cubicle along, toilet roll dispenser broken and hanging down in way of toilet.
Last cubicle, everything seemed OK if a bit dirty. Cleaned it up and used the facilities. I heard a man come in, go through the same checks as me and then he waited in the sink area for me to finish with the only usable cubicle.
Washing my hands and I noticed the sharps box, it looked very old and was full as far as I could tell. Not sure how long it's been there but pretty sure biological hazards should be disposed of when they're full. Possible the lid had also been snapped off so probably why it has never been emptied.
After washing my hands I put my stuff down and went over to the buffet.
Hot containers with lids close to breaking St the hinges, not labeled in any language.
I settled pastries.
Drinks selection is good, canned soft drinks rather than a dispenser and tiny glasses is good.
I travel quite often, and rarely to the same airport but can say with 100% certainty, I won't be choosing to connect through CDG ever again.
Anecdotally, whilst waiting in Manchester 1409 lounge there were people travelling to JFK with Aer Lingus who's flight had been delayed by 5hours, and they were still saying its not as bad as Air France and CDG
Thank you for your balanced report. I hope that a future report will include a review of the Qatar business lounge in Terminal 1 which was recently visited by my wife and I upon our return to Australia via Doha. With a 9.05 am departure we arrived at Terminal 1 at 6.00 am! And we're seamlessly ushered through check in and directed to level 11 where the lounge is located. We found the lounge empty apart from friendly staff and a wonderful spread of breakfast items. All facilities were spacious, clean and offered great view over the tarmacs, country side and distant Paris. Waiting for our flight turned out to be a delightful unexpected pleasure.
On June 23, 2023 the lounge was full (hundreds). On one side the bathrooms were out of order (no one working to fix them) and on the other side only one bathroom was working. I later requested a refund online (no one to talk to) twice and was ignored. This airline is anything but customer-oriented.
I just visited the lounge at Paris airport. Air France staffs at the lounge told me that there is a 3 hour limit. So if my flight is at 2pm, I need to come back at 11am to use the lounge.
Which didn’t make any sense. I have used lounges around the word and there was never a time constraint. Is this normal?
Following an unpleasant security experience, our overall travel experience is off to a rocky start. The lounge in hall K is undeniably outdated and subpar compared to the others I've visited, which look much more appealing. It's disappointing that some flights to the United States now depart from hall K.
Just small notes. Lounge is quite old but so far it is ok. Especially people at reception are very nice and polite.
Lounge desperately need renovation, toilets etc. Really blast from past and you are going there only if you really need to.
And you can go to different lounges it just will take additional security checks and explanation why you going to different gates section otherwise no problem.
It is common for paid lounges like loungekey etc. They just have such limit. Membership lounges never happened to me as how the hell I should be responsible for huge stop over when there is no other flight available.
But yeah it can happen it would enrage me if i pay those ~70€ what they now ask for entry here...
It’s spacious yes, but seating is very worn, drink selection is terrible , one beer - Heineken and one white wine and one red wine to choose from . No sparkling no champagne. This makes this lounge the worst I have attended in choice. Same with food. Very limited in choice. Staff are lovely and helpful
The shower suites in this review look wayyyyy nicer than what I experienced… the one I was shown to (maybe it was the other side of the lounge?) was more like a hospital shower room… an outdated, dark and dreary wet-room (no shower curtain or shower cubicle glass, simply a shower room with a drain in the corner). The shower head was hand-held and stashed in one of the disabled hand railings. The shower head holder was broken (meaning you hold it as you shower). It was the most depressing lounge shower experience I’ve ever had. The place needs to be gutted and renovated asap.
I was denied access to the lounge.
They refused to sell me a Day Pass for the two hours as I waited for the next leg of my flight.
They were rude and condescending.
I will NEVER fly Air France again, let alone return to Paris.
The airport is lacking basic amenities. The bathrooms are extremely small and dirty. Hence, I was willing to pay for the lounge.
Goodbye France - I won't be back.