Review of Air France flight from Chicago to Paris in Premium Eco

So, this week I was booked Economy from ORD-CDG but when checking-in, a little Premium Economy upgrade presented itself for just £288. It'd be rude not too so I accepted and in doing so, snagged the last seat.

Even though my time in Chicago was short, the people I met were truly lovely. Friendly and warm!

But, it was time to head back to Paris! And my first time aboard Air France in my life…

After enjoying my Premium upgrade, I took advantage of the Sky Priority perks which include priority check-in and boarding (although I didn't have any bags to check I did visit the desk to check the upgrade had cleared).

No lounge access is included with Air France's Premium Economy fare, which is the same for most airlines, but using my Priority Pass from my American Express Platinum Card means I can access the Swissport lounge within Terminal 5.

Yes, you're witnessing it alright. Dark, dimly lit and depressing! I'd avoid it if I were you.

My "quality" dinner!

In the end, I left, and saw the remainder of my time out within the passenger waiting area in the main terminal.

So, how much did I pay? This flight cost me a very reasonable 12,000 Virgin Points and a taxes/fees offset of $163.60 (€140/£123).

Compare that with the astronomical £2,058.90 (€2,345) Air France wanted for a cash ticket means this was a real points WIN!

ORD have these privacy seals on the window meaning it obscures the plane view, but I tried my best. Today's aircraft, this 2 year old Airbus A350-900 delivered to Air France in 2023.

Premium Economy passengers can board the aircraft in Zone/Group 2.

And here we are, my seat for this evening's Atlantic crossing is 15A.

On my seat waiting for me is a soft, plush blanket and rather large pillow.

There's also a pair of noise cancelling headphones. I tested these and was pretty impressed.

There was also a complimentary still bottle of Evian water.

The IFE screens are also not stored in the armrests like most other airlines opt for on bulkhead rows. This is a nice touch!

Sadly though, my headrest was peeling and this really did make the seat look unsightly.

This was remedied by an "on the wing" window view, though!

Now, I did feel like this particular Premium Economy cabin felt a bit cramped compared to it's competitors. I go into detail in the video on this and ultimately, it didn't effect me in the way I initially thought it might whilst getting settled, but it was just something I had noticed.

I love a good tail and wheel cam!

And that was it, we roared out of ORD headed for Charles de Gaulle.

After take-off, amenity kits were handed out. I felt the contents were a little basic but I did like how it was fabric, re-useable and branded in the Air France livery.

Then, a glass of French champagne followed. I like AF's style!

And finally, a refreshing towel which was delivered by a personal welcome by the on-board Purser. He was superbly friendly and enquired to my filming. A nice touch!

The IFE on Row 15 is controlled by this touchpad remote. Another unique design that really gets the thumbs up from me. I see Air France is detail led in the cabin environment on quite a few examples.

Sadly, one of those examples isn't displayed in the toilet, with a toilet seat held together by gaffer tape!

Approximately 45 minutes into the flight and dinner was served. A choice of creamy mushroom ravioli or shepherds pie was offered. I opted for the pasta which you can see in the photo below, and this was served with a mango, carrot and coriander salad to start, a pack of sesame biscuits, a bread roll, with butter (not President - a missed opportunity here?), "plastic cheese" and crackers and a dessert of a chocolate cream tartlet.

The creamy mushroom and cheese ravioli. Despite it's looks, it was sensational!

The cheese on the other hand was poor. Plastic, vacuum packed, with a shelf life of over 8 months. Not good coming from the flag carrier of a country that produces some of, if not the best cheeses in the world!

After dinner, tea and a small Valrhona dark chocolate square was served.

And then, I decided to test the seat's comfort for sleep.

And I slept all the way through until breakfast was served. What a win! Breakfast came with a choice of tea, coffee or hot chocolate - unusual for an airline to offer this, so I couldn't turn it down!

In the pack was a strawberry Kefir yoghurt drink.

A bread roll, Smuckers strawberry jam and butter.

And a blueberry muffin.

What a view to wake up to!

The dimmable windows were locked and controlled by the crew. About 30 minutes before landing, this restriction was lifted.

And beneath the clouds, I spot CDG!

And with that, we were down! A mixed bag but honestly, more positives than negatives. I really enjoyed my time aboard Air France and the friendly and stylish cabin crew certainly added to that experience. À bientôt, Air France!