Air France has introduced a new concierge service at its Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) hub. This is intended to simplify the airport experience for passengers, at a cost. Think of it as being along the lines of American Five Star Service or Delta VIP Select.
In this post:
Details of Air France concierge service at CDG
As of June 11, 2024, Air France is offering three concierge service packages for passengers traveling through Charles de Gaulle Airport. Before we cover the details of each of these packages, let’s cover the basics:
- This is open to all Air France passengers traveling in economy, premium economy, or business class; it’s not open to first class passengers, since they get most of these perks included with their ticket
- You can reserve this as early as when you book your ticket, and as late as 6PM the day before you travel through Paris
- If you reserve this package, you’ll be contacted roughly 48 hours before travel to finalize all the details (of course this will occur later if you book within 48 hours of travel)
- At most four people can be accompanied by a single concierge, so you’ll find a big jump in pricing when you go from four to five people, since it will be treated as two groups
- Interestingly none of these packages include lounge access as part of the fee, so you’ll need to access lounges either based on your class of service, your status, or you can buy access separately (business class lounge access costs €75 or 15,000 miles per person)
There are three packages to choose from, depending on whether you want the service on departure, in transit, or on arrival.
Air France concierge departure package
With the Air France concierge departure package, you receive the following:
- Private transfer from Paris or areas around Paris to the airport
- A greeting as you get out of your car
- Baggage handling and check-in at a Sky Priority counter
- Being accompanied to the lounge, assuming you have access
- Being escorted to the gate via priority lanes
Air France concierge in transit package
With the Air France concierge transit package, you receive the following:
- Being met as you disembark your aircraft
- Being accompanied to the lounge, assuming you have access
- Being escorted to the gate via priority lanes
Air France concierge on arrival package
With the Air France concierge arrival package, you receive the following:
- Being met as you disembark your aircraft
- Being accompanied to baggage claim via priority lanes
- Baggage collection and transfer to your vehicle
- Private transfer from the airport to Paris or areas around Paris
Is the Air France concierge service worth it?
As is the case with virtually all of these concierge services offered by airlines, it’s definitely a niche offering. The way I view it, there are three situations where people might take advantage of this:
- If you’re super wealthy and money is no object, you might as well make your journey a bit easier
- If you’re taking a special trip (honeymoon, anniversary trip, etc.), maybe this is a splurge that some people will value
- Charles de Gaulle can be a complicated airport to navigate, so this could be worth if for peace of mind; it could be especially valuable for those with mobility issues, elderly passengers, those with short connections, etc., who may be nervous about traveling through the airport
Assuming there are long wait times, I can imagine this service potentially saving a not-insignificant amount of time. With the Olympics being in Paris this summer, I can imagine that wait times at the airport may be very long, making this even more useful.
I still think the better deal is buying access to the Air France La Premiere (first class) lounge, if you’re eligible. It’s not cheap, at €650, but it offers an amazing ground experience. The catch is that this comes with restrictions, including that you need to be on a flight without first class, and you must have also flown first class in the past year.
Bottom line
Air France is launching a concierge service at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. In exchange for a fee, you can be escorted every step of the way on departure, in transit, or on arrival. If departing or arriving, the service even includes a chauffeur between the airport and town.
What do you make of the new Air France concierge service?
We used the transfer service for 2 passengers as our originating flight from Lyon to CDG was rescheduled and our connection time was reduced to 50 minutes for our CDG to LAX flight. Flights were paid with miles from BILT transfer bonus on January 1.
Unfortunately our July 1 Lyon flight to CDG was delayed by about 90 minutes so we missed our connection and the next flight that day only had one business...
We used the transfer service for 2 passengers as our originating flight from Lyon to CDG was rescheduled and our connection time was reduced to 50 minutes for our CDG to LAX flight. Flights were paid with miles from BILT transfer bonus on January 1.
Unfortunately our July 1 Lyon flight to CDG was delayed by about 90 minutes so we missed our connection and the next flight that day only had one business class seat remaining. I had tried to reschedule everything via chat but wasn't able to prior to landing at CDG.
Our concierge met us on the jet bridge upon arrival and escorted us to the service desk where there was a slow moving Sky Priority line. He did try to get things moving and eventually more service agents showed up. We were finally booked next day with a hotel voucher with breakfast and dinner at the Courtyard/Residence Inn CDG for the night. He then escorted us in a very convoluted way via Immigration twice (using the crew/diplomat lanes), a terminal connecting bus, a train, and a five minute walk to our hotel. I'm not sure if there was a better way to do it. There were no delays or waiting anywhere during this process though. I would have rather paid for a taxi though as it did involve time and a lot of walking with luggage.
He told us he would meet us the next morning at the Sky Priority entrance in Terminal 2E. We took an Uber to the terminal and met him. He then escorted us through immigration (there seems to be some limit to the extent of skipping ahead of the line here as we could not use the wheelchair/families with small children access line which was very short). We used the automated scanners more quickly but even those were having some issues. Next came security which moved pretty quick as we did not have any line there. He escorted us to the lounge where we had about 40 minutes. He picked us up on time and brought us to the gate. We skipped lines at the gate security, boarding pass scanning, and the boarding line for the plane. We left him at the plane door. I think if we had all this ourselves that morning we would not have had anytime in the lounge.
I'm not sure what to think of all the cost/service at this point as our primary use of the service did not happen - getting us through a tight connection on time. We certainly would never use it otherwise.
We're flying LHR-CDG-IAD in July and they're offering it to my family of four for £385 aside from the services at CDG, does this provide any ground escort upon arrival at IAD does anyone know? Or are the services limited to CDG only?
This is actually shrinkflation: AF already had “Airport personalized services”, which were almost the same thing. They drop that as of June 4 for CDG and keep it just for the other airports.
To distinguish the new service they add the car rides. However they screw over transit passengers, who were actually the most users of these services (I used APS regularly via CDG), in two ways:
a) eliminating the option for hosts speaking...
This is actually shrinkflation: AF already had “Airport personalized services”, which were almost the same thing. They drop that as of June 4 for CDG and keep it just for the other airports.
To distinguish the new service they add the car rides. However they screw over transit passengers, who were actually the most users of these services (I used APS regularly via CDG), in two ways:
a) eliminating the option for hosts speaking other languages than English and French. This was available at no extra cost with advanced booking;
And
b) there’s a tiny but very important change in the ToS: if you’re transiting and have lounge access, you will be brought to the lounge, but then you have to pay an extra service to be taken to the new plane!!
You may wish to update the article to reflect this because it essentially doubles the price, and is very misleading (transit is assumed by everyone to include an arrival and a departure). And it used to be included in the old service.
Another reason to avoid CDG.
Just an absurd waste of money unless money is no object for you. I mean, who wouldn't want to pay 400 Euros to receive a greeting upon getting out of their car!
Could be very useful for connections. If you are arriving or departing I guess it is less necessary.
For those with mobility issues, wheelchair services fill the bill. You are met at the jetbridge, whisked through immigration, helped with luggage retrieval and brought to your cab,U er or limo ride.
On a connecting flight, it is the same except you are deposited either in the Lounge (assuming one has lounge access) or at the connecting gate.
For departures, it is the reverse.This applies to all airlines. The service is free and...
For those with mobility issues, wheelchair services fill the bill. You are met at the jetbridge, whisked through immigration, helped with luggage retrieval and brought to your cab,U er or limo ride.
On a connecting flight, it is the same except you are deposited either in the Lounge (assuming one has lounge access) or at the connecting gate.
For departures, it is the reverse.This applies to all airlines. The service is free and a 10 or 20 Euro tip is met with great appreciation.
Having said that, we had a “family trip” to Paris last Christmas. My husband and arrived several days early to set up the apartment and I set up a wheelchair for him.
Our son and daughter in law and our two grandchildren arrived and knowing the hellhole that CDG can be (even when you are familiar with it) , I booked a service to meet them at the jetbridge and guide them through the morass.
They did fly Air France; however,I was not aware of their service at the time. Was it expensive…yes it was. When I received a text from my daughter-in-law stating “that was magical”, suddenly it did not seem so expensive.
I am now planning a trip for the family to Rome for Christmas 2025. Would I use this kind of service again. You betcha !
I still believe the best way to avoid the chaos of CDG is to fly into AMS and take the train. Based on these prices, cheaper too.
I would say it’s absolutely not worth it. I don’t really have a need or desire to be met on arrival. We flew into CDG last year and I don’t recall any significant delays at security/immigration and our Uber to the Gare de Lyon area was only about $60. Granted we were in business class so we were ahead of everyone else on our flight passing through the checkpoint. I just don’t see the justification for over $400 unless someone is massaging their ego.
Wish I could be first pax that uses this service inbound to CDG for an outbound Easyjet flight!
Previously the Meet & Greet for transit included lounge access for Euro 200 for two passengers now is Euro 350 for 2 passengers without lounge access. Not a new product, just a rebranding with a huge cost increase.
Not for me while traveling alone see I rarely check bags and I know my way around cdg pretty well. But if I'm traveling with my elderly parents then it's a absolute yes. The less nagging I get from my parents the more it's worth the $$. How do I still get nagged at 50?
Used this last yr flying delta one to & from to Italy. Had to come back thru CDG. The worse airport in the world. Delta cut connection to No way we would make it. This AirFrance VIP service saved our trip! Got us off plane thru customs in a car because connection was so short in 15 minutes to plane waiting for US!
Blew Delta VIP service away! Best use of extra travel money EVER SPENT
Doesn't this give the airport authorities another out instead of fixing what is broken? In this day and age, why is inbound immigration such a bottleneck? It's not like the airport authorities are suddenly surprised by a whole bunch of flights? With the amount of data coming through to immigration already, before we land, that 30 seconds or so of smiling to to the agent, watch as they whip out the stamp machine and then...
Doesn't this give the airport authorities another out instead of fixing what is broken? In this day and age, why is inbound immigration such a bottleneck? It's not like the airport authorities are suddenly surprised by a whole bunch of flights? With the amount of data coming through to immigration already, before we land, that 30 seconds or so of smiling to to the agent, watch as they whip out the stamp machine and then hand yoh back your passport, this is a time waster. The equivalent of scanning/ G-Rentry, etc is being successfully rolled out in more and more countries so perhaps in 5 years this type of service will be mostly a thing of the past. Cdg, as someone who had to experience it, has pathetic departure service/ experience for folks with mobility issues...great if you are in bound to CDG and entering the country. LHR is a new definition of shit service for people with mobility issues.
Heaven help you if you are just in transit and have to change terminals.
That airport is such a hassle, I would pay any amount of money if they could fast pass customs and immigration along with this. To me the best value is on a connection due to the lengthy and confusing process of transfers there.
I'd say this could be a great deal for a group of people, especially with older people or kids. 550 euros for four people to CDG is still pricey, but then you don't have to worry about handling your bags and such (if I read that correctly). I am not a parent, but I can imagine those traveling with kids would find that to be well worth the cost.
Ben, thanks for this article. This is great. My wife and I typically book a similar service via our hotel's concierge. There are similar services from independent providers. However, arranging it via Air France might be the simplest way to go. Thanks again. (These services are the same or better than the Amex Centurion Card's International Arrivals Program. Trust me.)
This service could be an excellent idea with mobility issues on departure. My experience with CDG with a companion was that we were met at the plane with a wheelchair and had an escort all the way through baggage to the taxi rank without additional cost.
However, on departure, finding the Sky Priority area in the vast ticket hall with someone with limited mobility in tow and getting to a lounge and then to...
This service could be an excellent idea with mobility issues on departure. My experience with CDG with a companion was that we were met at the plane with a wheelchair and had an escort all the way through baggage to the taxi rank without additional cost.
However, on departure, finding the Sky Priority area in the vast ticket hall with someone with limited mobility in tow and getting to a lounge and then to the plane was very difficult (we ended up waiting a long time for escort and then directly to the gate--no lounge). In that case, it could definitely be worth it.
This is confusing, I'm fairly certain Air France has been offering that service for a while now - I had looked into it at least a year ago for some family members and ended up not doing it because of the cost. Maybe it's just a rebranding.
People with mobility issues will also like this. I attempted connecting last year with my elderly mother and it was a disaster.
@ NSS -- Good point about mobility issues. I added that to the section of the post about parties who might be interested.
Just a heads up, but effective at some point this summer, it is rumored that Air France is increasing the LP Ground Service offering to ~1000 Euros for the departure and connection options; I am not sure about the arrival service. Interesting, too, that the LP Ground Service for departure and arrivals does NOT include complimentary chauffeur.
@ Sam -- Interesting. I wouldn't be surprised to see it. I'm curious, is the rumor being discussed anywhere publicly?
It is not being discussed publicly to my knowledge. But this new offering at the current price point risks cannibalizing the existing LP offering, so to me seeing this news it all makes sense.
I’m confused about what’s new with this. I used this service when traveling on AF in February of 2023. Perhaps they’re just now marketing it (or relaunching it with a marketing splash)?? In any case, I had a 90 minute connection LAX going onward to Sweden through CDG and found the fee well worth it, given that we were able to go from plane to lounge in enough time to shower and grab a quick...
I’m confused about what’s new with this. I used this service when traveling on AF in February of 2023. Perhaps they’re just now marketing it (or relaunching it with a marketing splash)?? In any case, I had a 90 minute connection LAX going onward to Sweden through CDG and found the fee well worth it, given that we were able to go from plane to lounge in enough time to shower and grab a quick bite to eat.
It was definitely not on par with the service received while flying La Premiere (no private car, no dedicated immigration, and of course we didn’t use the La Premiere lounge on this trip), but well worth it nonetheless.
Did you purchase the service through Air France or through one of the CDG operators? There have been VIP airport concierge services offered at CDG for quite some time, but this is the first time Air France (I believe) has offered anything like this aside from the LP Ground Services.
We purchased this directly through Air France las year. I believe the cost was considerably lower though (250EUR total for 2 pax comes to mind, but I could be mistaken on the exact figure).
@ Josh -- That's interesting. The airline is promoting that this is new as of June 11, 2024, so I wonder if maybe this is just a rebranding of some previous product, or something?
@Ben I think this is the service but with an AF alignment deal;
https://www.parisaeroport.fr/en/passengers/services/extime-meet-and-greet
The Extime (Paris Aeroport) and AF services are distinct.
See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-france-frequence-plus/2052879-cdg-meet-greet-concierge-services.html ... AF has offered a similar package since at latest 2021, though it's possible the nature of the offering has changed.
It’s not new. Just a rebranding and shrinkflation.
Check the service “Airport Personalized Services”. They still have it for non-CDG airports. It used to be for CDG as well: cheaper and better. And they’re screwing the transit pax.
If you read through the ToS for Concierge there’s a big baint and switch for transits: should you have lounge access, you will be taken from airplane to lounge (and that’s it!). For onwards access to...
It’s not new. Just a rebranding and shrinkflation.
Check the service “Airport Personalized Services”. They still have it for non-CDG airports. It used to be for CDG as well: cheaper and better. And they’re screwing the transit pax.
If you read through the ToS for Concierge there’s a big baint and switch for transits: should you have lounge access, you will be taken from airplane to lounge (and that’s it!). For onwards access to the new plane (priority boarding etc.), one needs to pay for *a second* time!!!!
This used to be such a wonderfully streamlined service (I used it in May latest, and have been using it since the 2010s for CDG), plus classy and smart people and super-helpful with IRROPS. Not any more…