From September 23 to 25, Air France took part in the 47th edition of the IFTM (International & French Travel Market) trade show, the annual gathering for travel professionals, partners, and clients. At the Air France-KLM stand, visitors discovered the latest developments of the airline as well as the wide range of career opportunities available.
At the opening of the event, Henri Hourcade, General Manager France at Air France-KLM, reviewed the highlights of summer 2025. Up to 140,000 customers and as many bags were carried each day on nearly 900 daily flights. To support operations, more than 3,000 agents were mobilized across French airports. The long-haul network expanded with new services from Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport to Orlando (United States) and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).
New services and innovations
Air France presented its upcoming network developments, including the launch of flights to Phuket (Thailand) from November 27, 2025 and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) from January 13, 2026.
More broadly, the trade fair was an opportunity for the company to sign numerous partnerships with tourism boards, aimed at increasing the visibility and appeal of these destinations to its customers: Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy, as well as the Dominican Republic, the official partner of IFTM 2025.
The airline showcased its latest onboard innovations. Since September 1, 2025, Embraer 190 aircraft have been progressively retrofitted with new lighter, more comfortable seats and Air France’s new very high-speed Wi-Fi. Air France became the first major European airline to offer this new connectivity free of charge to all passengers, in all cabins, accessible via their Flying Blue account. By the end of 2025, 30% of the fleet will be equipped, with full coverage expected by 2026.
Air France went on to highlight its continued move upmarket with the progressive rollout of its new La Première suite, already available on flights to New York-JFK and Singapore, and soon to Los Angeles and Tokyo-Haneda. The airline also showcased its new Business seat, featuring the Sofitel My Bed mattress topper for enhanced comfort.
Entertainment on board was further enriched through a new partnership with Canal+, giving long-haul passengers access to an expanded library of films, original series, and documentaries.
Paris-Charles de Gaulle strengthened as a major hub
Network development and service innovations further reinforced the role of Paris-Charles de Gaulle as one of Europe’s leading connection platforms. Following the signing of Connect France, a strategic partnership between Air France-KLM and Groupe ADP, the first concrete initiative was launched: the “Short Connection Pass”.
Since August 4, 2025, customers with a short connection time have benefited from priority access through security and border controls, automatically and without the need to request it. This new service simplifies the travel experience for connecting passengers and enhances the international attractiveness of Air France’s hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle.
Enhanced ground experience and recognition
On the ground, Air France reopened its lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle’s Terminal 2E in April and its Boston lounge in August. The airline also announced the opening of a dedicated Air France lounge in Chicago by the end of the year.
These investments in customer experience have been widely recognized: for the fifth consecutive year, Air France was named Best Airline in Western Europe by Skytrax and rose to 8th place worldwide. It also retained its APEX 5-star status for the fourth consecutive year. Flying Blue, the airline group’s frequent flyer program, was ranked best loyalty program by Point.me for the second year running.
Commitment to sustainability
Air France also highlighted its progress in decarbonization. On August 25, 2025, the airline welcomed its 46th Airbus A220-300 at Paris-Charles de Gaulle following a delivery flight from Mirabel (Canada) powered with 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This reinforced Air France-KLM’s position as the world’s second-largest SAF user in 2025.
Spotlight on careers
Alongside these announcements, Air France’s Employer Branding, School Relations, and Recruitment teams welcomed visitors to discover the airline’s wide variety of professions. Three dedicated conferences provided hundreds of visitors with insights into the roles of pilots, ground staff, and cabin crew.
Air France also highlighted its recruitment policy, with nearly 100 positions currently open and the goal of continuing this momentum in 2026, particularly for mechanics, aircraft technicians, ground staff, and managerial roles.