Air France business class upgrade purchase left me delighted upon discovering superior culinary offerings
Heading to the City of Love turned out to be an exciting experience for me and my husband, thanks to our journey with Air France. In March, we decided to celebrate our anniversary with a two-hour flight from Dublin to Paris, and what better way to do it than booking round-trip business class seats, forking over an extra 275 bucks per person.
Going business class meant benefiting from Sky Priority, a service that, quite honestly, was hit or miss. In both Dublin and Paris airports, we managed to zip through the check-in and baggage drop-off areas with no queues in sight. With our business class status, we were granted an expanded baggage allowance of up to 70 pounds per checked bag, compared to the 50 pounds offer in economy class.
However, our experiences with Sky Priority varied from airport to airport. Despite our status, we faced long waits to get through security and immigration in Paris, while Dublin's Sky Priority helped us breeze through security with ease. Our priority-tagged bag also arrived among the first in Paris, but in Dublin, we had to wait for it on the carousel.
Lounges in both airports were on our itinerary, with better luck in Dublin than Paris. The lounge in Terminal 1 of Dublin Airport was well-furnished with seating, light snacks, and drinks. Unfortunately, Air France's lounge in Paris was under renovation, and we were directed to a gloomy, sparsely-furnished temporary lounge.
But the real highlight of the trip wasn't the lounges or priority treatment, it was the food and drink offerings. Despite the temporary lounge in Paris, the selection of hors d'oeuvres was outstanding, with a buffet stocked with everything from pasta and meats to cakes and desserts. Both meals served on the flights were delicious, with a breakfast of puff pastry, smoked salmon, and coffee, and a lunch of smoked salmon, couscous, and creamy choux pastry. Drinks included champagne, making each meal taste elevated.
Boarding, unfortunately, was a bit more stressful than we anticipated. We didn't want to arrive at the gate too early, given our priority boarding status, but there were no flight announcements in either lounge. In Paris, we ended up standing in line with the rest of the passengers when it was time to board. In Dublin, we managed to get through the gates more quickly.
The seats weren't lie-flat, but they were comfortable and spacious, with adjustable armrests and plenty of legroom. The biggest advantage of our upgrade was having an empty seat between us, freeing up room to stretch out and enjoy the flight without any stranger cramped next to us.
Overall, Air France's business class left something to be desired in terms of operational efficiency, but the high-quality meals, excellent service, and extra perks were a pleasant addition to our flight. If the prices are right, we might consider upgrading again in the future. But if it comes down to luxury, we'd rather save our money.
- Our two-hour flight from Dublin to Paris was integral to our anniversary celebration, as we booked round-trip business class seats, spending an additional 275 pounds per person.
- In both Dublin and Paris airports, we were definitely able to integrate Sky Priority's advantages, zooming through the check-in and baggage drop-off areas, bypassing any queues.
- Our lifestyle was enhanced by Air France, especially during the flight, as we indulged in delectable meals and drinks that were part of their diverse oeuvres.
- Despite the long waits faced during our security and immigration procedures in Paris, we still believe that our Travel experience, overall, with Air France's business class was definitely a satisfying one.
