The Best Airlines To Fly Into Paris, France

Paris is the cosmopolitan capital of France and one of the most well traveled to cities in Europe. It has a reputation of being one of the most beautiful and romantic cities, remaining hugely influential in modern culture, art, fashion, food and design.

With 45 million tourists visiting annually, Paris isconsidered the most popular travel destination in the world. This makes Paris one of the most accessible cities offering non stop service to over 15 US cities.

Not only does the city have great airlines but the hotel options in Paris are also excellent.

If you are planning to fly into Paris not every airline is made equal so we will break down the best way to travel.

Airports Near Paris

Paris is primary served by two international airports, but also has a small regional airport 96 minutes north. Most overseas flights on major carriers operate out of Charles de Gaulle, but many flights through Europe can also go through Orly.

Charles de Gaulle is a major hub airport to the north-east of the city and one of the most popular airports for connections in all of Europe. It’s notoriously confusing, so allow plenty of time for transfers. Even if you are not flying into Paris, or France for that matter, it is likely you may have stopped here at some point.

If you are flying in from the US then you almost definitely will be landing into Charles De Gaulle. While the airport isn’t in the city center there are options for trains, buses, and taxis that allow you to easily commute into Paris.

Airlines Flying To Paris

All the major US airlines offer a nonstop flight to Paris including Delta, United, and American Airlines. The city also has a number of French airlines offering service including the flagship Air France as well as discount airlines French Bee and business only La Compagnie.

The airlines provide nonstop service to over 15 US cities catering to both business and leisure travelers. With this many options there are certainly differences amongst the airlines and aircrafts that we break down below.

If you do not live near one of these airports it’s likely you will connect in one of these cities before making your trip across the pond. The flight time to Paris is just under 7 hours from the US East Coast and about 12 hours from the West Coast.

Best First Class

There is only one carrier that offers first class on this route and lucky enough it’s one of the best in the world. Air France fly’s its signature La Premiere on all Boeing 777’s that provide one of the most exclusive seats in the sky. Other options for First Class will have you connecting in other parts of Europe, which add enough time to the flight that wouldn’t make it worth it.

1. Air France La Premiere Boeing 777

Air France La Premiere is a major treat to be able to fly, with the airline offering only 4 seats on each aircraft. The experience starts well before you take off while on the ground with chauffeur service, exclusive checkin and lounge access, and a massive seat with a full length curtain for privacy. This seat does not come easy as it’s often over $10,000 to fly round trip with rarely accessible points redemptions. If you are looking to splurge and fly into Paris in style then there is no better way than this.

Best Business Class

Not all business class are made equal so if you are willing to pay a premium for comfort (or shell out some points) there are a number of good options. Since Paris is such a major city you have specialty airlines such as La Compagnie that fly business class only, which can be a treat for those looking for an efficient way to cross the pong.

We went through all the business class products that are currently being flown to Paris so you can decide what is best.

1. Delta Airlines A330

Even with so much competition on this route we still feel the signature new Delta One Suites is the best business class to fly. You’ll want to make sure your flight has the redesigned cabin since it’s a huge upgrade to the old A330 design we flew from Paris to New York in 2019. In our opinion these seats are unmatched against any US airlines (even United Polaris) and if you can snag a seat on this route you won’t regret it. From the amount of space you get, to the food, to even a personal door the privacy on a Delta flight is the best you can get in business class to Paris. Note, points redemptions don’t come cheap on this route so the only downside is finding a reasonably priced ticket.

2. United Airlines 787-10

United Polaris Business Class is one of the most comfortable and private seats to fly across the Atlantic. We’ve flown it multiple times from Newark to Frankfurt and indulged in the amazing Polaris lounge prior to takeoff. United fly the largest aircraft on this route too, which is the 787-10 nonstop to Paris. The cabin is in a 1-2-1 layout with each seat having aisle access and enough privacy. We would easily say this is one of the better business class product from the US to Paris.

3. Air France 777

While it’s not La Premiere, Air France business is still a comfortable 1-2-1 well designed cabin coming in at #3 on our list. The airline has invested in upgrading their business class over the past few years and swapping out older seats with updated interiors. If you can snag a seat on Air France at a good price it’ll be a great way to get you into Paris. A tip we’ve found is you can usually upgrade on Air France at a reasonable price especially if you are flying Premium Economy for $300 one way. Next time you are at the airport find out on check in and you might be able to snag a last minute seat.

4. LaCompagnie A321

Business class only offerings are not common but we find them to be a unique flying experience that is not to be missed. La Compagnie flies a 2-2 layout non stop between New York to Paris to attract business travelers that are just looking for an efficient and comfortable way between cities. The seats are all lay flat, however not all offer direct aisle access. We find this to be a great offering if the price is right but not up there with the more private seats on Delta and United.

All major airlines on this route have reputable business classes and we don’t suggest taking a longer route just to pick one over the other. But if you are coming from a major city that offers more than one, we think it’s good to compare before you go.

Best Economy Class

There usually isn’t a major difference in economy class hard product but there may be items some airlines do better than others. We especially like those offering comfortable seats and reasonable food to make us pick one over the other.

1. Delta Premium Economy

We have to give it to Delta again flying their new premium economy seats on a nonstop flight to Paris. While the unfortunate news is these seats are not cheap and do not offer complimentary upgrades from main cabin, they are still the most comfortable way to fly outside of business.

2. Air France Premium Economy

Air France offers a unique premium economy seat that are hard shelled into place. This means when you recline your seat is actually not moving back but rather forward to give you more space to lay. Some find this seat to be uncomfortable while others think it’s a great perk to not have someone in front of you take away from your space. Regardless this is an upgrade from economy and if you can snag a seat at a good price it’ll be worth the trip.

3. United 767 Economy

United is a standout with the plane flying to Paris looking to have the most comfortable economy class. The layout is a 2-3-2 while most others offer a 2-4-2 layout. Again this won’t make a major difference, especially if you are able to snag one of the 2 seat sections on any of the other airlines. However, on a full flight you will definitely notice a roomier cabin even if the plane is a bit smaller compared to an American 787.

Summary & Takeaways

With many different airlines offering service to Paris this is great news for consumers. In our opinion outside of Delta and United Business Class the remainder of the options tend to be fairly similar and you should have a comfortable trip regardless of which you choose.

Keep in mind many airlines are trying to find other ways to separate themselves like lounge access and investment in better food. If you have flexibility on this route we recommend going with an airline that suites your travel needs and letting us know what you think is best in the comments