Air France and Extime Travel unveil Paris Stopover, the opportunity to explore the French capital and Paris region between flights

With France’s peak tourist season now in full swing, Air France and Extime Travel, Groupe ADP’s airport retail and hospitality brand dedicated to tourism experiences, are unveiling their new “Paris Stopover” offer.

This new service designed and operated by Extime Travel invites travellers to take advantage of their connection time to enjoy a unique opportunity to explore Paris and its surrounding region. With 50% of Air France customers arriving at Paris-Charles de Gaulle connecting to another destination, this service will provide visitors, particularly international travellers, with an all-in-one package experience.

Air France customers can choose, when booking their flight, to extend their stopover in Paris (on either the outbound or return journey) and book a package from Extime travel to explore the capital and the treasures of the surrounding region.

“For travellers from South Africa, Paris is often the gateway to Europe and beyond, so we’re particularly excited about an initiative that allows our customers to turn what might have simply been a connection into an opportunity to experience one of the world’s most iconic destinations,” says Joris Holtus, General Manager for East and Southern Africa, Nigeria and Ghana at Air France-KLM. “Paris Stopover brings together the convenience of seamless travel with the opportunity to discover more of France, whether customers have just one night or several days to explore. It is another way we can enhance the journey for our customers and give them even more reason to make Paris part of their travel plans.”

Following their booking,* Paris Stopover *allows eligible Air France customers to choose from a range of packages designed by Extime Travel. From transfers, accommodation to curated activities, Paris Stopover can be tailored to suit individual preferences and the length of the stopover, from one to four nights. The aim is to provide a seamless experience thanks to comprehensive support from Extime Travel throughout the experience.

*Paris Stopover *responds to strong customer demand. According to a study published by the Pégase Chair in April 2026, 81% of customers with a connection in Paris stated they were somewhat or very interested in the possibility of using their time between flights to leave the airport and explore Paris or other attractions near Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport*. This figure rises to 92.3% among Brazilian customers and 90% among Indian customers, who are no longer required to have a French airport transit visa requirement since April 2026.

* “The role of air transport in enhancing France’s tourism appeal” – April 2026
https://www.chaire-pegase.com/

Paris Stopover – highlighting the attractiveness of Paris and France as a destination

Each package has been designed by Extime Travel to highlight the diverse sightseeing opportunities on offer in the French capital and surrounding region. With the “Paris Must-See” package, customers can explore the city’s iconic landmarks, from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre Museum. With “Disneyland® Paris”, they can enjoy a magical family getaway on the doorstop of Paris.

This service will soon be expanded with new unique premium experiences, as well as cultural, gastronomic, and festive excursions, to offer an even wider range of experiences, that can be booked with Extime Travel. Air France and Extime Travel are also committed to promoting the neighbouring areas around Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport.

Each package offered by Extime Travel includes convenient transfers, one or several night’s accommodation in carefully selected four or five-star hotels located in central Paris or at Disneyland® Paris, as well as a selection of iconic experiences that can be tailored to the time that travellers have at their disposal and their individual preferences.

The launch of this new offer marks a major milestone in the “Connect France” strategic partnership, signed in June 2025 by Air France-KLM and Groupe ADP, with the shared ambition to boost the attractiveness and international influence of the Air France hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport, while capitalising on the status of Paris and France as the world’s leading tourist destination. With Paris Stopover, Paris-Charles de Gaulle will be the first major European hub to offer a unique tourist experience between flights.

Paris Stopover is accessible to all Air France customers with a connection, regardless of their travel cabin – Economy, Premium, Business or La Première – and can be booked with Extime Travel up to 48 hours before departure, subject to availability.

*Offer dedicated to customers who have booked tickets including the Stopover option on the Air France website, with a minimum connection time of 27 hours.

For more information, visit www.airfrance.co.za.