Air France vs American Airlines

Overview

Air France (legally Société Air France) is the flag carrier of France. According to Wikipedia, it was founded on 30 August 1933 and is headquartered at Roissypôle, Charles de Gaulle Airport, in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam alliance. Its subsidiaries include Transavia France and Air France Hop. Its IATA code is AF, ICAO code AFR and call sign AIRFRANS.

Network and hubs

The main hub is Paris-Charles de Gaulle. Focus cities are Lyon, Marseille, Nice and Toulouse. Wikipedia lists about 184 destinations, covering Europe, Africa, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia, plus France's overseas territories.

Fleet

The Air France–KLM fleet page reports that Air France had 229 aircraft at 31 December 2025, all in operation. These comprised 120 long-haul aircraft, 107 medium-haul aircraft and two freighters. In 2025 the airline took delivery of six Airbus A350-900s and 11 Airbus A220-300s. It also removed 12 A320-family aircraft, four A330s and two A380s. Renewal continues, with the group aiming for up to 80% new-generation aircraft by 2030 (Air France-KLM, October 2026). Figures for the Air France Hop regional fleet and for Transavia are separate.

On board

Baggage guides list Economy, Premium Economy, Business and La Première cabins, though not every aircraft has all four. Seat pitch, entertainment, Wi-Fi and meal details were not confirmed from the sources used here. Check the airline's cabin pages for the specific aircraft type before booking.

Good to know

• Cabin baggage: one bag of up to 55 x 35 x 25 cm plus one small item of up to 40 x 30 x 15 cm. The combined weight limit is 12 kg in Economy and 18 kg in Business, according to MyBaggage.
• Economy Light: this fare includes only the small personal item and no free checked bag, according to eDreams. Standard and Flex fares add a cabin bag.
• Loyalty: the frequent-flyer programme is Flying Blue, shared with KLM.
• Parent group: Air France–KLM, with Air France CEO Anne Rigail.

Allowances and fees vary by fare and route, so confirm them on the airline's website.

Overview

American Airlines is a major US carrier headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. According to Wikipedia, it was formed in 1930 from more than 80 small airlines, began passenger service in 1936, and merged with US Airways in 2013 while keeping the American name. It is a founding member of the oneworld alliance and the main operating subsidiary of the Nasdaq-listed American Airlines Group. The airline reports it carries more than 200 million passengers a year.

Network and hubs

American operates ten hubs: Dallas/Fort Worth (the largest), Charlotte, Chicago O'Hare, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, New York LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington National. Miami is the main gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean, while Philadelphia, Charlotte and JFK feed transatlantic flights. Together with American Eagle regional partners, it flies almost 6,800 flights a day to nearly 350 destinations in 48 countries. It runs joint businesses with British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Finnair (Atlantic), Japan Airlines (Pacific) and Qantas.

Fleet

• As of June 2026, Wikipedia lists 1,030 mainline aircraft, the second-largest commercial fleet in the world.
• The fleet is made up of Airbus and Boeing narrowbodies and Boeing widebodies, including 777-200ER, 777-300ER, 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft.
• The average mainline fleet age was 14.7 years in September 2026 (Cirium, via Wikipedia).

On board

Long-haul flights offer Flagship First on 777-300ERs and select A321T aircraft, and Flagship Business on 777s and 787s, all with lie-flat seats. Premium Economy is fitted on widebody aircraft. Domestic aircraft have First, Main Cabin Extra, Main Cabin and Basic Economy. Main Cabin seat pitch is typically 30–32 inches. Economy passengers receive snacks and drinks; premium cabins get meals on flights of 900 miles or more. Newer 737 and A321 high-density layouts have no seatback entertainment. Wi-Fi details were not confirmed in the sources reviewed.

Good to know

• Baggage: Premium Economy includes two checked bags and Basic Economy permits a carry-on bag. Other fees depend on route and fare, so check aa.com before travelling.
• Basic Economy: seat assignment is usually left until check-in, there are no upgrades or refunds, and boarding is in the last group.
• Lounges: Admirals Clubs are open to paying members and eligible passengers. Flagship Lounges serve international and transcontinental premium passengers.
• Loyalty: AAdvantage is the frequent flyer programme. Its elite tiers match oneworld status levels, and one-way award tickets start from 7,500 miles.
• Regional flying: American Eagle flights are operated by Envoy, PSA, Piedmont, Republic and SkyWest.
• Recent news: in February 2026 the flight attendants' union APFA passed a vote of no confidence in the CEO. In October 2024 the US Department of Transportation fined the airline $50 million over its treatment of passengers with disabilities.