Air France-KLM reorganizes Paris operations to optimize its bases and hubs

A smarter structure for Paris

On March 29, 2026, Air France consolidated all its domestic and international departures from Paris at Charles de Gaulle airport (with the exception of some Corsica routes operated under a French public service obligation), while Transavia has firmly established itself as the Group's reference operator at Orly. With this shift, Air France-KLM is continuing to roll out, through Transavia, its new competitive low-cost product, launching additional domestic routes and an enhanced product for customers. In taking over the slots previously operated by Air France, Transavia now holds 50% of the total slots at Orly.

The ambition is to create a more straightforward and efficient structure, one in which each airline operates on terrain where it is best suited and strongest. Air France will concentrate on its global hub, offering passengers seamless connections to nearly 170 destinations worldwide, and Transavia will expand its well-connected point-to-point model. Transavia now operates more than 436 routes throughout France, Europe, the United Kingdom, Africa, and the Middle East.

Air France at Paris-Charles de Gaulle: Playing to its strengths

For Air France, consolidating Paris operations at Charles de Gaulle airport means enhancing travel possibilities for customers and strengthening the airline’s business model. Frequencies to Marseille, Nice, and Toulouse have been reinforced, and long-haul flights to the overseas territories, including Fort-de-France, Pointe-à-Pitre, and Saint-Denis de la Réunion now benefit from significantly improved connecting opportunities across the Air France-KLM network.

2026 also marks the 30th anniversary of Air France's hub strategy at Charles de Gaulle, an innovative model introduced in the mid-1990s that has shaped the airline's trajectory ever since. Charles de Gaulle is not only a world-class connecting hub; but Paris is also the top international inbound travel market, serving millions of point-to-point travelers each year. The airport’s accessibility is set to improve further with the CDG Express, the dedicated rail link between Paris city center and the airport that is poised to begin service in March 2027.

Air France’s Charles-de-Gaulle hub performance is also being strengthened through Connect France, a joint initiative with Groupe ADP launched in 2025. This long-term project aims to make transiting through Paris-Charles de Gaulle faster and more seamless, starting with a priority fast-track system for passengers with tight connections.

Meanwhile, Air France is continuing to grow its Engineering & Maintenance facilities at Orly, together representing around 2,700 full-time jobs.

Transavia: A strengthened presence at Orly airport

For Transavia, March 29 marked the start of a significant expansion. The airline launched three additional domestic routes from Paris-Orly, with up to 8 daily flights to Toulouse, 8 daily flights to Nice, and 2 daily flights to Marseille, making Transavia the largest airline at Orly.

This is more than a transfer of routes. Starting in May, eligible customers will soon have access to a dedicated lounge at Orly, greater scheduling flexibility, and crews long recognized for their quality of service, combined with the competitive fares that have made Transavia a compelling choice for today's travelers.

In addition, Transavia has enhanced its offer for frequent business and leisure travelers who have long flown on these routes. To that end, the airline has expanded its “Max” fare to include same-day flexibility and dedicated lounge access. Transavia passengers also fully benefit from Flying Blue, the Air France-KLM Group's award-winning loyalty program.

Orly airport is itself a strong asset for Transavia's ambition, combining recognized quality with outstanding access to the French capital. Metro line 14 now links the airport directly to the heart of Paris in under 25 minutes.

A Group built on strong airline-airport synergies

The logic underpinning this reorganization reflects a broader truth about how Air France-KLM operates: each airline in the Group performs best when it is deeply rooted in a platform where it can fully express its strengths.

Much like Air France has developed a powerful hub at Charles de Gaulle airport, KLM has done the same at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. The airline serves more than 170 destinations by harnessing the power of one of Europe’s most efficient and best-connected platforms.

The Group is also looking forward to welcoming SAS and further developing its hub in Copenhagen.

This model, anchoring each airline to a platform where it can grow, innovate, and compete at its best, is precisely what the Paris reorganization extends to Transavia at Orly.

It is also the foundation on which Air France-KLM continues to develop. As the Group grows, this capacity to give each airline a strong operational home, and the conditions to thrive within it, remains one of its defining advantages.