The Phoenix to Paris Nonstop Flight on Air France: Costs & Benefits

I admit when I’m wrong, and I’d been betting that PHX Sky Harbor’s big announcement in 2024 would be a nonstop from Phoenix to Seoul or Tokyo.

I was surprised and excited to hear about the new Air France nonstop flights from Phoenix to Paris beginning in late May!

Air France’s new nonstop to Paris came with great fanfare this week, with talk at the press event about the champagne served in coach, and flights starting in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

However, these are the true benefits of the PHX-CDG on Air France:

1. It’ll shave hours off your flight time, since you won’t have a layover along the way.
2. Lack of a layover means: your luggage will make it to Paris.
3. Lack of a layover also means: you won’t be impacted by storm delays or other issues in your layover city.

Charles de Gaulle is a great jumping-off point to explore the rest of the world!  

Air France flies to nearly 200 destinations from Paris’ CDG.

In the last few years, I’ve flown Air France from Paris to:

• Bilbao to take a road trip through Northern Spain (photo below).
• Stockholm to explore Scandinavia.
• Slovenia for a road trip down to Italy and Croatia 
• Krakow to report on Ukrainian refugees for work.

You’ll find flights from CDG to small cities in Europe which you’ve probably never even heard of!

Plus, a nonstop Air France flight from Phoenix to Paris will be great for families looking to go to the Middle East, Africa, and India.

Pro Tip: Give yourself a lengthy layover (at least two hours) in Paris, since CDG is a massive airport. You’ll likely have to wind your way through parts of it to connect to a second flight.

This information will definitely change over time, so I’ll be sure to update it. The plan is to run the nonstop Air France Phoenix to Paris flights three days a week.

The flights will last from 10 to 11 hours. With a layover, you’re looking at a minimum of 13 hours, but probably more like 15 hours each way. So the nonstop Air France option would save several hours of travel time.

Air France PHX to CDG

• Flights began May 23, 2024.
• Phoenix to Paris: 10 hours. (2:10pm to 9:15am)
• Paris to Phoenix: 11 hours. (10:10am to 12:10pm)
• Flights operate: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
• Air France will fly a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the route.

You’re going to pay a premium for the convenience of a nonstop flight.  

Deals begin in the fall!

By mid-August, airfares to Paris usually drop. The lowest-cost flights from Phoenix seem to be on Tuesdays.

In 2024, by mid-September & October you can expect to pay:

• Coach Base: $800
• First Class: $3660

For people looking for first class/business class seats from Phoenix to Paris, it doesn’t get much better than $3660!

The Air France Nonstop is Comparable

Other airlines will also be in the $1500 range for the summer, so the nonstop Phoenix to Paris flight is right on par with the rest.

However, by mid-August other airlines drop their prices. The week Air France announced the new nonstop from Phoenix, United Airlines and Air Canada dropped their August flight prices to $560 roundtrip!

Will Seats on the PHX – CDG Nonstop Fill Up?

There are 276 seats on the version of the 787 Air France is flying between Phoenix and Paris.

Phoenix City Hall claims: the number of passengers flying between Phoenix and Paris is up nearly 40% from 2019.

It’s worked elsewhere!  Air France is also resuming flights from Minneapolis to Paris in 2024. Plus, the airline is expanding its flights from Raleigh-Durham to Paris to seven days a week.

Wrap: Is the Nonstop Phoenix to Paris Flight Worth It?

Yes! If the price is a bit high in the first few months, don’t let it deter you in the future. Fall, winter and spring prices are much more affordable.

Focus on the big perks of a nonstop: the time saved, and the lack of delays in a layover city!

And again, if you’ve been to Paris, use it as a jumping-off spot to explore the rest of Europe!

Most people never fly first class, but for those who do (or if you’re splurging for a special occasion), it looks like booking in the fall and winter might land you some pretty good deals (for premium seats).

Overall, I’m thrilled to see another international airline move in to PHX Sky Harbor! And who knows, maybe my prediction will one day come true and the next one will deliver nonstop service to Asia!