Air France's La Première first class is widely considered one of the most exclusive commercial airline experiences in the world, with only four suites per aircraft in a 1-2-1 configuration.
The airline flies La Première to just a handful of US cities, including New York, Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta, and Houston.
So when I recently found myself traveling from Paris to Houston, I decided to give Air France's La Première class a try on my 10½ -hour flight.
At nearly $15,000 for a one-way ticket, this was my most expensive commercial flight yet. Here's how it went.
I was dropped off at the La Première check-in desk, then escorted to the lounge.
Car service to Charles De Gaulle Airport is included for La Première passengers, and I was able to schedule it in advance.
I was dropped off at a dedicated La Première check-in desk.
A couple of minutes after handing over my passport and checked bag, I was escorted through private security and whisked away in a Porsche to the flagship La Première lounge.
The lounge felt very quiet.
The lounge itself was huge but, in my opinion, a little underwhelming.
Nothing about the design stood out to me as being super special, aside from lots of red furniture and the Air France winged seahorse logo on the plates.
However, I appreciated the ample seating, and it was very quiet — not a huge surprise considering how few people fly La Premièr.
The food was solid, but the service wasn't what I expected.
When ready to order food, I was instructed by a staff member to sit at one of the many empty tables with white tablecloths nearby.
Once I sat down, though, I had to ask for a breakfast menu multiple times and then flag down a server to order. I expected more attentive service given the high staff-to-guest ratio.
Food came out quickly, and croissants were sufficiently flaky, but the breakfast menu was pretty generic with eggs, cheese, charcuterie, and a very simple avocado toast. The wine glassware also looked surprisingly cheap to me, like something I might find at Ikea.
I regretted not having breakfast at The Peninsula Paris, the luxury resort I'd been staying at before coming to the airport.
Getting my complimentary Sisley facial was the best part of the lounge experience.
The best part of my lounge experience was the complimentary 30-minute Sisley facial, which is offered to La Première passengers at Charles de Gaulle.
My aesthetician was lovely, and came to find me while I was eating breakfast when it was time for my appointment.
Although a 30-minute facial is not quite enough time for anything intensive, it was a very hydrating and relaxing facial massage with some manual sculpting. It was definitely ideal before a long flight with very dry airplane air.
I was glad I'd booked this in advance to ensure availability since there are limited spaces.
As a La Première passenger, I really didn't need to worry about missing my flight.
Once I checked in with La Première, it felt impossible to miss my flight or forget any belongings.
I had a personal escort drive me to the lounge, then collect me after my facial to drive me directly to the plane. I was the last passenger to board and the only passenger in La Première on this particular flight.
It was reassuring to know that even if I'd fallen asleep or completely lost track of time in the lounge, a personal handler would fetch me to ensure I made my flight.
Removing all of the stress of navigating an unfamiliar airport and keeping track of boarding time felt like a huge benefit of flying in La Première.
My suite felt spacious and comfortable.
Each of the four suites has a wide seat with leather armrests and a footrest that could double as a smaller seat, so somebody could even sit across from me to dine.
I had so much legroom that I couldn't even reach the wool-and-cashmere blanket that was left for me on my footrest when my seat was upright for takeoff.
There was plenty of space for me to work on my laptop, and a side table for placing items. I also had a table lamp with the winged seahorse logo for mood lighting if I wanted.
I felt like I was flying private.
Because I was the only passenger in La Première, the crew let me spread out across two seats, leaving one seat with my belongings for working and dining, while making up the seat across the aisle as a bed for me to sleep, with a thick mattress pad, pillow, and duvet blanket.
This really enhanced my experience, and I didn't see anyone except for two flight attendants the entire flight, so it honestly felt like flying private.
Floor-to-ceiling curtains separate each suite, although I only closed mine when I was sleeping since I already had the entire cabin to myself.
Once my seat was converted into a bed, I was even more impressed.
This is the most comfortable bed I've experienced on a plane, and the plush mattress pad really made a nice difference.
These seats are about 6 ½ feet long when fully reclined in lie-flat mode, and I'm sure taller folks would appreciate them.
The onboard bathroom didn't feel any bigger or nicer than what I've seen in business or economy class. Since nobody else was using it, though, I didn't need to worry about it being occupied.
I really enjoyed my in-air French fine-dining experience.
There was no set time for meal service, and I could enjoy anything on the menu whenever I wished.
Several Michelin-starred chefs partnered with Air France for the La Première menus, including Alain Ducasse and Daniel Boulud.
On my flight, Anne-Sophie Pic (the world's most Michelin-starred female chef) had designed the savory dishes, which included things like coffee-smoked beef filet, lobster and crab raviolo, and grilled chicken with sake lees.
I was also served a selection of warm bread paired with French Maison Bordier doux and demi-sel butters, and caviar as an amuse-bouche.
I wasn't wowed by my appetizer, but the entrée was fantastic.
I selected the tomato tarte tatin with smoked vanilla and goat's cheese as my appetizer, but felt it was a bit too mushy and not flaky enough on the edges.
However, my vegetarian main course, grilled artichokes with Comté cheese polenta, was absolutely delicious. The polenta was remarkably light and fluffy.
My salad tasted super fresh, too.
Cheese feels de rigueur on any Air France flight, but I was full and skipped that course and headed straight to salad and dessert.
I got a salad with a mustard vinaigrette, hard-boiled eggs, chopped chives, fennel, marinated mushrooms, and smoked chicken. The salad greens tasted very fresh, and I didn't find a single wilted leaf.
Dessert was the true highlight, though.
Desserts on my flight were created by pastry chef Claire Heitzler, whom I was not previously familiar with, but am now a fan of.
I tried both of the ones available to me: a light apricot-and-almond dessert complete with a buttery sablé cookie, and a soft dark-chocolate cake that I sprinkled with a touch of sea salt to accent the chocolate flavors.
High-end ice cream by artisan ice-cream maker Philippe Faur and Pierre Hermé chocolates were also available to try, served alongside Illy coffee and Palais de Thés tea.
The WiFi was great, and I had tons of entertainment options.
Denon noise-canceling headphones were provided in the seat compartment, and the 24-inch HD touchscreen looked super sharp.
The entertainment selection included a wellness section with guided meditation and soundtracks designed to help passengers fall asleep. I even found short seated-yoga videos, although I practically had enough space to do regular yoga in my suite if only I had a mat.
The movie selection included plenty of Hollywood blockbusters, dozens of French films, and a few different movies in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Arabic, along with Bollywood and African films for a truly inclusive global repertoire.
I didn't end up watching any movies because the included WiFi was excellent, fast, and easy to connect to in just a couple of clicks.
Instead, I mostly listened to Taylor Swift while eating, working, and drinking several glasses of Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Champagne.
Ultimately, this was the most luxurious transatlantic flight I've ever had.
This is definitely the most luxurious experience I've had on a transatlantic flight, especially with the unexpected privacy I had as the only passenger in La Première.
I typically fly in business class, and this was definitely several steps up from that.
If I were to compare this to other first-class experiences I've had with airlines like British Airways, this one definitely feels superior. The top-notch food and comfort Air France offered here feels difficult to beat.
I've flown private on several shorter flights within the US, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and I'd say this comes close to that experience.
Still, all this luxury and exclusivity come at a high, sometimes five-figure price.
This class was fun to experience once, but in the future, I think spending the same amount of money on hotels and meals in Paris instead would be a better value. That way, I could sprinkle luxury throughout my trip instead of mostly enjoying it in the skies.
Business Insider reached out to Air France for comment.
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Amber Gibson is a journalist specializing in travel, food, wine, and wellness with bylines in Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Robb Report, National Geographic Traveler, Departures, Saveur, Bon Appétit, NPR, NBC, Fodor's, USA Today, and more. After studying journalism at Northwestern University, where she graduated as valedictorian from the Medill School of Journalism, Amber has been a full-time digital nomad, spending 350 nights a year in hotels. Champagne, dark chocolate, and gelato are her biggest weaknesses.
