Review: Air France La Premiere Lounge Paris

It looks like you had an amazing time with your dad and husband!

I loved my experience last year, can't wait to fly AF First next year again 😀

Voss: my favorite brand of mineral water

I had the same elbow pasta that your dad had which I also loved. It was delectable and cooked to perfection! I agree with you that it was the best first class lounge experience, bar none. I hope to fly La Premiere again soon!

I seem to recall from your previous review of this lounge there being Hermes throws on the couches but those seem to be gone. Am I just imagining things?

How did you find the $4200 tickets???

lucky, how many times have you reviewed this lounge?

Your experience this time aligns much more closely with what I have experienced the two times I was in this lounge. The escorts were always super friendly and helpful and seemed to enjoy their jobs - I mean, driving a 7 Series around a major airport is pretty cool. However, in stark contrast the servers in the restaurant were either cold or unmemorable. And asking for anything on the menu - felt like it was a favor. Also, given that it is an airport lounge - asking for a few things at once should not be uncommon - as everyone has a flight to catch. I almost felt judged for ordering more than one thing. Also, I never experienced the spa - as it was not open /available either time I was in the lounge. All in all, I preferred LH's F terminal. Yes the food at CDG is "fancier", but in FRA you can get whatever you want made. The FRA lounges are more spacious and service is always prompt and friendly (in a German way). I guess this lounge reflects AF's F product. Just like If you're on the 77W, you will be blown away and if you're on the A380, it will make you wonder why people go on and on. I have had two "A380" experiences in this lounge.

That soufflé looks quite sad as does the Baba Au Rhum. Clearly the staff at the airport never worked at any of Ducasses 3 star star restaurants. The filet also looks a bit pitiful though I tend find French beef vastly inferior to American, Japanese or even British beef. To be fair though this is in an airport.

Interesting. I flew the same route J class :\ AF990 but was an Airbus A380, not a B777.
would love to see a review of the A380 🙂

A little disappointed by the lounge food...they sounded better than they look. I think the LX ZRH Terminal E first class lounge has better food.

Where are the Wesh Highlands?

Well, I suppose after Brexit they can't be expected to hire English proofreaders for their menus.

Wild Turkey, Jack Daniels, and Makers Mark? Then 'Jonny' Walker BLACK. Not Blue as in many FC lounges, merely Black, and misspelled at that?

Along with an anonymous Champagne they are perhaps embarrassed to name, so they just say Ducasse? Is Ducasse now a Champagne House? Or you can choose Pol Roger, which Total Wine sells for $55 a bottle, or $49.49 each for a six pack.

Compared to my last visit to the LH First Class Lounge, where when the server found I had a fondness for a particular $250 a bottle rum, he brought a 2/3 full bottle to the table for us to drink, and then take the rest of it home with us ! Even better than the duckies in my humble opinion. 🙂

Moreover the filets don't look to hold a candle to the ones we had that the LHFCL either.

Then add in the sullen service, and I'd be asking myself why I'm not on LH? Especially at $8,400 one way.....

In the end, wondering why you consider this the "best First Class Lounge in the World"?

Forgot to mention our recent visit to the Flagship Dining room at LAX for Lunch, where the servers were indeed, as Lucky likes to say, "lovely".

Started with Krug Grand Cuvee, which as our server said "what a great way to start". Then a wonderful crab and avocado salad. Followed by the ever delicious Flagship Burger.

Based on the above review, I'd rather be there, yes in an AMERICAN AIRLINES lounge, than AF FC. Good thing we filled up in the Fl though, as the food on the plane was mostly, as one would expect, inedible. Then again the flight wasn't $8,400 OW. In our case it was 140K AA miles each.

I flew AF F this spring and I was equally underwhelmed with the service in the lounge. I was not offered drinks when I sat down anywhere (much less nuts, olives or chocolate) and when I sat at a table to eat I had to flag down a server and ask for a menu. The service continued in that vein. This was the case for both visits to the lounge. I felt like the were inconvenienced by my presence.

And shockingly, I agree with @Robert (not because he's Robert, but because of the content) that the Flagship dining at LAX is great. Fabulous, friendly service and great food. I couldn't believe I was on AA. Granted, on board, AF wins over AA even in an A380, but I'll take the flagship lounge at LAX over the service in Paris anytime. That was very disappointing.

Either the pasta was tiny or that was a HUGE serving for a starter.

"the Flagship dining at LAX is great"

Yep, strange but very true. 🙂

How can you compare that with Emirates F lounge in DXB ? Drinks (Champagne and Wines) are pettyful, comparing to those you get in Dubai... Not to comment about the insipid menu ... can you really give us a reason why you consider this to be the best F lounge in the world???

Ford & dad in La Premiere Lounge

Baseball cap on in the lounge? Next time, please take it off

@ dr Rodrigues pereira. AF is elegant. Emirates is bling and tacky. Also their lounge in Dubai has no intimacy. But each to their own

Agree with some of the earlier comments. Impressive if you don’t know any better. The whisky menu is laughable. Johnny black JB and Chivas all under single malts and one is even labelled a blend . American whiskeys the most basic. Food looks like typical airplane food. Seating looks uncomfortable . I think Mr. Ben is trying to talk himself into something here. Dirty martinis ? WTF. They knew exactly who they were dealing with.

The comparison to Lufthansa FCT makes no sense @Robert Hanson, if you want to compare Champagnes, fine, but let´s be clear: FCT are also serving fairly basic Champagnes at low price points, but somehow you are comparing AF champagne to FCT rum. I will agree FCT beats the AF lounge on spirits in general, FCT is the best in the world for that. AF seems to be lacking in the spirits offering, but it seems they have at least some decent single malts. American whiskey is not really a benchmark in any case, but agreed they should have had Johnny Blue on offer.

More important, the FCT will not pick you up on transfer, that walking trip through the smoke-filled taxi area does hardly scream first class. Originating in Frankfurt the FCT is great of course.

Cudos to AF for focusing on what makes France great: wines, cheese and food in general, it looks like it does it very well and added to the fact that they will pick you up from any flight and bring you there is top class (hello Emirates, Lufthansa).

was there 2 months ago both out going and coming back from MEX. they served those 2 champagnes and a 2012 Taittinger that was actually really good. is it the best Lounge in the world? is very close! but when you add the ground experience and the other things that come with it. I would say yes it definitely is the best in the world.

The more you pay the more you have to suffer from Air France hospitality. (I am a shareholder, try to get a cup of coffee at Air France AGM......... 🙂

Not one single dish for vegetarians. To add insult to injury they offer the ultimate in animal cruelty: foie gras ( prepared by force-feeding birds until they develop fatty livers). Despicable, disgraceful, scandalous mistreatment, fortunately about to be banished from public establishments.
The rest of it looks pretty déclassé.

Hardly “the best first class lounge in the world” and this review shows it’s one of the worst FC lounges in the world.

And as others have mentioned, this lounge falls flat in many areas. Perhaps to someone who’s hardly or never experienced a proper lounge, this might seem grand. But it’s not and AF should be ashamed given how solid their on-board F experience is. Alas, in my opinion, LH does First better than anyone in the sky outside of the UAE carriers - even Cathay First isn’t what it used to be.

I don’t need someone escorting me to the lounge, that’s annoying unless you’re running late and need to cut through security. When flying First and paying high fares, I need a well-designed and comfortable lounge, such as The Wing in HKG or the excellent FC lounge in Munich. Natural tones, soft leathers and woods. Not this white glass, funhouse, Philip Stark nonsense. It’s typical French over the top flair that falls flat.

A great lounge delivers excellent service end-to-end, no grump waiters consistent with this lounge or a Hertz sprinter van. Yes, the LH vans are crap too.

A great lounge serves quality spirits. Has a robust menu. Has a rich buffet. The menu here is laughable. The desserts are mediocre at best.

Air France’s execution of putting Alain Ducasse’s name on a menu, designing the lounge to look like a cold strip club, limiting spa hours and having a bar that’s a facade and not always staffed with cheap liquor is pure garbage. I’ve had better experiences at LH Senator or LAX Star Alliance lounges.

The design of this lounge alone is vomit. French should hire some Italians to design a proper lounge for them 🙂

I had lunch at the CDG Premiere lounge in December 2018, and filmed a small insect walking the length of the vegetables on my plate. I decided against ordering anything else.

Lucky - I am so enjoying reading along on this trip! So cute to see you, your husband, and your dad having so much fun together!!

Paolo, you are welcome to fly VeggieAir.

If there was enough demand for veggies, AF would offer it.

@Kay Mode
What on earth made you think anyone would want to read your delusional ramblings on airline lounges? For your own benefit and for those unfortunate enough to be near you; get a grip, get some fresh air and stop travelling by air, its clearly affecting your mental health.

rude.