Air France is known for its La Premiere first class, which offers the world’s best first class ground experience, and also one of the world’s best inflight experiences (my updated rankings in both categories are coming soon). Central to the carrier’s amazing ground experience is the La Premiere Lounge.
Earlier this year, we saw the airline partially close this lounge, so that it could undergo a renovation. As I covered over a week ago, that work wrapped up in early July, so we had a sense of what the changes entail. Air France has now formally announced these updates, so has also shared some renderings of the new space.
While this is definitely evolutionary rather than revolutionary, I’m impressed by the updates, both in terms of design and added amenities.
In this post:
The Air France La Premiere Lounge has undergone a renovation
At the beginning of 2026, Air France announced that its La Premiere Lounge Paris (CDG) would be undergoing a renovation. Work started in early February, and wrapped up in early July, so the lounge is once again fully operational.
The airline took an unconventional approach to this work, in a positive way. Rather than fully closing the lounge, the airline instead kept it open from early in the morning until 2PM, covering peak hours for La Premiere traffic. While many sections of the lounge were blocked off, the idea was that customers would get most of the standard experience.
After 2PM (except on Sundays), passengers flying in La Premiere were accommodated at the arrivals and departures vestibule, which is basically where check-in takes place. The catch is that this is located in the Schengen area, so those La Premiere passengers who didn’t have a visa for the Schengen area would have to be accommodated elsewhere.
This isn’t a big space, but then again, it’s not like there are many La Premiere passengers in the evenings anyway.
Fortunately things are now back to normal, as that work has been completed.
What’s new at the Air France La Premiere Lounge Paris
I’m delighted to see that Air France has invested in the La Premiere ground experience even more. What makes the La Premiere ground experience so special isn’t necessarily the “frills,” but rather how seamless it is. It’s equivalent to private aviation, and perhaps even better, by most metrics.
From the moment you arrive at the airport until the second you get on the plane, it just couldn’t be smoother. Heck, on arrival, you can even clear passport control from the car that picks you up at the plane.
Air France’s food in the La Premiere Lounge is also stellar, the best you’ll find in any airport lounge, in my opinion.
All that being said, prior to these latest updates, the La Premiere Lounge could definitely use a bit of an aesthetics update, as it did feel a little outdated compared to the rest of the experience. I had speculated that the arrivals and departures vestibule, plus the La Premiere Suites, would give us a good sense of what the updated interiors would look like.
FlyerTalk member miles4CDG shares some pictures of the new lounge facility, and the updates are exactly what I was expecting. Here’s what has changed, among other things:
- The overall aesthetics have been modernized to match Air France’s style updates in other facilities, which isn’t at all a surprise
- The lounge has significantly more seating, and more effort has been put into offering privacy between various seating areas
- The dining area is much larger than before, as that was the one part of the lounge that got a bit busy during peak hours
- There are now six proper nap rooms; while they don’t have real beds with mattresses, they have daybeds with bedding, and actually look quite comfortable, especially with the privacy they offer (as they have doors)
- The Sisley Spa has been expanded from one treatment room to two
- There’s now a phone booth, so that guests can make phone calls with privacy, and without disturbing others
All these changes look great. Ultimately Air France didn’t need to reinvent the wheel with this amazing ground experience, but instead, just needed some minor updates, given that the core lounge largely hadn’t been substantially touched since the first time I flew La Premiere around 15 years ago.
Bottom line
The Air France La Premiere Lounge has undergone a renovation over the past several months — it started in early February, and wrapped up in early July. Air France has opened new facilities for first class passengers in recent times, including the new arrivals and departures area, plus the new (paid) suites.
Not surprisingly, the design aesthetics chosen there match what we’re seeing with the updated lounge. Beyond that, there are now proper nap areas, a greatly expanded dining area, additional spa treatment room, a phone booth, and more.
What do you make of the updates to the La Premiere Lounge Paris?
This is getting ridiculous.
Back when Lufthansa renovated their First Class Lounge in Munich and put in much more effort (in particular in the dining area and the presentation of the lounge) it was considered to be meh.
Now Air France does less and you are "impressed by the updates". And, wow, they added a phone booth - Lufthansa has five of them (plus eight in the Satellite Terminal Lounge). Problem is: inconsiderte people don't...
This is getting ridiculous.
Back when Lufthansa renovated their First Class Lounge in Munich and put in much more effort (in particular in the dining area and the presentation of the lounge) it was considered to be meh.
Now Air France does less and you are "impressed by the updates". And, wow, they added a phone booth - Lufthansa has five of them (plus eight in the Satellite Terminal Lounge). Problem is: inconsiderte people don't use them. They rather bother others with their oh so important conversations.
I call this review biased, at best.
@ Alex -- Respectfully, I think you're creating a narrative here that doesn't reflect reality. I assume that this is the post you're referring to?
https://onemileatatime.com/news/new-lufthansa-first-lounge-munich/
As you can see, I referred to the Lufthansa lounge changes as being evolutionary rather than revolutionary, exactly the same way I'm referring to these changes. You're talking about how Lufthansa put in a lot more effort particularly in the dining area. Look at what I wrote about...
@ Alex -- Respectfully, I think you're creating a narrative here that doesn't reflect reality. I assume that this is the post you're referring to?
https://onemileatatime.com/news/new-lufthansa-first-lounge-munich/
As you can see, I referred to the Lufthansa lounge changes as being evolutionary rather than revolutionary, exactly the same way I'm referring to these changes. You're talking about how Lufthansa put in a lot more effort particularly in the dining area. Look at what I wrote about that in that post:
"However, it’s my understanding that the biggest change is to the dining area (including the bar and kitchen), yet the pictures shared by Lufthansa don’t really give us a great sense of the extent to which that has changed."
I also think it's important to consider expectations. Lufthansa promised an all-new Allegris lounge concept, and closed the lounge for nearly a year. When that's what you're promised, it's not that impressive. Meanwhile Air France just partially closed the lounge for four months, and didn't even promise some new generation of lounges, but instead, just some mild updates.
If you think I'm being unfair anywhere, please do let me know. But please base it on what I actually said, and not what you want to think I said.
The ultimate luxury would be going straight from check-in to the aircraft. I'll wager most LP pax are either working in the office or at home until the last minute, or live in a universe where facials, massages, and great wine & food on demand are de rigueur. I'd rather have my esthetician and massage therapist visit me at home before my flight, and spend the least amount of time possible in an airport lounge.
Terrible colour choice - an unmistakably synthetic grey with garish red accents. Yuck
Just left the lounge a few hours ago, now on AF heading home.
The lounge is great looking, however the lack of red is a little bit surprising considering all the gray that’s taken its place. The sleeping rooms are a welcome addition. They’re like smaller versions of the two sleeping rooms in the Lufthansa First Class terminal at Frankfurt.
The phone booth is, well, a gimmick?
As noted, there are now two...
Just left the lounge a few hours ago, now on AF heading home.
The lounge is great looking, however the lack of red is a little bit surprising considering all the gray that’s taken its place. The sleeping rooms are a welcome addition. They’re like smaller versions of the two sleeping rooms in the Lufthansa First Class terminal at Frankfurt.
The phone booth is, well, a gimmick?
As noted, there are now two treatment rooms for the Sisley spa, the new room is very small compared to the original, which is still intact.
The dining area is a nice change in my opinion. That said overall, the lounge is extremely hot with no air really circulating through it. While I know Europe is going through a heatwave right now, I also know they do have air-conditioning at Charles de Gaulle Airport. I will add that all the areas past the bathrooms (meaning the sleeping rooms, shower rooms, and the Sisley spa) are probably 10° cooler than the main lounge itself, so I pretty much camped out in one of the sleeping rooms, emerging only to get food and drink.
I always enjoy my visits there and this one was no different. I just hope when I go back they realize that keeping the temperature at what feels like 26°C is probably not a good idea.
Niccce!! I remember you mentioning you had a flight coming up with AF in La Premiere! (Yeah, heatwave there, and here, at least in NYC, it's been like 100 degrees this week, and the wildfire smoke hasn't been great, either. Still, while 20°C would be best, 26°C is better than 40°C!)
The third photo has a brown thing in a silver bowl with whipped cream on top ? What is that ?
Looks like a nice cubicle farm
The phone booth looks like a sit-down shower .
This looks awful. Lufthansa First Class lounges and terminal are leagues above this crap
Agree. And they manage that by catering to FC and Hon Circle as well.
The newly renovated Air France La Première First Class Lounge is a remarkable example of elegance and premium hospitality. Every aspect of the redesign, from the sophisticated interiors to the enhanced privacy and personalized services, reflects the airline's commitment to providing a world-class travel experience. The luxurious ambiance, modern amenities, and refined comfort create a relaxing environment for passengers before their flight. This renovation not only elevates the lounge experience but also reinforces Air France's...
The newly renovated Air France La Première First Class Lounge is a remarkable example of elegance and premium hospitality. Every aspect of the redesign, from the sophisticated interiors to the enhanced privacy and personalized services, reflects the airline's commitment to providing a world-class travel experience. The luxurious ambiance, modern amenities, and refined comfort create a relaxing environment for passengers before their flight. This renovation not only elevates the lounge experience but also reinforces Air France's reputation as one of the leading airlines in luxury travel. It's an impressive upgrade that frequent travelers and aviation enthusiasts will certainly appreciate
Oh how AI generated comments are becoming so obvious, I fear we are going to lose our own articulation and individuality. I asked chat GBT to write a counter position on the comment;
“While the renovation is undeniably beautiful, it’s worth questioning whether it represents a meaningful improvement or simply a more polished version of an already exclusive product. Elegant interiors and upgraded amenities are increasingly expected in the top tier of international first-class lounges,...
Oh how AI generated comments are becoming so obvious, I fear we are going to lose our own articulation and individuality. I asked chat GBT to write a counter position on the comment;
“While the renovation is undeniably beautiful, it’s worth questioning whether it represents a meaningful improvement or simply a more polished version of an already exclusive product. Elegant interiors and upgraded amenities are increasingly expected in the top tier of international first-class lounges, so the redesign alone doesn’t necessarily set Air France apart from its competitors.
Luxury is about more than aesthetics. Consistency of service, seamless transfers, dining quality, and the overall end-to-end travel experience arguably have a greater impact than a redesigned lounge that only a very small number of passengers will ever access. For many travelers, investments in operational reliability and broader customer experience would deliver more value than further enhancing an already premium space.
The lounge is certainly impressive, but calling it a defining example of world-class hospitality may be premature until it consistently demonstrates advantages that go beyond design and exclusivity.”
So, after reading this, you are an Air France employee, n'est pas?
I’ll be there early next week. I’m assuming the spa is reopened because I do have an appointment for a facial there.
It’ll be nice to check out one of the nap rooms, which they’ve sorely needed for quite some time…years, actually.
Ooooh lala.... enjoy!!
Sorry, I mean 29th of May.
Hi, I am thinking of traveling on LP from Paris on 29th. When do you expect the renovation be finished? I understand that currently the due day is not yet announced.
Wow wow!All I can say is this is coincidentally perfect timing.Flying Blue is poaching BA's ClubGold status holders over to Flying Blue Platinum/SkyTeam ElitePlus as we speak....... La Premiere lounge CDG renovation.... Brand New Air France Flagship Lounge opens Spring 2026 in London Heathrow Terminal FOUR.....
Bye bye BA Club!!!!
Another thing they will ruin with 2020s design...
The best first class service worldwide is Air France . It is the most élégant airline in the world and the service is 5 stars palace . After rénovation it will be ❤️
Tais toi, you aren't white
I was at the CDG LP lounge last week. It was eerily empty in the morning. When I tried the previous day to pre-book a spa treatment, I was told all the appointments were taken. But that seemed strange since when I arrived and there were hardly any other passengers around. So I walked down to Clarins and found they were doing construction. No appointments? Actually, there was no working spa.
Honestly, any disruption to...
I was at the CDG LP lounge last week. It was eerily empty in the morning. When I tried the previous day to pre-book a spa treatment, I was told all the appointments were taken. But that seemed strange since when I arrived and there were hardly any other passengers around. So I walked down to Clarins and found they were doing construction. No appointments? Actually, there was no working spa.
Honestly, any disruption to the ground service needs to be better than that greeting area. When we walked through it the tables were filled with dirty dishes and leftover food. The price for La Premiere is simply too high for any aspect of the service to be off, even slightly.
Perhaps you were in the wrong lounge. The LP lounge is Sisley, not Clarins.
Considering that nothing's changed in the LP lounge in 18 years, this renovation can only mean good things, one hopes.
Which is an interesting contrast to LH, considering that LH's FCT has been unchanged for 23 years and still manages to look pretty darned good.
Totally agree. The first time I walked into the LP lounge I was super disappointed…red and white leather, no privacy. Kind of tacky grace jones 1980s…food super top notch and service and seamless transfer perfect…but just not the look and feel I expected. I managed to see a few famous people even, but shouldn’t we not be seeing famous people? Isn’t that kind of the point? Anyway, first world problems. But the lounge needs a...
Totally agree. The first time I walked into the LP lounge I was super disappointed…red and white leather, no privacy. Kind of tacky grace jones 1980s…food super top notch and service and seamless transfer perfect…but just not the look and feel I expected. I managed to see a few famous people even, but shouldn’t we not be seeing famous people? Isn’t that kind of the point? Anyway, first world problems. But the lounge needs a facelift to become more sleek, elegant and private. F lounges at Lufthansa after all these years are still elegant and sobre. But the catering is now terrible under Käfer. And the wonderful ex-do&co employees sharing space with the cheap Käfer hires…my heart goes out to them. A Spohr inspired race to the bottom.
Now if AF gives Ultimates LP lounge access; I will ditch my HON crown once and for all.
I’ve never flown LP or experienced this lounge but I know how much Ben loves it. What always surprises me is that the adoring posts come with the same photo of the lounge which looks totally drab!!! So good to know an update is in store.
For me it looks totally unappealing (good food aside).
More grey than a battleship.
Only 10 readers interested in this World Class airline …. it tells me all about the readership ….
The lounge in and of itself, like layout/furniture etc, is quite unremarkable and nothing special, and it's small. But it's all about the service and the food, really. Very curious to see how it'll look like post renovation because it most certainly needs it.
One man’s drab is another man’s classically restrained and very tasteful.
I saw a review where it was likened to a 70s nail salon!------- i totally agree----- it is a bit vulgar. Much prefer the quiet tastefulness of the LH and CX lounges.
I'll be connecting via CDG in LP on 2/6 and 2/15...both outbounds from Paris depart before 2pm, so I'm happy to report back regarding my personal experience.
Off topic. Can you do a post on the best ways to earn flying blue status?
@ Eli -- I can certainly work on an updated post, but here's my last one on this topic:
https://onemileatatime.com/insights/flying-blue-elite-status/
:-)
Thanks, will check it out