Air France’s Newest Destinations: Plan Now For Summer Sun In Spain And Portugal
Image source: Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK [CC BY 2.0]
Ready to plan summer travel? Oui! Beginning on April 4, 2020, Air France is offering four new summer-worthy destinations from Paris-Charles de Gaulle: Faro in Portugal and Alicante, Malaga and Valencia in Spain. From Air France’s U.S. departure cities, in only two hops, you can be soaking up the sun in these European vacation spots.
If you’re ready to book, navigate your way to the Air France app or to AirFrance.com, as tickets are already available. Take off from the U.S., spend a few days in Paris, and then jet off for Saturday departures and arrivals from CDG to each of these four cities for a memorable journey to the Old World.
Faro, the Pearl of the Algarve
Flights to Faro will be on an Airbus A320 and will leave CDG at 6:50 a.m. and arrive in Faro at 8:35 a.m., so even on your first day there you can enjoy plenty of time feelng the warmth of the Atlantic breezes. The return leaves Faro at 9:25 a.m., with arrival in CDG at 1:15 p.m.
Faro, with its mélange of cobblestone streets and archways, is one of those wonderful old walled cities that bespeaks of a more romantic time and place with its gothic Se cathedral and bishop’s palace. Enjoy the emerald lagoons of Parque Natural da Ria Formosa and nearby wind- and sun-washed beaches, including the islands of Ilha de Faro and Ilha da Barreta.
The new service is in addition to the other flights operated by Transavia within the Air France-KLM group that includes nine weekly flights from Paris-Orly, two weekly flights from Lyon and two weekly flights from Nantes.
Alicante, the City of Light
An Embraer 190 will whisk you to Alicante, leaving CDG at 3:00 p.m. and arriving at 5:15 p.m., just in time for a quick nap before those late night dinners for which Spain is so well known. The return flight leaves at 5:55 p.m. and arrives back in Paris at 8:15 p.m. All times are local.
The Mediterranean city of Alicante, in the southeast corner of Spain, offers myriad things to do from gourmet walking tours to Segway tours of its old town to tours of Santa Barbara Castle. The architecture and waterfront attract visitors from all over Europe, but it is the views of the water, the sun glinting off of it like diamonds, that command attention and are the inspiration for a thousand photos, a thousand smiles.
This new service is in addition to the other flights operated by the Air France-KLM group, including one weekly flight from Amsterdam-Schiphol and eight weekly flights on Transavia from Paris-Orly.
Malaga, the Beauty of Andalusia
From Paris, you’ll take an Airbus A319 to Malaga, departing at 7:05 a.m. and arriving at 9:40 a.m., leaving you almost a full day to enjoy the region’s beauty. The return is at an easy 10:35 a.m., landing at CDG at 1:15, with all times local.
The port city of Malaga, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula on the Costa del Sol, is one of those seaside resort towns that draws you into its heart. Overlooking the Alborán Sea, Malaga, the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, is hilly, colorful and historic, thanks to the Phoenicians who wandered here some 3,000 years ago. Walk its streets, savor in its restaurants and take in its many art museums.
The new service is in addition to the other flights operated by the Air France-KLM group and its partners, including ten weekly Transavia flights from Paris-Orly and one weekly flight from Lyon; one daily flight on Delta Air Lines from New York JFK on a codeshare basis with Air France; and 21 Air Europa weekly flights from CDG, also on codeshare with Air France.
The Welcoming City of Valencia
After operating flights to Valencia on an occasional basis last summer, Air France confirmed the success of the destination by renewing services with a permanent flight throughout the upcoming summer season. Flights to Valencia will be on an Airbus A318 and will leave CDG at 3:35 p.m. and arrive at 5:30 p.m. The return departs at 6:20 p.m., arriving in CDG at 8:30 p.m.
Valencia, Spain’s third largest city, enjoys a prime location on the shores of the Mediterranean and offers wide sandy beaches for the summer season. It also mixes an urban feel with the sea and nature by placing particular importance on art and science. This is the place to enjoy the heritage of centuries past, while stopping to admire the impressive old facades and discover the historic city center.
The new service is in addition to other flights operated by the Air France-KLM group and its partners, among them KLM’s 22 weekly flights from Amsterdam-Schiphol; eight weekly flights on Transavia from Paris-Orly; and 21 weekly flights on Air Europa from CDG on a codeshare basis with Air France.
Air France is a member of the 19-member SkyTeam Alliance that includes Aeroflot, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Europa, Alitalia, China Airlines, China Eastern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Garuda Indonesia, Kenya Airways, KLM, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Saudia, TAROM, Vietnam Airlines, and XiamenAir.
Source: Forbes