Air France A350 Business Class Review: CDG to MIA

Airline: Air France
Aircraft: Airbus A350
Flight Number: AF092
Route: Paris, France (CDG) – Miami, FL (MIA)
Duration: 8 hours and 45 minutes
Seat: 1H

After a week-long trip in Spain to visit our daughter during a semester abroad, we flew home on the Air France A350 in business class. The first leg was a quick flight from Madrid to Paris. The second leg was the flight from Paris to Miami on the new Air France A350.

Both flights were in business class, but business class flights within Europe are essentially economy seats with an open middle seat, so we won’t delve into that one. This article is a review of our business class flight from Paris to Miami

Air France Business Class Booking

I booked this flight with Air France frequent flyer miles I transferred from my Chase Ultimate Rewards account. I bought two one-way seats for 109,500 miles per seat. The cash fare for this flight ranges from $4,000 to $5,000 for a one-way ticket, making this another great use of my Chase Ultimate Rewards points, even though that is a lot of miles for a one-way flight.

Check-In and Boarding

The check-in process was no different from any other airline’s, and boarding was fast and efficient. We were offered a glass of champagne to enjoy while the rest of the plane boarded.

Seats

The business class cabin is arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, providing direct aisle access for all passengers. Each seat converts into a fully flat bed measuring approximately 2 meters, which is great if you want to get some sleep on your flight.

We had the two middle seats in the front of the cabin. I would have picked a window seat if I was flying alone, but since I was with my wife, this setup was perfect!

I normally don’t like bulkhead seats, but on the A350 the business class bulkhead seats have more legroom than any of the others.

Each business class seat includes a sliding door for enhanced privacy, adjustable lighting, and multiple storage compartments. The seats are state of the art with adjustable headrests, lumbar support, and massage functions. There’s also a large storage area for personal items, including a large side pocket and space for laptops or devices.

Technological features include a 20-inch 4K entertainment screen, wireless charging pad, USB-A and USB-C ports, and Bluetooth headphone pairing.

Food

Air France offers a multi-course meal service curated by French chefs, typically including a starter, main course, cheese plate, dessert, and bread.

Meals are presented on ceramic dishware with cloth napkins and metal cutlery. You have your pick of 3-4 entrees. I went with the Chicken with Buttermilk Sauce. It was great!

The options for the second serving were Pearl Barley and Zucchini Coulis or Roast Chicken. I went with the Barley and Zucchini. This one was just ok, but still significantly better than what you get on a domestic airline!

Summary

Air France has always had a great business-class product, but the A350 takes it to another level with privacy doors and luxury finishes. The service and the food were excellent as well!

Using 109,000 miles for a one-way seat is more than I would typically spend, but it was still a great use of miles and a fantastic experience. I would recommend flying this product if you have a chance…. and have the miles!