Review: Star Alliance Lounge Paris – CDG

Thanks to the delayed Air France flight from Ottawa (YOW) to Paris (CDG), which resulted in a missed connection and disrupted my entire trip, I found myself stranded in CDG, looking for a flight back home. Aeroplan came to the rescue, as I booked a United Polaris flight from CDG back to New York (EWR) and onwards to YOW. Since I was now scheduled to fly back home on a Star Alliance member airline, I could visit the Star Alliance lounge in Paris CDG.

Elevators to the Star Alliance Lounge

The Star Alliance Lounge CDG is located airside after immigration and security controls in the newest part of Terminal 1. Inaugurated in October 2023, the lounge is available to First Class, Business Class, and Star Alliance Gold customers flying on member airlines.

Main Entrance

Star Alliance Lounge Paris CDG – Layout and Seating

The lounge entrance with dark panels set against the backdrop of the welcome bar looked chic and inviting. After a quick scan of my boarding pass, I was through.

Welcome Bar

With a capacity of 300 guests, the lounge offers excellent runway views and plenty of natural light through the glass façade.

Runway views from the lounge

The lounge’s standout features include a beautifully designed Welcome Bar, an interactive Wine Bar, and a Tea Salon. The seating areas around the lounge were modern minimalist designs, offering a variety of power sockets and seat connectivity to keep devices plugged in and charged up.

Lounge layout

Individual Lounge chairs

Common working and seating areas

More work desks and lounge seating

Sofa chairs and grouped seating

Casual seating area with runway views

Individual booths

Wine Cellar

Star Alliance Lounge Paris CDG – Food and Drinks

The drink selections across the lounge were elevated between the welcome and the stunning wine bar. However, the food served in the lounge did not quite match the upscale lounge amenities.

Dining Area

Coffee Station

Pastries and light bites

The breakfast options during my stay were decent but felt very “run of the mill”. If the lounge can bridge the gap between the drink selections and food offerings, it can truly rival some First-Class lounges worldwide.

Breakfast options

Eggs and Noodles

Congee and dumpling station

Star Alliance Lounge Paris CDG – Other Amenities

The lounge includes several private work cabins and secluded nooks to complement the social spaces. Guests can also unwind in the spacious outdoor garden, a popular spot for those looking for fresh air. Given my short stay and quick turnaround from CDG, I did not get to use the shower suites inside the lounge.

Private workspace, phone booths and individual pods

Shower suites

Takeaway

I was not expecting to visit the Star Alliance Lounge CDG on this trip, but thanks to the last-minute availability on United Polaris, the lounge visit quickly became the highlight of my trip. I was pleasantly surprised by how stunning the lounge was, with its modern and minimalist design. The lounge was relatively empty during my visit, allowing me to engage with the amenities offered. The interactive Wine Bar was a standout feature of the lounge – not one for 9 am drinks, but I can see how that would be the go-to spot in the lounge later in the day. The lounge is a distinctly Parisian elevated space for premium Star Alliance passengers and one I would like to return to with more time to spare. This was my first Star Alliance lounge experience (out of the six lounges Star Alliance operates), and if this is the benchmark for their services, I cannot wait to visit the other locations.

Related Read: My EU 261 claim for Air France Flight Delay