Air France Plans A Big Summer 2022 Network To The United States

Air France is anticipating strong demand for travel between the United States and France this summer. With the first full summer since 2019 of loosened travel restrictions between the two countries, Air France plans to offer 20% more weekly flights between the US and France compared to 2019, with service to 14 destinations.

Air France plans to resume three more routes

As part of its big anticipated summer schedule, Air France has announced it will be resuming three long-haul routes this summer. It will resume flights between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Paris Orly Airport (ORY) on March 27th, 2022. Flights will run once per day with a Boeing 777-200ER operating.

On the same day, it will also resume flights between Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). Air France will fly up to five flights per week between the North Texas metropolitan area and Paris. Flights are scheduled to resume on Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. Over the summer, Air France will transition to a Boeing 787-9 on the route.

Air France Boeing 777-228(ER) F-GSPE (2)

Air France will bring back JFK-ORY, CDG-DFW, and CDG-DEN for summer 2022. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

The final route will resume on May 4th, 2022. Air France will be bringing back its seasonal service between CDG and Denver International Airport (DEN). Flights to Colorado’s largest city will start running with three weekly flights on Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Air France first inaugurated this service in 2021, though it ran for a limited summer seasonal schedule due to the delayed lifting of travel restrictions and the lag between demand returning.

A big summer 2022

Air France will fly to 14 destinations in summer 2022. It will offer nearly 200 weekly flights, which is 20% more than it offered during summer 2019. Part of this comes from expanded frequencies and the addition of Denver to the airline’s network. In total, Air France will offer flights to 14 destinations this summer:

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Detroit Metropolitan Wane County Airport (DTW)
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Washington D.C.’s Dulles International Airport (IAD)

All of Air France’s flights to the United States will operate out of Paris. JFK is the only destination to see service from ORY, while the remainder will see operations from CDG.

Air France’s summer 2022 network from its hub at CDG to the US. Note that this does not include flights from LAX to Tahiti, MIA to the Caribbean, and JFK to Orly. Photo: Cirium

Air France will still offer a select number of flights out of Miami to the Caribbean on narrowbody aircraft. It will also offer its service from LAX to Tahiti (PPT). This is a continuation flight that originates in CDG.

The first real summer since 2019

Transatlantic travel was anemic in summer 2020, given the wide swath of travel restrictions. Air France gradually brought back some of its long-haul services, though most of it was at far reduced levels compared to 2019. Then, in 2021, France started to reduce travel restrictions in June 2021, which allowed airlines to start bringing back more of their transatlantic network. This included both Air France and its close partner Delta Air Lines.

Air France Boeing 777-328(ER) F-GSQK (2)

Air France will have its first summer since 2019 of limited travel restrictions between the US and France, and it is orienting its network to capture the pent-up demand it expects to materialize. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

While things started to improve in 2021, the United States kept its 212(f) restrictions, barring the arrival of most Europeans into the United States. Those restrictions were lifted in November 2021, proving to be a big boost for Air France. While Air France has a close partnership with Delta Air Lines that allows it to access American point-of-sale customers, the largest proportion of its US-bound travelers are foreign point-of-sale, particularly French or other European point-of-sale. With the restrictions lifted, Air France has already brought back roughly 90% of its 2019 capacity. This summer, it will be ready to exceed 2019 in this market and capture the release of pent-up summer leisure demand between the two countries.