Air France is one of the largest airlines in the world. With a strong brand and recognition globally, it should be one of the first names you think of when planning a trip to Europe.
Known for its lavish La Première first class product that’s extremely difficult to book with points, Air France also has a fantastic business class product.
You can expect excellent airport lounges, a refined onboard experience, comfortable reverse herringbone seats that recline completely flat, and so much more.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to book nonstop business class flights on Air France using points, so you can enjoy high-quality red wine, visit the Eiffel Tower, and get that selfie with Mona Lisa.
A Look Inside Air France Business Class
Air France business class. Image Credit: Nick Ellis
Air France’s award-winning business class starts with a chic ground experience. First, you’ll enjoy priority check-in lines and an extra baggage allowance.
And if you’re flying from its hub in Paris, you’ll enjoy spacious business class lounges complete with saunas, plentiful catering options, nap rooms, showers, and even detox bars in select lounges.
Once onboard, you’ll see why Air France’s business class product is so well-regarded. However, a word of caution: Air France has wild variations in its business class seats — on one hand, its flagship product is a sleek reverse herringbone seat arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration with direct aisle access and lie-flat capabilities.
On the other hand, if you’re not vigilant, you might find yourself in an old, angled-flat business class seat that doesn’t have direct aisle access and is arranged in a more crowded configuration.
You’ll want to be sure to avoid any planes that don’t have a 1-2-1 arrangement unless absolutely necessary, as it could drastically impact your experience.
In addition to great seats on most of its long-haul planes, Air France has one of the best wine lists in the sky, plus an amazing menu, good amenities, and warm service.
Solo travelers should do their best to reserve a window seat while traveling companions can enjoy each other’s company in the middle seats.
How To Fly Air France Business Class Using Points
Fortunately, Air France generously releases a swath of business class award availability at various points in time.
If you happen to be planning a trip far in advance, you’ll often find entire weeks with award space, with 9 seats available on some flights!
If you’re planning a trip within a month of departure, you should still find solid opportunities to redeem points for business class.
Air France levies fuel surcharges of around $200 to $400 for flights between the U.S. and Europe. Generally, fuel surcharges will be higher on flights originating in Europe.
Air France is a subsidiary of Air France-KLM Group, which has a single frequent flyer program under its umbrella: Flying Blue.
Flying Blue, as a whole, offers the best redemption prices for Air France flights in the world.
But one of the most confusing aspects of Flying Blue is that it maintains a hybrid pricing structure — a mix of dynamic award pricing and region-based award pricing.
Specifically, Air France has several buckets of award space, each of which is priced at different mileage amounts.
So even though a nonstop flight between Los Angeles and Paris in Air France business class could require just 67,500 miles each way, it could also cost as much as 285,000 miles!
Whenever you look for award availability on Air France, you’ll want to make sure you’re redeeming points on the lower end of that spectrum in order to get maximum value.
Flying Blue allows one-way and round-trip award bookings — here’s an approximate award chart for one-way flights between the U.S. and Paris:
In addition to being the best frequent flyer program to book Air France business class tickets overall, Flying Blue’s website is also the best website to search for award space!
Hot Tip: If you’re planning on redeeming other frequent flyer miles or points for Air France business class, we wouldn’t recommend searching on Flying Blue’s website due to the confusing award buckets that partners can’t access.
Follow these steps to book your ticket with Flying Blue miles:
Click Log in in the top-right corner. Enter your Flying Blue account details.
On the homepage, click Book with Miles.
Fill in the flight details and click Search flights.
Find the best flight options for your needs.
Redeem your Flying Blue miles and use a credit card for taxes and fees.
A successful award search on Flying Blue will show a green box with the lowest-level award space available, the mileage price, and the required taxes and fees.
All transfers from Amex, Bilt, Brex, Capital One, Chase, and Citi should transfer almost instantaneously at a 1:1 ratio.
And if you transfer points from Marriott Bonvoy, it’ll be at a 3:1 ratio with a bonus of 5,000 miles when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to Flying Blue.
There’s also a co-branded credit card issued by Bank of America that earns Flying Blue miles directly.
Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)
A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
$1,200
21.49%-28.49% Variable
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
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Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
$1,200
22.49%-29.49% Variable
If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best options out there.
The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.
Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority PassTM Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!
0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24%.
Good to Excellent (670-850)
INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back!
Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24%.
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Financial Snapshot
APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24%.
Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
The Freedom Flex card is an excellent no-annual-fee card that still earns big with 5% cash-back on travel and other bonus categories.
0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
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Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex® card
Keep tabs on your credit health – Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
Business Owner? Read our article on the best Chase business cards that earn Ultimate Rewards.
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank has suffered from several devaluations over the years, which ultimately relegated the program to a thing of the past for most travelers.
And being among the hardest miles to earn in the world doesn’t boost the value proposition of Mileage Bank, either.
Still, Japan Airlines partners with Air France, which means you can redeem Japan Airlines miles for Air France business class tickets, assuming you can get your hands on Japan Airlines miles in the first place.
Its award structure consists of a straightforward, distance-based award chart, which means you’ll pay more miles the further you fly.
In general, Japan Airlines doesn’t pass on fuel surcharges on flights originating in the U.S., though it does levy relatively mild fuel surcharges on flights originating in Europe — around $150 per ticket. This is a welcome policy that’ll save you hundreds of dollars per person.
There is solid value to be had when using JAL miles to book partner awards. Image Credit: Japan Airlines
Follow these steps to book your ticket online:
Visit Japan Airlines’ website and click Redeem award flights in the middle of the page. Then, click Book International Award Tickets.
Log into your Japan Airlines Mileage Bank account when prompted.
At the top of the screen, toggle to JMB Partner Airlines Award Tickets.
Choose Round-trip or One-way.
Select Air France under the Partner Airlines dropdown box.
Fill out the rest of the search information and click Search.
Choose the flight result that matches your needs, redeem your JAL miles, and use a credit card for taxes and fees.
Hot Tip: Japan Airlines, as well as all other Air France partners, can only access the lowest level partner award availability, so keep that in mind if you’re not seeing availability match up with Flying Blue’s website.
Earning Japan Airlines Mileage Bank Miles
As we mentioned above, Japan Airlines’ miles are difficult to earn. Even though there are many ways to earn them, most of these probably don’t intersect with your daily life.
That’s why the best way you can earn JAL miles is through its only U.S. transfer partner: Marriott Bonvoy.
You’ll transfer points to JAL at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. That means for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer, you’ll earn 25,000 Japan Airlines miles. Transfers take around 2 business days to process.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Another solid frequent flyer program to use is Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, which maintains a strategic partnership with Air France.
Again, you can only access the lowest-level partner award availability when redeeming Virgin Points.
Unfortunately, fuel surcharges are passed on when redeeming Virgin Points and its search engine can be difficult to navigate.
That said, there are plenty of ways to earn lots of Virgin Points, which is why we’re fans of this program.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club uses a region-based award chart for long-haul business class flights on Air France. Here’s what it looks like:
You’ll also notice that Virgin Atlantic Flying Club uses standard and peak pricing, as well. Here’s the breakdown of seasonality dates:
Standard and peak season travel dates for Air France flights on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Image Credit: Virgin Atlantic
For example, a one-way business class flight departing on June 10, 2022, would fall under standard season pricing, while the same flight departing on June 20, 2022, would fall under peak pricing.
Ready to redeem your Virgin Points? Follow these steps:
Fill out the search box, click Advanced search under the number of passengers, and select Points under Show Price in. Click Upper Class under Show Fares For, and click the search button.
Sift through the search results, pick the option that’s best for you, and redeem your Virgin Points. Use a credit card to pay for any leftover taxes and fees.
Earning Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Points
As we mentioned earlier, Virgin Points are easy to earn. Virgin Atlantic has transfer partnerships with American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.
Amex, Bilt, Capital One, Chase, and Citi transfer at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly. Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus after transferring 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Transfers generally take around 6 to 10 business days to complete, so keep that in mind.
You can also earn Virgin Points from the co-branded Bank of America credit cards.
The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.
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The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.
$1,760
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
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$200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
$189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points atU.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.
There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
Business Owner? Check out our article on the best Amex business cards that earn Membership Rewards.
Korean Air SKYPASS
Korean Air is one of Air France’s SkyTeam alliance partners. And with an attractive award chart, using Korean Air miles to book Air France business class should at least be on your radar.
Korean Air SKYPASS only allows round-trip award bookings on partner airlines (it allows one-way flights on Korean Air flights only), and all fuel surcharges are passed on. The fuel surcharges make booking Air France economy flights with Korean Air miles totally not worth it.
However, business class may still be worth it because of the amazing redemption rates between the U.S. and Europe (France included):
Here are the steps to book Air France business class using Korean Air miles:
After finding your desired flight, call Korean Air SKYPASS at 800-438-5000 to book the ticket. Use a credit card for taxes and fees.
Point transfers from Marriott Bonvoy take quite a while, so you can ask for an award hold, though this isn’t guaranteed.
Earning Korean Air SKYPASS Miles
Korean Air miles are very difficult to earn. Its only transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy, which transfers at a 3:1 ratio.
Transfers to Korean Air may take as few as 2 days but can be excruciatingly long — up to 3 weeks in some cases.
You can also earn Korean Air miles directly from the co-branded credit card products issued by U.S. Bank.
Delta SkyMiles
The last major frequent flyer program we’ll be discussing is Delta SkyMiles, simply because it’s a familiar program for U.S.-based travelers.
Unfortunately, that’s pretty much where the positives end, because this program has been mercilessly devalued over the years.
Here’s the award chart for Air France-operated flights booked with Delta SkyMiles:
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Cabin Class
Delta SkyMiles Cost (One-way)
Taxes and Fees
Economy
35,000 (55,000 when booking less than 21 days in advance)
~$5.60 to $237
Business
120,000 (195,000 when booking less than 21 days in advance)
~$5.60 to $362
Delta SkyMiles doesn’t pass on fuel surcharges for Air France award flights originating in the U.S. Unfortunately, Delta SkyMiles does pass on fuel surcharges for Air France flights originating in Europe.
However, the good news is that the booking process is simple:
On the top ribbon, fill out the search box. Remember to toggle Shop with Miles and Delta One under Best Fares For.
Search for your flight, redeem your SkyMiles, and use a credit card for taxes and fees.
Earning Delta SkyMiles
While it’s going to take more SkyMiles to book a given flight, it’s also a bit easier to earn Delta SkyMiles.
That’s because, in addition to earning SkyMiles on paid Delta flights, you can earn SkyMiles through transfers from Amex Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.
Amex transfers to Delta SkyMiles instantly at a 1:1 ratio, while Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy transfers take approximately 1 business day.
Know if you’re approved with no credit score impact
If you’re approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
This card provides bonus SkyMiles on all purchases, along with a free checked bag, priority boarding, and discounted award flights.
$780
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.
20.99%-29.99% Variable
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Earn 65,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Enjoy a $0 introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $150.
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
$200 Delta Flight Credit: After you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel.
Earn 2X Miles on Delta purchases, at U.S. Supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
You can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
$100 Delta Stays Credit: Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Members can earn up to $100 back annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com.
Take up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
Receive a 20% savings in the form of a statement credit on eligible Delta in-flight purchases after using your Card.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
With Send & Split®, you can send money and split your Card purchases with any other Venmo or PayPal user, directly from the Amex App. Enroll today.
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Frequent Delta travelers will enjoy this card’s bonus categories, benefits, and ability to reach higher levels of elite status.
$1,020
20.99%-29.99% Variable
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Earn 85,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Receive a Companion Certificate on Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members.
Know if you’re approved with no credit score impact
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Delta loyalists will love the fast track to Delta elite status, lounge access, baggage benefits, and upgrade priority with the Delta Reserve card.
$1,140
20.99%-29.99% Variable
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Earn 95,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Enjoy complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club® and bring up to two guests or immediate family members at a rate of $50 per person per visit when flying Delta. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
Receive four Delta Sky Club® One-Time Guest Passes each year when you fly together on Delta. After that, you may bring up to two guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person, per location.
Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and get closer to Status with MQD Headstart.
Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving elevated Medallion Status for next Medallion Year.
Receive a Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
$240 Resy Credit: With the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Resy Credit, earn up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
$120 Rideshare Credit: You can earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month on U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers after you pay with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. Enrollment Required.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
With your Card receive upgrade priority over other Medallion Members within the same Medallion level and fare class.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members.
Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
However, these typically have subpar redemption prices, difficult booking processes, or miles that are hard to earn, so we’d recommend sticking to the programs listed in the previous sections.
Great Air France Business Class Redemptions
Now that we’ve dissected our 5 favorite loyalty programs to book Air France business class, let’s put all of our findings together. For some programs, the exact price you’ll pay will depend on the route you’re flying, which is why some of these programs have price ranges.
Here’s what a round-trip business class flight on Air France between the U.S. and Paris would look like:
If you were capable of racking up any type of currency, Korean Air SKYPASS and Japan Airlines Mileage Bank would likely have the lowest redemption prices; Japan Airlines also offers the lowest fuel surcharges.
More realistically, however, we’d recommend Air France-KLM Flying Blue, especially if you need to access a larger bucket of award availability.
But if you’re departing from the U.S. East Coast during the standard season (as defined by Virgin Atlantic), you might also consider redeeming Virgin Points.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Air France-KLM Flying Blue are transfer partners with American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy. Flying Blue is also partners with Brex Rewards.
If you have a bunch of Delta SkyMiles sitting around, you can redeem those for an Air France business class flight, but we would generally never recommend transferring points from Amex to Delta SkyMiles for this redemption.
Let’s talk about stopovers. For the most part, you’ll find that these rules apply:
Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and Delta SkyMiles do not permit complimentary stopovers
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank allows up to 3 stopovers or 2 stopovers and 1 open-jaw
Korean Air SKYPASS allows 1 stopover per SkyTeam ticket
Now that we’ve gone over all of the details, let’s put this together and outline some of the best redemptions you can make on Air France business class:
Atlanta (ATL) – Paris (CDG) one-way in Air France business class for 120,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$6 in taxes and fees
Denver (DEN) – Paris (CDG) round-trip in Air France business class for 85,000 Japan Airlines miles + ~$160 in taxes and fees
Detroit (DTW) – Paris (CDG) round-trip in Air France business class for 80,000 Japan Airlines miles + ~$160 in taxes and fees
Houston (IAH) – Paris (CDG) round-trip in Air France business class for 80,000 Korean Air miles + ~$711 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Paris (CDG) round-trip in Air France business class for 80,000 Korean Air miles + ~$711 in taxes and fees
Miami (MIA) – Paris (CDG) one-way in Air France business class for 53,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$601 in taxes and fees
Minneapolis (MSP) – Paris (CDG) one-way in Air France business class during the standard season for 61,000 Virgin Points + ~$302 in taxes and fees
New York (JFK) – Paris (CDG) one-way in Air France business class for 55,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$601 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Paris (CDG) one-way in Air France business class for 120,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$6 in taxes and fees
Seattle (SEA) – Paris (CDG) one-way in Air France business class during the standard season for 61,000 Virgin Points + ~$302 in taxes and fees
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Paris (CDG) one-way in Air France business class for 57,500 Flying Blue miles + ~$601 in taxes and fees
How To Earn Enough Miles for Air France Business Class
Remember, as long as you have transferable rewards points, you can book Air France business class easily.
We took a deep dive into each of the recommended frequent flyer programs, and in this section, we’ll show you how to approach transfer partnerships to book Air France business class.
As we noted earlier, the lowest mileage cost will likely come from Korean Air SKYPASS or Japan Airlines Mileage Bank. To earn these miles, your best shot is to transfer from Marriott Bonvoy.
If you need to access enhanced award space, stick with Flying Blue.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is also a great option, particularly for flights that fall under its standard season dates, though keep in mind you’ll have to pony up hefty fuel surcharges.
If you already have a bunch of Delta SkyMiles sitting in your account, you can redeem them for Air France business class flights.
Here’s a summary of the transferable points you can earn to book Air France business class:
Amex Membership Rewards points transfer to Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
Bilt Rewards transfer to Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
Brex Rewards transfer to Air France-KLM Flying Blue at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
Capital One miles transfer to Air France-KLM Flying Club and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
Citi ThankYou Rewards Points transfer to Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to Air France-KLM Flying Blue (3 days), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1 day), Japan Airlines Mileage Bank (2 days), Delta SkyMiles (1 day), and Korean Air SKYPASS (2 days)at a 3:1 ratio.
Also, transfer bonuses of 15% to 30% have been offered to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Air France-KLM Flying Blue, primarily from Amex and Citi.
You can expect to never get any transfer bonuses from Delta SkyMiles.
When Should You Search for Award Space
Air France is one of the few airlines that releases 8 or more business class seats on select flights between the U.S. and France.
In general, you’ll have better luck finding flights to/from the U.S. East Coast, as opposed to the U.S. West Coast.
That being said, if you plan ahead (ideally 4 months or more before departure), you can usually find flights with 6 or more business class seats available.
Generally, the closer you get to your departure date, the harder it is to find low-level award availability.
We recommend searching for award availability on Air France’s website if you intend on redeeming Flying Blue miles. Otherwise, Virgin Atlantic has a decent search engine, as well as Delta SkyMiles.
Why Air France Business Class Is a Great Redemption
Air France business class is one of the most sought-after products when crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
And as long as you’re not flying on an older aircraft with a dated business-class seat, you should have a great flight.
Today, though, most of its planes are equipped with reverse herringbone seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. These seats recline 180 degrees, have direct aisle access, and are easily bookable using points.
Great Award Availability
As we mentioned, Air France business class is readily bookable using a variety of different frequent flyer programs. And if you look far in advance, you will often see flights with 8 or more business class seats available on points.
That’s an incredible value proposition because this represents one of the rare airlines that releases enough award availability for large families.
Thanks to Air France’s airline partners in the SkyTeam alliance, as well as non-alliance partners, it’s easy to make this product the next one you fly.
Reverse Herringbone Seats
Air France exudes French elegance and classic luxury. Image Credit: Air France
Air France’s hard product is, for the most part, awesome.
Certain flights offer a downgraded Airbus A330-300 or 3-cabin Boeing 777-300ER business class product that falls behind its flagship product.
To avoid booking one of these flights, we recommend using SeatGuru to check your seat map before booking your ticket, just in case.
In addition to a superb hard product, you’ll get comfortable bedding, including a pillow, a duvet, luxury amenities, and more.
Terrific Food and Beverage Options
Air France business class. Image Credit: Air France
The last element that makes Air France stand out is the food and beverage. Classic French delicacies are served, ensuring a delightful dining experience.
The beverage list — the wine selection in particular — is expansive. Laurent-Perrier is the main Champagne pour here.
Generally, long-haul flights have at least 2 full meals, though you can also enjoy snacks and small bites throughout the flight.
Final Thoughts
Air France offers a generally consistent business class product that many airlines aspire to emulate.
Luckily, Air France business class can be booked in an assortment of ways, including with any transferable rewards currency — our top picks are Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, Delta SkyMiles, and Korean Air SKYPASS.
With all of this knowledge in mind, have fun booking your next trip, and cheers to your next Air France business class flight!
The information regarding the Chase Freedom Flex℠ was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® card, click here. For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here. For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, click here. For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, click here.
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