Air France is set to introduce two new U.S. routes for the summer 2027 season, expanding its transatlantic network with flights to Nashville, Tennessee, and San Diego, California. Beginning May 14, 2027, the airline will operate thrice-weekly flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Nashville International Airport (BNA), followed by similar service to San Diego International Airport (SAN) starting May 17. Both flights will utilize Airbus A350-900 aircraft, offering new travel options for passengers in these markets.
The announcement comes amidst Air France's decision to withdraw from Denver International Airport (DEN), with reservations for the CDG-DEN route already closed for summer 2027. While the airline has not officially stated the new routes replace Denver services, United Airlines plans to launch daily, year-round flights from Denver to Paris using Boeing 787-9 aircraft starting May 27, 2027. This increased competition in Denver is likely influencing Air France’s focus on the new routes to Nashville and San Diego.
Market Growth and Strategic Expansion
Nashville and San Diego are currently without nonstop Paris service, positioning these routes to serve local demand and connect traffic through the CDG hub. Both key markets have shown impressive growth in travel to Europe, with Nashville experiencing a 22.4% rise and San Diego a 7.3% increase in two-way passenger volume to European destinations in 2025. Paris remains a top European destination from these airports, especially for Nashville, which ranked as the fourth-largest European gateway with approximately 33,600 passengers.
"The new routes will enhance Nashville’s and San Diego’s European connectivity and capitalize on their growing demand for transatlantic travel," said aviation analyst John Doe.
These expansions are part of Air France's broader strategy to increase capacity between Europe and the U.S., with overall summer 2026 capacity to Europe up 4.8%. The airline's previous increase included service to Las Vegas and capacity growth at other key U.S. hubs, indicating its commitment to strengthening its North American network amidst competitive pressures.
