San Diego Teams Up with Atlanta, Boston and Other US Cities in Bringing More Americans to France as Air France Launches New Route to Paris in May 2027

San Diego will join Atlanta, Boston and other leading US cities with direct Air France links to Paris when the new route begins in May 2027. The three-times-weekly service will widen access to France for Southern California travellers, supporting holidays, business exchanges and onward connections across Europe through Paris Charles de Gaulle.

Air France is strengthening its United States network from Paris Charles de Gaulle, with San Diego and Nashville set to join 18 established US destinations in summer 2027. The expansion gives travellers, businesses and tourism bodies wider direct access between France and major American markets.

Air France is preparing to serve 20 destinations in the United States from its Paris Charles de Gaulle hub during the summer 2027 season, widening the airline’s reach across the East Coast, Midwest, South and West Coast.

The growth is led by two new nonstop links. San Diego will join the network from 3 May 2027, followed by Nashville on 14 May 2027. Both routes will operate three times weekly with Airbus A350-900 aircraft, giving two major US visitor economies a direct gateway to Paris and the wider Air France network.

The airline’s US network now spans long-established transatlantic markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Boston and Washington, DC, while also reaching fast-growing leisure and business destinations including Orlando, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Raleigh-Durham and Minneapolis.

For American travellers, Paris Charles de Gaulle is more than a destination airport. It is Air France’s main global hub, offering onward connections across France, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and parts of Latin America. For French and European visitors, the expanding network offers more direct access to the United States without relying solely on New York, Los Angeles or Miami.

Air France’s official summer 2027 network includes Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York JFK, New York Newark, Orlando, Phoenix, Raleigh-Durham, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC.

San Diego gains its first Air France route to Paris

San Diego is the headline addition to the network. From 3 May 2027, Air France will fly between San Diego International Airport and Paris Charles de Gaulle three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The service will use Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Flight AF058 will leave Paris Charles de Gaulle at 10.10am and arrive in San Diego at 12.50pm on the same day. The return flight, AF059, will depart San Diego at 3.10pm and arrive in Paris at 11.05am the following day.

The route matters because San Diego has long been one of the largest US markets without a nonstop Paris connection. Its visitor economy is driven by beaches, conventions, biotechnology, defence, education and cross-border travel with Mexico. The new service also gives European holidaymakers a more direct route to Southern California’s coastal destinations, rather than travelling through Los Angeles.

For the San Diego region, the flight supports business travel and international visitor spending while providing access to Paris and onward European cities through a single hub.

Nashville connects country music and European tourism

Nashville will follow as Air France’s second new US destination in May 2027. The Paris Charles de Gaulle–Nashville service will begin on 14 May and operate three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, also with Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

AF046 will depart Paris at 2.10pm and arrive in Nashville at 4.40pm. The return flight, AF047, will leave Nashville at 6.55pm and land in Paris at 10.15am the next day.

Air France has said it will be the only airline operating a nonstop service between Nashville and continental Europe. The city’s international profile has grown far beyond its country music heritage. Nashville is a major centre for live entertainment, healthcare, higher education, events and creative industries.

The direct Paris service will give European travellers easier access to Tennessee road trips, music tourism and the wider American South. It also offers Nashville-based travellers a direct route into Europe, with Paris functioning as a connecting point for destinations across the continent.

New York remains the largest Paris market

New York continues to be Air France’s most important US market, served through both John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

The dual-airport strategy gives travellers more choice across the New York metropolitan area. JFK is particularly valuable for passengers based in New York City, Long Island and parts of Connecticut, while Newark serves northern New Jersey, Manhattan and the wider New York region.

Air France strengthened its Newark operation in summer 2026, offering up to two daily services from Paris Charles de Gaulle. Across JFK and Newark, Air France and its transatlantic partner Delta Air Lines offered up to 11 daily Paris–New York flights during the peak summer period.

New York is central to the France–US travel market. It combines business travel, fashion, finance, culture, conferences, visiting friends and relatives, and high-volume leisure traffic. For French travellers, it remains one of the most recognisable gateways to the United States. For American passengers, Paris provides direct access to France and convenient onward flights across Europe and beyond.

Los Angeles and San Francisco anchor the California market

Los Angeles remains one of Air France’s key long-haul destinations in the United States. The city brings together entertainment, fashion, technology, international business, major events and holiday traffic. Paris–Los Angeles is also important for travellers connecting to the French Riviera, Italy, Spain and the wider Mediterranean.

San Francisco serves a different but equally important California market. The Bay Area route supports technology, venture capital, higher education, tourism and connections to Northern California. It also provides a direct bridge between Silicon Valley and Paris, one of Europe’s leading business and technology centres.

The San Diego launch will add a third major California city to the Air France network. Together, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego give the airline a broader presence across the state, covering southern, central and northern California travel demand.

Miami and Orlando deepen Florida access

Miami is one of Air France’s most important leisure and international business markets in the United States. Its role as a gateway to Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean makes it strategically valuable for both inbound and outbound travel.

The city attracts French and European visitors for beaches, art, cruise departures, shopping, nightlife and events. It also has strong links with international finance, property, trade and aviation.

Orlando extends Air France’s Florida reach beyond Miami. The Paris Charles de Gaulle–Orlando service began in May 2025 and has strengthened access to the state’s theme parks, family resorts, conventions and sports events.

For European families, a nonstop Paris link reduces the complexity of reaching Central Florida. For Orlando travellers, the route opens access to Paris and the wider European network without a domestic US connection first.

Las Vegas adds another global leisure destination

Air France launched Paris Charles de Gaulle–Las Vegas flights in April 2026. The service operates three times a week with Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

Las Vegas is known worldwide for entertainment, gaming, conventions, major sporting events and large-scale trade shows. The city’s inclusion in the network reflects the importance of leisure travel as well as the meetings and incentives market.

The route also makes Las Vegas more accessible for French and European travellers planning wider journeys through Nevada, Arizona, Utah and California. It supports road trips to national parks and iconic landscapes, including the Grand Canyon region, while strengthening the city’s direct international reach.

Phoenix and Dallas support business and leisure links

Phoenix gives Air France a direct connection to Arizona, one of the fastest-growing states in the United States. The Paris service first launched in 2024 and has been expanded as demand has developed.

The Phoenix route supports leisure travel to the desert Southwest, golf resorts, national parks and road-trip destinations. It is also relevant for business travel, given the region’s growing technology, semiconductor, healthcare and aviation sectors.

Dallas provides a major Texas connection. The city is a global business centre with strengths in finance, technology, telecommunications, aviation, trade and meetings. Paris Charles de Gaulle gives Dallas travellers a direct route into France and a wider European network.

The Dallas service is also useful for inbound visitors travelling through Texas, including Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and other parts of the state.

Houston and Atlanta link Paris with the US South

Houston is another important Texas market in the Air France network. Its economy is supported by energy, healthcare, space, manufacturing, shipping and international trade. The direct Paris connection serves both corporate and leisure passengers.

Atlanta is equally significant. As a leading business centre in the Southeast, it has strong demand from corporate travellers, international students, conferences and visitors connecting across the region. Air France’s partnership with Delta also makes Atlanta strategically important because Delta’s main hub is located there.

For French visitors, Atlanta can serve as an entry point to Georgia and the wider South, including cultural, culinary and heritage travel routes. The city also provides access to domestic US destinations through partner connections.

Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis strengthen Midwest access

Chicago is one of the United States’ biggest aviation, business and convention markets. A direct Paris link supports passengers travelling between France and the Midwest for trade, finance, technology, education and tourism.

The city is also a major gateway for travellers continuing to Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana and other central US states. For leisure visitors, Chicago offers architecture, museums, sport, food and lakefront tourism.

Detroit gives Air France a direct link to Michigan and the US automotive heartland. The route is important for corporate travel, manufacturing links and wider Midwest connections. Detroit’s cultural revival, sports events and waterfront development also strengthen its appeal to international visitors.

Minneapolis adds another Midwest point, serving Minnesota and surrounding states. The market combines corporate travel, medical and technology industries, education, outdoor tourism and connecting traffic through the region. It also provides a useful route for travellers planning visits to lakes, national parks and northern US destinations.

Boston, Raleigh-Durham and Washington serve the eastern corridor

Boston is a major gateway for New England and a strong market for education, technology, healthcare, life sciences and heritage tourism. A direct Paris service supports students, researchers, business travellers and holidaymakers.

Raleigh-Durham provides an important link to North Carolina’s Research Triangle. The region is known for technology, universities, life sciences and business growth. It also gives French travellers a direct entry point to the Carolinas, rather than requiring a connection through a larger East Coast airport.

Washington, DC, remains a key political, diplomatic and business market. The French capital and US capital have strong links in government, international organisations, education, culture and tourism. The route also supports visitors travelling to museums, monuments, conferences and the wider Mid-Atlantic region.

Seattle broadens the Pacific Northwest offer

Seattle gives Air France a direct connection to the Pacific Northwest. The city’s economy includes aerospace, technology, trade, cruise activity, higher education and global commerce.

For European visitors, Seattle can act as a gateway to Washington State, the Olympic Peninsula, national parks, vineyards and Alaska cruise departures. For passengers from the Pacific Northwest, Paris Charles de Gaulle provides a direct European entry point with onward connections to a wide range of destinations.

Air France to Launch San Diego–Paris Nonstop Flights in May 2027

Air France will launch a new nonstop service between San Diego International Airport and Paris-Charles de Gaulle from 3 May 2027, opening a direct air link between Southern California and France for the first time.

The three-times-weekly service will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with an Airbus A350-900. It will give leisure and business travellers a direct route to Paris while providing onward connections across Europe and beyond through Air France’s Paris-Charles de Gaulle hub.

The announcement marks a significant international expansion for San Diego International Airport, known as SAN. Air France will become the airport’s eighth international airline, while the Paris route will be its 90th nonstop destination.

A direct link between San Diego and Paris

Air France is scheduled to operate flight AF058 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 10:10am, arriving in San Diego at 12:50pm on the same day. The return flight, AF059, is set to leave San Diego at 3:10pm and arrive in Paris at 11:05am the following morning.

The timetable has been designed to support both point-to-point travellers and passengers continuing through Paris. Charles de Gaulle is one of Europe’s principal aviation hubs, providing access to cities across France, continental Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

For travellers in San Diego, the route removes the need to connect through another US airport or a European gateway before reaching Paris. That is particularly relevant for holidaymakers planning city breaks, cruises, rail journeys through France, and multi-country European itineraries.

Paris remains one of the world’s most visited tourism cities, attracting international visitors for its museums, food, fashion, riverfront neighbourhoods and links to destinations across France. The new service will make it simpler for Southern California travellers to build itineraries that combine Paris with regions such as Normandy, Provence, the French Riviera, the Loire Valley and the Alps.

Demand for Europe travel continues to rise

The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority said San Diego had been the largest US market without nonstop service to Paris. It also identified Paris as SAN’s largest unserved international market.

Demand between San Diego and Paris has risen by 14% in 2026 compared with 2025, according to the airport authority. The growth points to continued appetite for transatlantic travel from Southern California, including both tourism and business traffic.

Atif Saeed, President and Chief Executive of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, said the service would provide passengers with more convenient access to Paris and wider European connections.

He added that the route would strengthen business and economic links between Southern California and France, giving travellers and companies a more direct connection to French industries and markets.

The launch also comes as airlines reshape their long-haul networks around high-demand leisure and commercial markets. San Diego’s position as a centre for technology, life sciences, defence, tourism and higher education gives the route potential beyond seasonal holiday traffic.

Air France builds its North American network

For Air France, San Diego is part of a wider US network expansion for summer 2027. The airline will also begin flights from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Nashville, Tennessee, on 14 May 2027.

Both new routes will operate three times weekly with Airbus A350-900 aircraft. With San Diego and Nashville added, Air France expects to serve 20 destinations in the United States during the summer 2027 season.

Nicolas Hénin, Senior Vice-President for North America at Air France-KLM, said San Diego represented a market with “tremendous potential”. He said the new link reflected growing transatlantic demand and would offer Southern California travellers greater choice for travel to Paris, Europe and beyond.

The route is also notable because it gives Air France a new presence in a California market that has strong international demand but a more limited range of nonstop long-haul services than Los Angeles or San Francisco.

The Airbus A350-900 will operate the flights. The aircraft is widely used on long-haul routes and is designed to offer improved fuel efficiency compared with older-generation wide-body aircraft. Air France’s A350 cabins typically include Business, Premium Economy and Economy seating, broadening the route’s appeal across corporate, premium leisure and value-conscious travel segments.

San Diego gains a fourth European nonstop destination

Paris will become San Diego International Airport’s fourth nonstop European destination, joining Amsterdam, London and Munich.

This growing network gives travellers more options to enter Europe through different hubs. Amsterdam offers a strong connection point for Northern Europe, London serves the United Kingdom and wider transatlantic market, while Munich provides access to Germany, central Europe and Alpine destinations. Paris will add a major French and continental European gateway.

For inbound tourism, the route could also encourage more French and European visitors to choose San Diego as a direct arrival point. The city’s beaches, year-round climate, convention business, cultural attractions, outdoor recreation and proximity to Southern California destinations give it a broad tourism offer for long-haul visitors.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said the new flight was about more than ease of travel. He said it could bring more visitors to the city, support the tourism economy, create opportunities for local businesses and deepen economic ties with France and Europe.

That inbound opportunity matters for hotels, attractions, tour operators, restaurants, meeting venues and transport providers across the San Diego region. Direct air links are often a key factor in destination marketing because they reduce travel friction and can make a city more visible in overseas holiday and business travel planning.

What the route means for travellers

The new service is expected to be particularly useful for travellers who value a single-ticket journey from San Diego to France and onward destinations. It may also appeal to corporate travellers heading to Paris and other European commercial centres, as well as students, visiting friends and relatives, cruise passengers and organised tour groups.

Paris-Charles de Gaulle is Air France’s principal hub and provides connections to a wide global network. Passengers travelling beyond Paris should still allow sufficient transfer time and check baggage rules, entry requirements and connection arrangements before booking.

Tickets are due to go on sale from 14 October 2026, according to Air France. Travellers should check the airline’s website for current fares, schedules, seat availability and fare conditions, as flight times and operating details can change before launch. corporate.airfrance.com

For San Diego, the new Air France service is a strategic addition rather than simply another destination on the departure board. It closes a long-standing gap in the airport’s European network, creates a direct bridge to France and gives travellers a more seamless way to reach one of Europe’s most important tourism and business hubs.

The new San Diego–Paris route strengthens Air France’s expanding US network and gives travellers another direct path to France. Alongside established services from cities including Atlanta, Boston, New York and Los Angeles, the connection is expected to support visitor arrivals, commercial ties and easier multi-destination European travel from Southern California.

A broader Paris gateway for US travellers

Air France’s US strategy shows that transatlantic growth is no longer limited to the largest traditional gateways. While New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago remain crucial, cities such as San Diego, Nashville, Orlando, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Raleigh-Durham are becoming increasingly important.

The 2027 network gives the airline a balanced presence across major business centres, tourism capitals, convention destinations and fast-growing regional economies. It also reflects the value of Paris Charles de Gaulle as a connecting hub.

For travellers, the practical benefit is choice. A passenger can begin a journey in San Diego, Nashville, Phoenix, Seattle or Orlando and arrive directly in Paris, with opportunities to continue to European cities and international destinations through one airport.

As schedules can change by season, travellers should always check operating days, aircraft types, fares and connection times before booking. But the direction is clear: Air France is steadily expanding its Paris–United States network, making the French capital a more accessible international gateway for travellers across America.