Palermo from Bratislava (slightly more expensive from Prague too) on many dates
28 €
Air France A350’s new Business Class on the CDG–MEX route: a beautiful cabin, an average experience
The new Airbus A350. Air France’s latest business class with closing doors. A daytime flight during which we’ll have a good look at everything. And best of all, a ticket for just 55,000 Flying Blue miles.
However, after about twelve hours, I disembark in Mexico with a slightly different impression.
The cabin looks elegant, the privacy is excellent and the crew come across as thoroughly professional. However, for a relatively new product, the seat is in surprisingly poor condition and the food was one of the worst I’ve had in long-haul business class so far.
At the standard fare, I’d be very disappointed. For 55,000 miles? That makes it a much more palatable proposition.
Our flight in a nutshell
| Our experience | |
|---|---|
| Route | Prague – Paris – Mexico City |
| Flight reviewed | Paris CDG – Mexico City MEX |
| Aircraft | Airbus A350-900 with a new cabin |
| Price per person | 55,000 miles + 403 eur nd fees |
| Biggest plus | privacy, design and professional crew |
| Biggest downside | condition of the seats and very poor food |
| Would I book again? | For 55,000 mil, yes; at the standard price, no |
Air France’s new business class has a 1-2-1 configuration, so every passenger sits right by the aisle. The seat reclines into a flat bed and you can close the door after take-off.
If you’ve already bought your ticket, the ‘hard product’ is good despite my reservations. I just wouldn’t automatically expect the cabin to be in immaculate condition or a Michelin-starred dining experience.
How we bought a business class ticket to Mexico for 55,000 miles
The ticket was part of a single booking for Prague – Paris – Mexico City.
I’ve already described the short European flight from Prague in a separate review of Air France Business Class on the Airbus A220.
This time, I didn’t buy the tickets with cash as usual, but through the Flying Blue loyalty programme.
Every month, Flying Blue publishes what are known as ‘Promo Rewards’. These are selected destinations where, for a limited period, you can purchase bonus tickets for fewer miles.
Mexico City appeared in the offer at 55,000 miles one-way in business class. For a long-haul flight from Prague, that was an excellent price.
For the two of us, the tickets cost:
| 1 person | 2 people | |
| Flying Blue | 55,000 miles | 110,000 miles |
| Taxes and charges | 403 eur | 806 eur |
A bonus ticket therefore certainly does not mean a free flight. Flying Blue adds airport taxes and other charges to the miles, which cannot be paid for with miles.
Even so, 55,000 miles for the entire journey from Prague to Mexico City made sense to me. Especially as we found exactly the one date we needed for the same price.
We were also lucky with the new business class
Air France operates Airbus A350s in two distinctly different configurations.
On most dates available for 55,000 miles, the older business class was shown. It doesn’t look particularly bad, but it doesn’t have a closing door and, overall, seems less modern.
Flights with the new cabin, on the other hand, cost 100,000 miles or more.
The only exception was our flight. For the same 55,000 miles, we got the new Airbus A350 with the latest business class.
How to spot the new cabin from the seat map
Don’t just rely on the ‘Airbus A350’ label. Both versions appear under the same aircraft type when booking.
The seat map is the key:
| New Business Class | Older business class | |
| Number of seats | 48 | 34 |
| Rows | 1 to 14 | 1 to 9 |
| Cabins | two sections separated by a kitchenette | one cabin |
| Door between the seat and the aisle | yes | no |
In the new version, behind the main Business Class section, you’ll see a second, smaller cabin separated by a galley. The older version has only 34 seats in a single cabin.
The aircraft type may, of course, change before departure. The seat map is therefore the best guide when booking, but it is never a 100 per cent guarantee.
Where did we get the 110,000 miles from?
It took me about a year to collect 110,000 miles for two bonus tickets. We used three different sources.
Accor flights and hotels
I earned a few thousand miles on regular European flights and stays at Accor hotels.
Flying Blue and ALL Accor accounts can be linked. For eligible stays at Accor hotels, in addition to the standard ALL points, you’ll also earn 1 Flying Blue mile for every 1 eur spent.
It’s not a shortcut to business class in a matter of weeks, but you know how it is… Every extra mile can come in handy.
Over 20,000 miles for a flight with Etihad
We both earned our biggest single batch of miles on our previous flight with Etihad.
Although Etihad is not a member of the SkyTeam alliance, it does partner with Flying Blue. We each earned over 20,000 miles for our flights in Residence and First Class.
Incidentally, that was the very flight on which we tried out two very unusual products:
Flying Blue currently credits 275 per cent of the distance flown for booking class A, which we had. However, it’s always necessary to check the specific booking class before purchasing, not just the ‘First Class’ label on the ticket.
The rest via RevPoints
I topped up the missing miles by transferring RevPoints from Revolut.
I’m on the Ultra plan, which earns me 1 RevPoint for every 1 eur spent on eligible payments. RevPoints are transferred to Flying Blue at a 1:1 ratio.
This is also why I’m able to collect miles significantly faster than with lower-tier plans.
However, this doesn’t mean that 55,000 miles will just appear out of thin air. If you wanted to earn them solely through standard payments on the Ultra plan, it would be equivalent to spending 56775 eur on a single flight ticket.
For me, RevPoints mainly act as the final piece of the jigsaw. I earn some of my miles from flights and hotels, and I top up via Revolut with exactly the amount I need to make a booking.
The Air France lounge at CDG: it’s not bad, but it’s nothing to write home about
After arriving from Prague, we go through the priority passport control and head to the departures area of Terminal 2E.
I describe exactly how transfers, passport control and moving between the different halls work in my guide to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Before our long-haul flight, we have access to the Air France lounge.
I was expecting a more distinctive French elegance. Instead, what I found was mainly a very grey, rather uninteresting interior and average food.
There’s nothing particularly wrong with it. We’ll have a bite to eat, a drink and a bit of a rest. It’s just exactly the sort of lounge you won’t remember a thing about a week later.
We then make our way to the departure gate via the long, glass-walled corridor in Terminal 2E.
Charles de Gaulle may be a confusing airport when you’re in transit, but architecturally it has some truly impressive spots.
Boarding is a bit chaotic, but business class passengers board first
At first, things don’t look entirely organised at the gate. Passengers gather around the boarding queues and for a while it isn’t entirely clear what exactly is going to happen.
Eventually, however, boarding gets organised by zones and business class passengers board first.
This works well with the new cabin layout. We have a few minutes to take some photos before other passengers start moving around.
First impression: elegant, but it looked even better in the photos
My first impression of the new business class is a pleasant one.
I perhaps liked the cabin even a little more on Instagram, but the combination of white, very dark blue and subtle red details is beautiful.
The cabin is arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. Every passenger has direct access to the aisle, and the window seats face outwards, so you feel as though you have your own little space.
The middle seats are ideal for couples. The partition between them can be lowered, but you still remain in separate seats.
A seat with a door and excellent privacy
The main new feature is the sliding door.
They must remain open during boarding and take-off. They can only be closed once the aircraft has reached cruising altitude, at which point the crew will unlock them.
Of course, neither the doors nor the walls extend all the way to the ceiling. This remains more of a feature of certain first-class cabins, and even Lufthansa, when referring to Allegris First, speaks only of ‘almost full height’.
In practice, however, this didn’t bother me at all.
When seated, I can’t see the other passengers and they can’t see me. The door provides more than enough privacy for everyday needs.
The seat itself offers plenty of space and, of course, folds down into a completely flat bed.
I have seat 6L by the window, and it’s comparable, for example, to the window seats in Lufthansa’s Allegris Business Class. However, the distance from the window is greater on Air France.
There’s plenty of space, of course; I can stretch my legs out as much as I like, and even very tall people over 2 metres can fit in here without the slightest problem.
The practical amenities are very good:
- wireless phone charging
- USB-A and USB-C
- standard electrical socket
- large screen with Bluetooth
- several storage compartments
- direct access to the aisle
There are headphones and a bottle of water in the compartment behind the mirror.
Beneath the screen are a blanket, slippers and bed linen.
Condition of the seat? In places, it’s almost like Air India
Here comes what is probably the biggest unpleasant surprise.
I’d expected the relatively new business class to be in practically perfect condition. But the reality was quite different.
Some of the plastic parts were loose and hanging down. The seat wasn’t perfectly clean, and the tablet used to control the screen was labelled ‘INOP’, meaning it wasn’t working.
It wasn’t just a single minor scratch, which one would understand given everyday use. Rather, it was several issues at once, which made the cabin look significantly older than it actually was.
In places, it reminded me more of the neglected interiors of older Air India aircraft.
Really.
Fortunately, this didn’t have a major impact on the seat’s functionality. It could still be adjusted normally and converted into a bed.
However, for a product that Air France markets as its latest business class offering, this sort of condition is an unnecessarily poor reflection on the airline.
The bed is comfortable, but the mattress ends too soon
As the flight to Mexico City takes place during the day, we are not given pyjamas. Only slippers are provided.
The seat converts into a fully flat bed and I have plenty of space. The duvet is very cosy and the seat’s upholstery itself is comfortable.
The sleeping mat/sheet, however, is not so good.
It doesn’t cover the full length of the bed and ends before the foot area. This means that part of your body lies on the softer mattress, whilst your feet rest on the harder surface of the sofa.
It’s not a disaster, but it’s a strange detail in such a well-designed new business class.
On a daytime flight, I wasn’t trying to sleep the whole way anyway. The seat is comfortable for a few hours’ rest, and thanks to the door, you really do have peace and quiet.
Cabin dimming during the flight
Even though it’s a daytime flight, around two hours after lunch the whole cabin is darkened so that passengers can sleep more easily.
Crew: professional, experienced and a little strict
The crew come across as very professional right from the start.
They aren’t overly friendly or chatty. Rather, they are businesslike, a bit strict and precise.
But when we need something, the response is quick and absolutely fine. The service works well and the crew know exactly what they’re doing.
It’s a bit of a paradox.
I’ve always expected that sort of more clinical professionalism from Lufthansa, though I’ve repeatedly encountered exceptionally friendly crews there.
I’m not complaining. A friendly and experienced crew is ideal, but pure professionalism is the next best thing.
At least you feel that if a problem arises, everything will be sorted out exactly as it should be.
Amenity kit
I’m reserving a special section for the amenity kit, as I’m a keen collector of them.
The Air France pouch is very nicely designed, but I can tell at first glance that the contents will be rather basic.
The amenity kit is simply small.
Inside, you’ll find:
- an eye mask
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- moisturising cream
- socks
- earplugs
The service is excellent. Unfortunately, the food itself isn’t
I had high expectations of the food on Air France.
The French airline itself bases its long-haul business class offering on gastronomy prepared in collaboration with Michelin-starred chefs. I was therefore expecting this to be one of the highlights of the flight.
The service itself really is excellent.
Even before take-off, we’re served a welcome drink. The crew hand out the menus, ask about our preferences and clear the plates away fairly quickly after each course.
However, the food itself is a huge disappointment.
Snack after take-off
Immediately after the start, we’re given a small snack: cheese crackers and a selection of nuts. Unlimited drinks, of course.
Lunch: watery and almost tasteless
The starter is the same for everyone, with no choice. Strange. It’s very light and small, but I have to say it’s excellent.
For the main course, I choose the salmon and shrimp royale.
It looks quite good. However, the flavour is watery, bland and almost uninspired.
My girlfriend goes for Camargue rice – I can’t even remember what it was served with. But again, it was rather bland and dry.
After the main course, we’re served a cheese platter, but the plate is so small I can barely spot it on our table!
Dessert is a similar story. It isn’t exactly bad, but I expected significantly more than just something average from Air France’s business class.
I go for the chocolate dessert, whilst my girlfriend chooses the coconut and raspberry one, which I think is better.
But once again, the portions are very small for my liking.
Dinner: another bland meal
Before landing, I have a roast chicken fillet with tarragon sauce.
Once again, the result is very disappointing. Both the meat and the sauce are almost tasteless, and the whole dish seems as though the chef has completely forgotten to add salt and seasoning.
One bad meal can happen. Two in a row is a problem.
My partner opts for rice again, this time a vegetable risotto. And once again, it’s very poor.
Dinner is rather meagre, with no starter and no dessert. Or rather, a small fruit salad and a very small madeleine are served on a single tray.
During the flight, light snacks are available in the galley, and further refreshments can be ordered from the cabin crew. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are, of course, available throughout the flight.
Arrival in Mexico City
After around twelve hours, we land at Benito Juárez Airport in Mexico City.
Air France uses Terminal 1. Upon arrival, we go through passport control, collect our luggage and have all our suitcases X-rayed before proceeding to the public area.
You can find details about arrivals, terminals and transport to the city centre in the Mexico City MEX Airport Guide.
We used Uber for the journey into the city centre. I therefore activated my mobile data via eSIM before departure.
Is Air France A350 Business Class worth it?
I wouldn’t have bought this flight with my own money.
Air France tends to charge high fares on long-haul routes, and our experience on this particular flight didn’t live up to that.
The cabin design was beautiful, the doors provided excellent privacy and the crew were very professional.
However, two key aspects of the experience fell short:
- the relatively new seat was dirty, worn and partially non-functional
- both main courses were significantly below average
However, for 55,000 Flying Blue miles, I view the ticket in a completely different light.
We got the entire journey from Prague to Mexico City, a fully flat bed, lounge access, priority services, two pieces of checked luggage and an eleven-hour flight in a cabin offering excellent privacy.
In this context, it was a very good use of miles.
Air France has simply reminded me once again that a new product in promotional photographs and the actual product after several years of operation can be two quite different things.
My rating
What was good:
- an excellent price of 55,000 miles for the entire journey from Prague
- stylish design of the new cabin
- very good privacy once the door is closed
- a completely flat and spacious bed
- Direct access to the aisle from every seat
- Professional and experienced crew
- Wireless charging, USB-A and USB-C
What was worse:
- the relatively new seat was in very poor condition
- a non-functional tablet used to control the screen
- both main courses were almost tasteless
- the sleeping mat didn’t cover the whole bed
- An average and unremarkable lounge at CDG
Join us on our journey to Mexico
Our journey had only just begun with the flight to Mexico City. If you’re planning a similar itinerary, carry on reading these articles:
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