Air France has just announced a significant expansion of its UK network, with a new twice-daily service between London Gatwick and Paris Charles de Gaulle launching on 29 March 2026. For UK-based points collectors, this opens up fresh opportunities to earn and redeem Flying Blue miles while accessing Air France's global network.
The French flag carrier, recently named Best Airline in Western Europe at the 2025 Skytrax Awards, will operate two daily flights using the modern Airbus A220 aircraft. This marks Air France's return to Gatwick after nearly two decades – the airline last served the airport back in 2007.
Flight Schedule Details
The flight timings have been designed with connections in mind, making Paris CDG a viable hub for onward travel:
Paris CDG → London Gatwick: Departing 09:20 (arriving 09:30) and 15:45 (arriving 15:55)
London Gatwick → Paris CDG: Departing 10:30 (arriving 12:40) and 17:10 (arriving 19:20)
The morning departure from Gatwick is particularly interesting for those connecting onwards – you'd arrive at CDG by lunchtime with plenty of afternoon departures to choose from across Air France's network of nearly 170 destinations in 73 countries.
Why This Matters for Points Collectors
This new route gives those of us in London and the South East more options for leveraging Flying Blue miles. While easyJet currently operates the Gatwick-CDG route, having Air France in the mix is a game-changer for several reasons:
Earn Flying Blue miles: Unlike easyJet, Air France flights earn you valuable Flying Blue miles that can be redeemed across the entire SkyTeam alliance, including Delta, KLM, Korean Air, and more.
Free Wi-Fi for Flying Blue members: Air France recently announced that all Flying Blue members now get complimentary Wi-Fi across the fleet. High-speed connectivity will be on 30% of aircraft by end of 2025, with full fleet coverage expected by late 2026.
Status benefits: If you've matched your BA status to Flying Blue through their status match programme, you'll enjoy priority boarding, extra baggage, and lounge access on these flights.
Connection opportunities: Paris CDG is a major hub for reaching destinations where Air France excels – think West Africa, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia with competitive Flying Blue redemption rates.
Earning Flying Blue Miles as a UK Collector
While there's no dedicated Flying Blue credit card in the UK, you can earn miles through American Express Membership Rewards, which transfer 1:1 to Flying Blue. The Amex Gold card earns double points (2 per £1) on flights, making it excellent for booking Air France cash fares.
Flying Blue also runs monthly Promo Rewards offering up to 25% off select routes when booked during specific windows – always worth checking before you redeem.
Special Cardiff Flights for Six Nations
In a nice touch for rugby fans, Air France will operate 12 special flights between Paris CDG and Cardiff from 13-16 February 2026 to coincide with the Six Nations Championship. If you're planning to follow Les Bleus to Wales (or simply enjoy the atmosphere), this provides a convenient direct option.
Gatwick's Growing Appeal
Air France joins a wave of carriers securing Gatwick slots recently. Jet2 is opening a new base there in March 2026, Air Arabia will fly twice-daily to Sharjah, and Condor is adding three daily Frankfurt services. For those of us in the South East, Gatwick's growing network makes it increasingly competitive with Heathrow – especially with the Gatwick Express providing a direct 30-minute link to Victoria.
With approved plans for increased use of the Northern runway, expect Gatwick's slot availability to continue improving in the coming years.
Connecting to Air France's Global Network
If you're connecting through Paris to long-haul destinations, Air France has been investing heavily in its premium products:
The new Business Class suite on selected Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 aircraft features privacy doors, direct aisle access, lie-flat beds, and larger HD entertainment screens. All long-haul passengers receive complimentary champagne, with Premium, Business, and La Première passengers enjoying menus crafted by Michelin-starred French chefs.
For the ultimate experience, La Première offers a private suite with a full-length bed spanning five windows – though redemption seats are limited to Platinum-level Flying Blue members and above.
My Take
I'm genuinely pleased to see this announcement. While Heathrow remains my usual departure point for long-haul travel, Gatwick has always been more convenient when I'm heading south. Having Air France as an option – rather than just easyJet – means I can actually earn and burn miles on this route.
The morning Gatwick departure time is well-positioned for connecting onto afternoon long-haul flights from CDG. If you're heading to destinations like Johannesburg, Mauritius, or the Caribbean, this could be a sensible positioning flight before your onwards journey.
For those of you who've taken advantage of the Flying Blue status match from BA, this gives you another route on which to use those SkyTeam benefits.
The Bottom Line
Air France's Gatwick launch adds meaningful competition on the London-Paris corridor while opening up Flying Blue earning and redemption opportunities for those of us based south of the Thames. The flight times work well for connections, the free Wi-Fi sweetens the deal, and having SkyTeam access from Gatwick is a welcome addition to UK points collectors' options.
Flights go on sale in the coming months – I'll update when booking opens. In the meantime, if you're planning to use Flying Blue miles for travel from Paris, our Award Travel Finder can help you search for award availability across multiple airlines.
Jack