Air France’s history dates back to 1933, when the French flag carrier was established through the merger of five different airlines in the country’s early aviation scene.
The first route to the U.S. took off in April 1946, when a Douglas DC-4 piston airliner flew from Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG) to New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) with two refueling stopovers in Ireland and Newfoundland.
The range capabilities of aircraft have evolved significantly over the subsequent 80 years, and in 2026, Air France offers direct routes to 18 destinations in the U.S.
This number is expected to reach the 20-city milestone by 2027, as Air France just announced two new routes to Nashville and San Diego launching next year from its main hub at CDG.
Air France launching flights from Paris to Nashville and San Diego in May 2027
The flight from Paris to San Diego International Airport (SAN) will debut on May 2, 2027, and run three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The flight to Nashville International Airport (BNA) will launch on May 14 and run on the same days.
Both routes will fly on the airline’s new Airbus A350-900 plane with room for 292 passengers, while the Nashville route will carry the flight number AF046 to honor the fact that it is flying to the home of late country music star Dolly Parton.
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“As a tribute to Dolly Parton, an iconic country music figure closely associated with Nashville, flights between Paris and the city will carry the flight number AF046 — a nod to 1946, the year the artist was born,” Air France said in announcing the new route.
Tickets for both flights will become available for booking on Air France’s website and mobile app beginning Oct. 14.
The new Air France AF046 flight to Nashville is named after the year when country legend Dolly Parton was born.
Sky Noir Photography by Bill Dickinson / Getty Images
Why is Air France investing in direct routes to Nashville and San Diego now?
Both flights have been launched amid rising numbers of U.S. travelers to France and growing interest in flying directly from secondary U.S. airports, rather than transferring through a larger hub like Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago.
“Framed by long stretches of beach and sheltered bays, the city is an ideal setting for surfing, strolling around Coronado Island, or admiring the coastal scenery of La Jolla,” Air France also writes of the San Diego route.
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No other airline, whether U.S. or European, currently flies directly from Paris to Nashville or San Diego. The latter AF058 route will leave CDG at 10:10 a.m. to arrive in San Diego at 12:50 p.m. the same day. The AF046 flight to Nashville will leave at 2:10 p.m. and arrive in Nashville at 4:40 p.m. on the same day.
On the reverse side, route AF059 from San Diego to Paris will leave at 3:10 p.m. to arrive at 11:05 a.m. Flight AF047 will leave Nashville at 6:55 p.m. to arrive back in Paris at 10:15 a.m. the following day.
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