Hello, All...I've only been lurking on the MB for a few days, but am already realizing the amazing wealth of info available from fellow fodorites. Heading to Paris end of Sept., my 3rd trip, husband's first. For my first post, just one question: all things being equal ($$, schedules, etc), would you choose AA or AF ? I have noticed a few anti-AF posts, esp. re: connections & lost luggage.We fly AA several x per yr (Caribbean, mostly) & have no major complaints. So I don't know why I seem unable to pull the trigger on booking AA for Paris...I think there's some silly idea in the back of my head that flying AF will give us a head start on the whole French experience.In spite of how lame that sounds, I truly am interested in what choice others would make, & maybe why. [BTW, my previous Paris trips were on KLM & CON.] Thanks !

If price and schedule is the same, as you fly AA few times a year already, then the AA FF miles will be quite beneficial, as you may qualify as an Elite (25,000 flying miles per calendar year).

Otherwise, the AF Airbus 340 has individual screens in coach while AA's 767 don't. And AF have better food and free alcoholic drinks.

Hi lifes2short:

We just did BOS-CDG on AA in May. We did it because the price was $500 less than AF and we wanted to add to our FF miles.

Afterwards we realized that they're partners and you can use your miles
within their alliance so that becomes a non-factor.

We had a good flight, clean plane, food okay, new blanket and a clean pillow, and the FA's were all great, and the service was excellent.

It's difficult to view the movie as there are no individul screens on your seat. More important on the trip back home.

The leg room in front of you is generous but reclining is a joke. You do have to sleep/nap sitting up.

AF offers more recline to rest.

AF provides freee alcoholic drinks if you're interested.

AF has individualized screens for your viewing pleasure.

My research shows that their food is better and connections are tight at CDG. But you're not connecting right?

I can't comment on lost luggage as we only deal with carryon. AA wins here as
they have increased all their bulkhead space. We were able to stow both our 21" luggage and our 14" boarding tote.
For an overseas flight they still had room in the bins and the flight was full.

When we went to Italy we used Alitalia and we did feel like you get that introduction to the culture. The FAS were bilingual, the menu was Italian choices, you listen to the captain speak in both the English and Italian languages.
We missed this experience on AA.

"all things being equal" will mean that we'll try AF for our next trip to CDG even if the price is higher.

Hope this helps,
Happy travels,
D1

AF is the better choice for this trip.

AA and AF are not partners. If you fly AF, you can deposit miles to CO, DL or NW's FF program, but not AA.

Fly Air France. They fly into the newer terminals at CDG, get jetway priority and have more staff on hand for immigration and baggage handling. Basically Air France gets priority at CDG since its their hub and national airlines. AA flys into 2A which is fairly dumpy, crowded and hot with long lines.

Hi L,

Check the seating arrangements at www.seatguru.com.

I think that the food on AF is marginally better than on AA.

Does AA charge for alcohol? AF doesn't.

As for AF flying into CDG 2 - it depends. On our last trip, we landed so far out from the terminal that we were in a different time zone.

Last time I flew AA into terminal 2A our 777 was parked on the tarmac next to terminal 1 and we were bused to 2A. Unfortunately all airlines are stuck with some busing / taxing due to the 2E collapse. In another couple of years with the following improvements to CDG:

CDG VAL landside monorail line 1 : opens end of 2006

CDG 1 : after the completion of phase 1 one of the renovation last January, an additional one fourth of the terminal will be renovated each year, with phase 4 completed at the end of 2008

S3 satellite : opening starts in June 2007 - completed in November 2007 - capacity : 8.5 million passengers

A380 jetways : 11 available in 2008 in CDG 1 (2), 2A, 2C, 2E and S3

CDG 2E : reconstruction of the roof of the boarding area : completed in March 2008

CDG 2G : regional aircraft terminal - opens June 2008 - capacity : 3 million passengers

AF is a fine airline. The lost luggage issue doesn't apply in your case since CDG is your final destination. Now, if you were CONNECTING at CDG, then that's another story...

DiG, please check AA's web site and you will see that Air France is not one of AA's partners, so you will not earn AA miles on Air France.

I just flew AF from Newark to Paris, Johannesburg to Paris, and then Paris to JFK. After reading some negative posts about them I was worried. I shouldn't have been because my flights were great. Personally, I liked having the opportunity to practice speaking French before I got to France. And its true that you'll have the best terminals at CDG (which wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be either!). The food was fine and all alcohol is free. My only trivial complaint in that regard was that the merlot they served was ice cold. On the way home, we were re-routed to Bradley due to weather problems around NYC and having the individual screen with on-demand games, movies, and t.v. was great. I was even able to check my luggage through to JFK even though the first of my flights home was on South African Airways. I think its possible to transfer AF miles to Delta and Continental but you might want to double check that. For what its worth, AA is my preferred carrier of choice in the U.S. and I have flown with them to London with no problems. But if all is equal, I'd go with AF.

All--these are precisely the types of replies I was hoping for, & not just because they helped to reinforce my gut feeling to choose AF. Can't thank you all enough for the prompt & helpful info.I can promise there'll be many more questions to come, as our trip plans take shape. Merci à tous !