Review: Air France Business Lounge Paris CDG Terminal 2F (Schengen)

In this review, we will check out the brand new Air France business lounge for Schengen flights at Terminal 2F of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).

Paris CDG transit

Of all the airport lounges and hotels I was visiting on this trip, I was perhaps most curious to see and review the brand new Air France business lounge for Schengen flights at Terminal 2F of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

I was never a fan of the old Air France lounge, which was mediocre at best and horribly overcrowded and an absolute zoo at its worst.

When Air France announced that a new lounge would be built in Terminal 2F I was immediately excited as I transit a lot of times through Paris Charles de Gaulle.

In August 2021, the new Air France business lounge opened its doors to the public and a month later I finally had the pleasure to visit it for the first time.

If all the gossip was to be believed, the new Schengen lounge would be as spectacular as Air France’s flagship business lounge for non-Schengen flights in Terminal 2E Hall L.

Terminal 2F

The Air France business lounge is centrally located in Terminal 2F, which is used by Air France and its SkyTeam partners for all Schengen flight departures.

To be precise, the lounge is located alongside the semi-circular corridor which connects the two main piers of Terminal 2F. All you need to do is to follow the signs for “salon/lounge” with the little Air France logo next to it – you really can’t miss it.

Air France business lounge entry requirements

Just like all other Air France business lounges, you need a same-day business class ticket or have frequent flyer status with Air France/KLM such as Flying Blue Gold or Platinum or the equivalent with another SkyTeam airline (SkyTeam Elite Plus).

Alternatively, you can buy an Air France lounge pass during your booking, at check-in or at the reception of the 2F Schengen lounge. This will cost you €60 or 12,000 Flying Blue miles and is subject to availability.

Lounge membership cards such as Priority Pass are not accepted at the Air France business lounges at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

If you fly business or have an economy class boarding pass on which your frequent flyer details are already printed, you can just scan it at the access barriers to enter the lounge.

Otherwise, just show your boarding pass to one of the Air France employees at the entrance of the lounge, which is something you also need to do when your are bringing a guest (SkyTeam Elite Plus members can bring one guest for free).

The Air France Schengen lounge in Terminal 2F is open from 5.30am until 10pm.

First impressions

When you enter the Air France Schengen lounge you will immediately notice how bright and airy this business lounge feels thanks to the large, curved windows which bring in a lot of natural light.

From the Air France Schengen lounge you have some great views over the tarmac and the departing and arriving aeroplanes at Terminal 2F of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Another aspect of the lounge which you will immediately notice is the large central staircase which almost seems to float in the air.

This staircase is one of the unique design elements by the Jouin Manku Agency, which was tasked by Air France to redesign their Schengen business lounge in Terminal 2F of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

In my opinion, they have done a superb job as the Air France Schengen lounge has a beautiful, contemporary feel and is just a gorgeous space to await your flight.

Sure, not all the elements might be completely practical (the same staircase is actually quite hard to walk on with the steps being very wide but rather low in height!) but from a purely aesthetical point of view I certainly do like the result.

Seating

With a total surface area of 3,000 square metres and 570 seats spread out over two levels, the Paris Charles de Gaulle Terminal 2F Schengen lounge is the largest of all business lounges of Air France.

Usually, seats on the lower level on which you enter the lounge fill up most quickly, so you are well-advised to walk up the staircase or take the lift to the upper floor if that’s the case.

At both floors you can find comfortable sofas and chairs, as well as plenty of seats at dining tables, which also make for great places to get some work done on your laptop.

At almost every seat you can find a power socket or USB charging port, so you will always be able to charge your electronic devices in this lounge.

Tarmac views

On both floors of the Air France Schengen lounge there are couches and seats right next to the curved windows, which are ideal for those who love plane spotting.

That said, there isn’t much diversity as at the time of writing only Air France, KLM and Luxair use Terminal 2F at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. It will mostly be the narrow-body aircraft of Air France which you will see!

Rest & relaxation

So let’s walk a bit through the Air France lounge and see what it has to offer to its guests!

If you are tired from your journey and are in need of a rest, you will find that the Air France Schengen lounge in Terminal 2F has a dedicated relaxation area with nap rooms on the upper floor.

These nap rooms, which basically are sleeper chairs which can be curtained off from the corridor, cannot be reserved in advance so you need to be lucky for one to be available.

This area of the lounge has subdued lighting, which makes for a more tranquil and calm part of the lounge. If you are in for a more healthy drink, you can find some large canisters with infused water here.

Food buffet

Just like you would expect from a French airline, the Air France Schengen lounge in Terminal 2F doesn’t disappoint when it comes to food and drinks.

Throughout the Air France Schengen lounge you can find multiple self-service buffet counters.

Breakfast foods are available from the opening of the lounge at 5.30am until around 11am, when it is replaced by lunch. The lunch items will remain available until 2pm and are in turn replaced with light snacks until it’s time for dinner in the evening.

For breakfast, you can expect plenty of cold cuts, jams, fresh bread and pastries such as croissants and pain au chocolat, as well as scrambled eggs and bacon.

At lunch and dinnertime, you can always find at least two hot dishes available. Besides the hot dishes of the day, you will always find salads, vegetables and other sides and snacks, as well as French cheese, cake and other sweets and desserts.

Although there are business lounges with a wider choice of food, I do think the food quality is generally excellent in the Air France lounge and in the end that is the most important.

Another positive factor is that Air France changes the menu regularly so there is always something new to try if you visit the lounge multiple times in a short timeframe.

Bistro

At the far end of the lower level of the Air France Schengen lounge you can also find a bistro counter.

According to the Air France website, this dedicated counter should normally feature some kind of live cooking by a chef at lunch and an aperitif service later in the day.

However, during my visits there wasn’t much activity going on besides people just taking a seat here with the food and drinks they took themselves from the buffet.

That said, I probably was unlucky with the timings of my lounge visits as I only visited the Schengen lounge at breakfast and early lunchtime so far and not yet later in the afternoon or in the evening.

If anyone has a first-hand experience of the bistro area, please leave a comment!

Drinks

At multiple locations in the lounge you can find self-service coffee machines, which actually do make a decent quality cup of coffee. Tea and hot chocolate is available too.

In the fridge, you can grab cans of juice or soft drinks, as well as Heineken beer.

Water is only available from dispensers, which I find to be a bit of a hassle as you keep having to walk back to refill you glass.

I understand that it’s better for the environment to cut back on the plastic of the mini bottles of water which were previously used, but with only small glasses being available to tap some water it really is not the most practical.

Booze

On both floors of the Air France Schengen lounge you can find a counter with bottles of booze. Just like the other drinks, all alcoholic drinks in the Air France lounge are self-serve.

There are several international liqueurs and strong alcoholic drinks available such as whiskey (Jack Daniel’s), gin (Bombay Sapphire), Martini and vodka (Grey Goose).

You will also find some French favourites such as cognac, pastis and pear liqueur in the Air France lounge.

Wine and champagne

If you like a good quality glass of wine or champagne, you will be in for a treat at the Air France Schengen lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Terminal 2F.

There are always two different varieties of white and two varieties of red wine available, as well as one brand of champagne. Both the wines and the champagne on offer are changed regularly so you can always look forward to try out some new bottles if you visit the lounge frequently.

Weirdly, the bottles of wine and champagne are only put out around 11am when the lunch service starts (and remain available for the remainder of the day).

Considering that the strong alcohol is already available at breakfast, I can’t see any good reason why the wine and champagne is not brought out any earlier except for this being a purely cost-cutting measure.

Shower rooms

The Air France Schengen lounge at Terminal 2F has 10 shower rooms which even at peak times are usually readily available.

The shower rooms are large and have all the amenities you may need such as toothbrush or shaving kits, a hairdryer, and of course freshly washed towels. Each shower is fitted with wall-mounted dispensers of Clarins shower gel and shampoo.

My only (minor) complaint about the shower rooms is how powerful the self-flushing sensors of the toilets are. When you stand in front of the mirror at the sink, the toilet keeps on flushing every time which is quite an annoying design flaw!

Clarins traveller spa

Just like the lounges at Hall K and L at Paris Charles de Gaulle Terminal 2E, the Air France Schengen lounge in Terminal 2F also features a Clarins traveller spa where you can get a complimentary massage.

In front of the spa you find a small counter with different Clarins products and a tablet, which you have to use to reserve a treatment.

Slots at the Clarins traveller spa fill up quickly, so it’s highly advisable to check this tablet immediately when you enter the Air France lounge. You cannot reserve a timeslot in advance by calling or mailing Air France, so it really is at a first come, first served basis.

Simply select an available timeslot on the tablet, choose your desired treatment, fill in your name and you have booked your free massage!

Make sure you are standing in front of the Clarins traveller spa some five minutes before your appointment. The masseuse will automatically call you in when done with the previous customer and having cleaned the treatment chair.

The Clarins facial massage takes around 15 to 20 minutes and is absolutely amazing. You’ll come out of the spa feeling completely refreshed and rejuvenated!

Other lounge facilities

The Air France Schengen lounge has luggage lockers available where you can store your bags or personal belongings while staying in the business lounge.

WiFi internet is fast and easy to set up and works like a charm throughout the entire Air France Schengen lounge.

At the entrance of the lounge, you can also find a selection of Air France shopping products to buy if you are in a spending mood.

Conclusion

The Air France Schengen lounge at Terminal 2F of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is a visually stunning place and simply a great location to await the departure of your flight.

In recent months the lounge has received a complete makeover and redesign, meaning that the old, cramped and overcrowded Air France Schengen lounge is finally no more.

Instead, Air France business class passengers and frequent flyers can look forward to a magnificent space with great tarmac views, comfortable seats and plenty of amenities.

The Air France Schengen lounge at Terminal 2F of Paris CDG features a Clarins traveller spa, nap rooms, plenty of shower rooms and a well-stocked buffet with some tasty food and drinks.

With this new business lounge, Air France is positioning itself even more firmly ahead of its main European competitors of British Airways and Lufthansa when it comes down to the ground experience. Simply put, the new Air France Schengen lounge is a winner!

Trip report index

This ‘Trains, Planes, Beer and Tapas: A Trip to Prague and Madrid’ trip report consists of the following chapters:

1. Review: Ryanair Bucharest to Chania (Boeing 737-800)
2. A Rainy Chania Stopover
3. Ryanair Hell: My Bad Chania to Budapest Flight Experience
4. Review: T62 Hotel, Budapest, Hungary
5. Review: EuroCity Train “Hungaria” Budapest to Brno
6. A Walk Through the Historic Old Town Centre of Brno
7. Review: EuroCity Train “Metropolitan” Brno to Prague
8. Review: K+K Hotel Central, A Prague Art Nouveau Delight
9. Beer Boozing in Prague: Sampling Some Czech Brews
10. Praha Hlavní Nádraží – Prague’s Stunning Art Nouveau Station
11. Review: Leo Express Train Prague to Olomouc
12. Olomouc Guide: Baroque and Belle Epoque Beauty
13. Review: RegioJet Train Olomouc to Prague
14. Review: Erste Premier Lounge Prague Airport
15. Review: Air France HOP Business Class Embraer 170
16. Review: Air France Schengen Business Lounge Paris CDG Terminal 2F (current chapter)
17. Review: Air France Business Class Paris CDG to Madrid (Airbus A220)
18. A Madrid Tapas Crawl: Bar Hopping in Spain’s Capital
19. Review: Ibis Madrid Aeropuerto Barajas
20. Review: Puerta de Alcala VIP Lounge Madrid Airport
21. Review: Air Europa Economy Class Madrid to Milan (Boeing 787)
22. How to Transfer Between Milan Malpensa and Bergamo Airport