Air France has revealed its plans to launch a new direct connection between France and the United States on board their flagship Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

New Air France Connection to Florida

Beginning in May of 2025, Air France will inaugurate a new nonstop connection between its hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Orlando International Airport (MCO). 

Air France will operate the 4,507-mile route four times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, beginning May 21, 2025. 

The outbound flight, AF096, will depart Paris CDG at 5:05 p.m. local time and arrive at Terminal C in Orlando at 8:45 p.m. The return flight will depart Orlando at 11:00 p.m. as AF097 and fly overnight before returning to Paris at 1:30 p.m.

The CDG - MCO leg is blocked at 9 hours and 40 minutes, while the return flight to Paris is scheduled for only 8 hours and 30 minutes. Tickets are currently out of stock for purchase, and the schedule is subject to government approval. 

The carrier will deploy one of their 35 Airbus A350-900s for the long hop across the pond. However, the French airline will use its old A350 configuration, featuring 324 total seats split between 34 business class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 266 economy class seats.

The difference between the new and old aircraft will be most notable in business class. All 20 Air France A350s in the old business class configuration feature seats with direct aisle access. However, the new configuration is laid out in a reverse herringbone style in contrast to the staggered layout of the older seats. 

The carrier highlighted that Orlando will be Air France’s 18th US destination and 25th destination in North America.

Why Orlando?

The decision to begin operations in Orlando as Air France’s next US destination is not entirely surprising. Dubbed the ‘theme park capital of the world’ by Air France, the carrier expects to capitalize on European tourism to the famous theme parks and space centers and Floridians’ international travel desires. 

In recent years, Orlando has seen rapid growth in domestic and international demand. Currently, a wide range of international airlines serve the Florida tourism hub. Emirates, Icelandair, Discover Airlines, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Delta Airlines recently began operating a seasonal Orlando to London Flight.