French Bee, the first French low-cost, long-haul airline, is a legitimate carrier operating from Paris Orly Airport with a modern fleet of Airbus A350-900 and A350-1000 aircraft. The airline connects France with destinations across the U.S., Caribbean and beyond at prices that can save substantial cash, better spent on a Parisian dinner in the Marais or shopping along the Champs-Elysees. Just remember that for tall travelers like myself, there are comfort sacrifices that can affect the journey. Here’s how I prepared for and maximized my flight.
Where does French Bee fly?
The airline serves several destinations from Paris: Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, San Francisco and Montreal. Beyond North America, French Bee flies to Tahiti via San Francisco and offers nonstop service from Paris to Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean.
Low-cost everything
Low-fare airlines are able to charge lower prices because they include fewer perks, and instead, they charge for each thing you choose to add to your experience. And as a newer airline, the staff do not have a long history with the airline and therefore are paid less. This means that the savings get passed onto you. As the traveler, you can cherrypick the comforts you want for the trip.
Buying the base ticket
French Bee offers six distinct fare types (Bee Light, Bee Light+, Bee Smart, Bee Flex, Premium Smart and Premium Flex), and none includes a traditional lie-flat business class seat. Each fare strips away or adds specific perks, letting you cherry-pick exactly what you need for the journey. The Bee Light fare is the cheapest but requires paying for nearly everything, while higher fares progressively add inclusions like checked bags and meals.
There are six fares to choose from, and none of them includes a traditional, lie-flat business class seat. The cheapest is the Bee Light fare, which strips almost everything away (though for tickets purchased recently, carry-on bags are now included on all fares, but you still have to pay to check a bag). Next is the Bee Smart fare, which is just a small percentage higher in cost but lets you check a bag for free and enjoy a basic meal on the plane.
The Premium fares cost significantly more than the Bee Light ticket, but it adds the most perks like seat assignments, carry-on and checked bags, inflight meals and priority boarding.
What else do you pay extra for on French Bee?
While seats have more legroom in a smaller premium cabin, Premium Smart passengers still have to pay for seat selection, though Premium Flex includes free standard seat selection (excluding Maxi Leg seats). Even Premium passengers must pay extra for the best legroom seats, like the Maxi Leg Premium seats in row 5.
Pretty much everything costs extra, though I wasn’t surprised given how low roundtrip fares run from the West Coast to Paris. Meals aren’t included on most fares (unlike traditional long-haul flights), and I watched plenty of passengers fumble for credit cards when they realized this. Other fees include seat selection, with “Seat with a sea-view” window seats starting from $30 while standard seat selection starts from $25.
The airline charges more for a window seat than other seats (Premium Flex passengers can choose standard seats for free though Premium Smart passengers still pay). Premium passengers do not get lounge access for free, though they do receive a Comfort Kit Premium with their fare. Not everyone on the plane gets an eye shade and earplugs (these vary by fare level, with Premium passengers receiving both, Bee Smart/Flex passengers getting eye masks but not earplugs, and Bee Light passengers not receiving these by default, though they do get a blanket on night flights). All passengers can pay extra for lounge access and Travel Kits, no matter what fare they bought.
If you want to buy the cheapest ticket, I recommend checking to see if your credit card (or if you have Priority Pass) would give you access to another lounge in the departure airport before forking over extra for access via French Bee.
While I avoid paying Basic fares on most airlines, I like that French Bee lets those passengers pay extra for an extra-legroom seat. That’s the equivalent of a cheap upgrade offer, which is great if you just want to get some shuteye without eating inflight. All fare types can also pay extra for priority boarding.
If you want to add on a bunch of extra services like early boarding and meals, the bundled Express and Serenity packs are a tempting offer. I like how you can curate the amenities you prefer (checked bag plus meal or extra legroom seat with amenity kit) and get a discount for these bundles. But, word of advice: these must be purchased in advance as once you are at the airport, the prices are much higher (for example, a carry-on bag may cost $45 online versus $90 on the day of departure).
What do you get for free on French Bee?
All seats have inflight entertainment screens with Hollywood movies, international sitcoms, and music - economy features 10-inch HD touchscreens while Premium has larger 12-inch HD screens. It’s a great way to pass the time, especially on a day flight.
A clever way to upgrade
If you really want a Premium seat but don’t want to pay the full price, follow my lead. I used the EasyUpgrade program (powered by Plusgrade) and scored a discounted seat by placing a low-enough bid up to seven hours before departure. At the gate, I was notified that I scored an aisle in the Premium cabin for a third less than what it would have cost although I missed out on the airport benefits that came with that fare.
Is it worth paying for Premium Class?
Premium Class is the highest cabin offering at French Bee (remember, there’s no lie-flat business class here), and tall or fidgety travelers will be glad they paid extra. The fare often runs similar in price to standard economy on other network airlines, making it an incredible bargain if you don’t traditionally pay for business class.
The seats are in either a 2-3-2 or 2-4-2 setup (the A350-900 has 2-3-2 configuration with 35 seats while the A350-1000 has 2-4-2 with 40 seats) with more legroom than economy (which is in a tight 3-4-3 layout, ouch), 36-inch seat pitch, 18-inch width, plus a footrest and leg rest. The headrests adjust in four different positions for more comfort, but for me, it’s not enough to get sound sleep, more like an on-and-off doze. But then again, I often have trouble falling asleep on planes, even in business class.
I appreciate the extras on board like a welcome drink and that the meals come on larger trays with a few extras like a cheese plate.
But make no mistake about it. The quality of the food is more like economy class, and it is served in similar tins rather than on china. At least juices, soft drinks, and alcoholic drinks are included throughout the flight in Premium, and each seat has a fleece blanket, pillow, and Comfort Kit Premium waiting. In economy class, beverages are available for purchase from the Blue Café, and a Travel Kit (including an inflatable pillow) can be bought onboard, though Bee Light passengers do get a blanket on night flights.
Important tips and tricks for flying French Bee
This French airline participates in TSA PreCheck. Be sure to provide your Known Traveler Number when making a reservation or when checking in for the flight to bypass the longer security queues. Unfortunately, my flight from Newark did not have access to a terminal that uses PreCheck.
If you don’t want to pay extra for a mystery meal, the airline lets passengers bring their own food. This can be a huge win for families or picky eaters.
I had to chuckle when I read the French Bee notice asking passengers not to bring smelly food “out of respect for other passengers.” They specifically ban liquid foods, soups, foods in sauces, and soft or creamy cheeses. Solid foods are permitted, but liquids and semi-liquids must comply with strict carry-on restrictions (containers no larger than 100 ml in a single transparent plastic bag) or be packed in checked luggage. Way to go, French Bee. I wish other airlines had that notice.
If you did want to buy food or drinks on the plane, I’m impressed that the buy-on-board Blue Café menu is not as overpriced as other airlines. For those rushing to board the flight or if the airport stores are closed, don’t fret. You won’t get too price-gouged on the flight.
French Bee planes are incredibly dense with seating capacity, and boarding lines can be long. If you’re interested in paying for any additional fee, priority boarding may be the one because you won’t have an issue finding space for a carry-on bag.
Onboard Wi-Fi is available for a modest fee through iZiWifi, and it comes in bundles based on how much you need for speed and data. Take it from me, avoid opening social media apps that suck the data right out of your plan in minutes. If that happens, kick back with a movie or watch the tail camera that shows an aerial view of the plane, which is most interesting during takeoff and landing.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
