Best Airlines to France: Air France vs Delta, United, Lufthansa & More
By: Jean-Paul and Jessica- Published June 7, 2025, Updated March 2, 2026
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Eight airlines fly nonstop from the U.S. to France in 2026. Air France leads with 19 cities to Paris-CDG. Delta is second with 9 cities plus year-round Nice service. United flies from 7 cities. JetBlue, American, French Bee, La Compagnie, and Air Tahiti Nui fill in the rest. If none of those work from your city, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, and Lufthansa connect through London or Frankfurt.
Choosing the right airline isn't the fun part of trip planning. But for first-time travelers, it matters more than you'd think. A bad overnight flight can leave you wrecked before you've cleared customs at CDG. A good one can feel like the trip already started.
We've flown most of these airlines. No rankings. No "best overall" nonsense. Just what you need to decide before you book.
If you're still sorting out entry requirements, start with our guide: Travel Requirements for France: What U.S. Citizens Need to Know.
Who Flies Nonstop to France From the U.S.?
Fly nonstop if you can. Connecting through Heathrow or Frankfurt sounds fine until you're sprinting between terminals with a carry-on and a transfer time that looked generous on paper.
Jessica: "On our first trip, we connected through Heathrow. Our bags didn't make it. Going through security agin was a nightmare. We spent day one in Paris wearing airport gift shop t-shirts. Fly nonstop."
Nonstop to Paris-CDG
Air France has the biggest U.S. footprint: 19 nonstop cities including JFK, Newark, LAX, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, San Francisco, Houston, Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Raleigh-Durham, Seattle, Orlando, and new for 2026, Las Vegas. Not all run year-round. Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Raleigh-Durham, and Orlando are seasonal, roughly May through October.
Delta flies nonstop from 9 cities: Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, LAX, Minneapolis, JFK, Salt Lake City, and Seattle.
United flies year-round from Newark (EWR), Washington Dulles (IAD), Chicago (ORD), San Francisco (SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX).
American flies nonstop from JFK, Philadelphia, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, Chicago, and Charlotte.
JetBlue flies year-round from JFK and Boston on A321LR aircraft. Free Wi-Fi and seatback screens even in economy. Competitive pricing from the Northeast.
Air Tahiti Nui runs a year-round nonstop from LAX to CDG (the plane continues to Tahiti).
Nonstop to Paris-Orly
Paris-Orly is closer to central Paris than CDG. Metro line 14 connects to the city center in about 25 minutes. If you haven't been through CDG before, read our guide to navigating Paris-CDG so you know what you're getting into.
La Compagnie flies daily from Newark year-round. All-business-class: 76 lie-flat seats on an A321neo. No economy. Round-trips often start around $2,500.
French Bee flies nonstop from Newark, LAX, San Francisco, and Miami on modern A350s. Base fares are the cheapest you'll find, but they're bare-bones. No meal, no checked bag. You add what you want.
Nonstop to Nice
If you're heading to Provence or the Riviera, fly into Nice and skip the CDG experience entirely. Delta serves Nice from JFK (year-round), Atlanta (seasonal), and new for 2026, Boston (seasonal, three times weekly). United flies seasonally from Newark (daily) and Dulles (four times weekly, returning May 2026). American runs seasonal service from Philadelphia. La Compagnie flies Newark to Nice in summer.
Connecting Through London or Frankfurt
Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, and Lufthansa don't fly nonstop to France. Fine if the price is right, but budget 90+ minutes for connections and keep essentials in your carry-on. For more on navigating airports and ground transportation once you land, read Getting Around France.
What Economy Class Actually Feels Like
Nobody loves economy on a transatlantic flight. But the gap between airlines is real, and on a 7- to 10-hour overnight, those differences add up.
Air France feeds you a hot meal with wine, beer, and a cheese course. Not a sad cheese-and-cracker pack. Actual cheese. Their A350 and 777 economy seats give you 31 inches of pitch and 18 inches of width. Standard for transatlantic. But the A330-200 runs a 2-4-2 layout, which means more shoulder room than you'll get crammed into 3-3-3 or 3-4-3 on other planes.
Delta has been putting newer aircraft on Europe routes. The A330-900neo and A350 both have good screens and 31 to 32 inches of pitch at 18 inches wide. The cabins feel fresh and the air quality is better on those planes.
United and American are where you need to pay attention. At 30 to 31 inches of pitch and only 17 to 17.3 inches wide, they're the tightest of the bunch. And the experience swings hard depending on whether you draw a new 787 or an old 767 with worn-out seats. Check your aircraft on SeatGuru before you book.
JetBlue is the legroom winner at 32 inches of pitch and 18 inches wide, plus free Wi-Fi at every seat. That's rare on transatlantic flights. It's a narrowbody though (3-3 seating), so you'll never get stuck in a middle-of-a-middle, but eight hours in a single-aisle plane can feel long.
French Bee flies modern A350s with 32 inches of pitch on the A350-900 and 31 on the A350-1000. But here's the catch: French Bee crams in 10 seats per row (3-4-3) instead of the standard 9 (3-3-3), so economy seats are only 16 to 16.7 inches wide. That's noticeably narrower than every other airline on this list. The base fare includes almost nothing. Start adding meals, bags, and seat selection and the price advantage over legacy carriers shrinks fast.
Jean-Paul: "On Air France, the experience starts before you land. The announcements come in French first. The meal includes real fromage (froh-MAHZH) and a glass of Bordeaux. It's small, but it matters. You start thinking in France mode instead of airport mode."
Business Class Compared
The whole point of Business Class on an overnight flight is sleeping flat. Every airline here does that. How well you actually sleep depends on the seat, the plane, and whether the airline got around to updating it.
Air France Business on their newer planes gives you a lie-flat bed with a sliding privacy door and guest-chef menus. It feels like flying to France, not just flying on a French airline. Delta One is excellent on the A350 and A330-900neo. The seats are 22.5 inches wide and go fully flat. Delta also has dedicated Business lounges at JFK, LAX, Boston, and Seattle, separate from the regular Sky Clubs.
United Polaris is the most comfortable seat on paper: 22 inches wide and 78 inches flat on the 777-300ER. On the 787, the seat is the same design but narrower at 20.5 inches. And if your route draws an older 767, it's a completely different experience. Same story with American Flagship Business. The new 787-9 is great. The older planes feel a generation behind. Check your aircraft before you book.
JetBlue Mint is the one that surprises people. Lie-flat suites with actual doors on the A321LR. Round-trips to Paris sometimes dip under $3,000, hundreds less than what legacy carriers charge.
La Compagnie removes the guesswork entirely. Every seat is lie-flat. Every fare includes lounge access, Caudalie amenity kits, and unlimited Wi-Fi.
Jessica: "We flew La Compagnie to Paris-Orly last fall. Flat bed, actual sleep, landed feeling human. The fare was $2,600 round-trip. For context, Premium Economy on Delta for the same dates was $2,200 and you're sitting upright the whole time. If you're celebrating something, compare the prices before you assume Business Class is out of reach."
Premium Economy: Worth It on an Overnight Flight?
If Business Class isn't in the budget but you dread spending eight hours in a standard economy seat, this is where your money goes furthest. You're not getting a flat bed. But you're getting a wider seat, real legroom, a foot rest, better food, and priority boarding. On a red-eye, that adds up.
Delta Premium Select and Air France Premium Economy are the ones to look at. Both give you around 38 inches of pitch. Air France seats are 19 inches wide. Delta's are 18.5 inches on the A350 and A330-900neo. Either way, that's real breathing room over economy's 18 inches. Delta throws in noise-cancelling headphones and an amenity kit. Air France starts you with a glass of champagne. Either way, you can shift in your seat without elbowing your neighbor.
United Premium Plus is similar at 38 inches of pitch and 19 inches wide, and the quality varies by plane. American just redesigned their Premium Economy on the 787-9 with privacy wings on the headrest, calf rests, and wireless charging. It's a step up from where they were.
JetBlue Even More Space gives you 37 inches of pitch with free Wi-Fi and free drinks, but it's really an extra-legroom economy seat. Not a separate cabin with its own service.
Here's the thing first-timers miss: Premium Economy does not include lounge access. On any airline. Only Business Class and above gets you in. La Compagnie includes it automatically because there's only one class.
Jean-Paul: "If you can't sleep sitting up, and most people can't, Premium Economy is worth every dollar on a red-eye. You don't need a flat bed. You need enough room to actually close your eyes."
Bags, Strikes, and Loyalty Programs
Baggage: Air France, Delta, United, American, and JetBlue include a checked bag with standard economy fares. Basic Economy and Light fares drop the checked bag (you'll still get your meal). Read the fare rules before you click "purchase." French Bee base fares include only a personal item. Their mid-tier "Smart" fare adds a bag and meal. La Compagnie includes two checked bags on every fare. If you plan to bring home wine and market finds (you will), check what your ticket includes. These packing cubes make one suitcase work for two weeks.
Strikes: French air traffic controller strikes can disrupt any airline flying through French airspace, usually in late spring and summer. They're almost always announced days in advance. It's called a préavis (pray-ah-VEE), a formal notice period. Air France can also face cabin crew or ground staff action. Delta and United tend to recover fastest because they reroute through their U.S. hubs. La Compagnie and French Bee fly smaller schedules, so a canceled flight leaves fewer alternatives. Read our full breakdown at France Strikes: What Travelers Need to Know before you fly.
Loyalty: Air France and Delta share the Flying Blue/SkyMiles ecosystem through SkyTeam. That's the most practical combo for France travel. United uses MileagePlus (Star Alliance). American and British Airways share Oneworld. JetBlue's TrueBlue points don't expire. La Compagnie's MyCompagnie program is small but rewards repeat flyers. Don't force loyalty over savings. A $300 cheaper fare on a different airline always beats 5,000 miles.
Quick Recommendations
Most nonstop options from the U.S.? Air France. 19 cities. Nobody else comes close. Delta is second with 9.
Cheapest nonstop fares? French Bee. JetBlue is also competitive from JFK and Boston.
Best economy experience? Air France. Wine, cheese, and cabin crew who take the meal seriously.
Best Premium Economy? Delta Premium Select or Air France. Wider seats, real legroom, and you'll land feeling like a person.
Lie-flat without a $6,000 fare? La Compagnie from Newark. Or JetBlue Mint from JFK and Boston.
Most reliable in summer? Delta and United. Both reroute fast when disruptions hit.
There's no perfect airline. There's the one that fits your budget, your departure city, and what you care about most.
Jessica: "First trip to France? Start with Delta, Air France, or JetBlue. You'll have enough to figure out once you land. Don't add airline stress to the list."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which airlines fly nonstop from the U.S. to France? Eight airlines in 2026: Air France, Delta, United, American, JetBlue, French Bee, La Compagnie, and Air Tahiti Nui. Air France has the most routes at 19 U.S. cities. Delta is second with 9 plus the most Nice service.
What is the cheapest way to fly nonstop to Paris? French Bee, usually. They fly from Newark, LA, San Francisco, and Miami to Paris-Orly on A350s. Base fares start low but include only a personal item. Meals, bags, and seat selection all cost extra. JetBlue is also competitive from JFK and Boston.
Should I fly into Paris-CDG or Paris-Orly? CDG is the main hub with the most flight options and train connections. It's also massive and chaotic, especially the first time. Orly is smaller, calmer, and closer to the city. Metro line 14 gets you to central Paris in about 25 minutes. La Compagnie and French Bee fly into Orly. If you're heading to southern France, consider flying into Nice instead and skipping Paris on the front end. Read more in our Paris-CDG guide.
Do flights to France include checked bags and meals? Every airline on this list serves meals on transatlantic flights, including Basic Economy. You're getting fed regardless of fare class. What Basic Economy and Light fares strip out is the checked bag, seat selection, and the ability to change or cancel. French Bee's base fare is the exception: no checked bag and no meal unless you pay for it. La Compagnie includes two checked bags on every fare. Always read the fare rules before booking.
How far in advance should I book flights to France? For summer travel, 2 to 3 months out. Midweek departures (Tuesday and Wednesday) tend to be cheaper. Set fare alerts on Google Flights, but also check airline sites directly. La Compagnie and French Bee fares don't always show up on aggregators.
Summer is peak season. Book early. Skip Basic Economy unless you've read every restriction. And check for strike alerts if you're flying with any European carrier.
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About the Authors
Jean-Paul grew up in Burgundy and has lived in France his entire life. Jessica is American and has been traveling to France for more than twenty years. They started Bonjour Guide because the most useful information about France tends to be the hardest to find. Meet Jean-Paul and Jessica.
