Find cheap Corsair flights

Corsair is a French long-haul leisure airline that’s been flying travellers for decades and remains actively operational today. The carrier specializes in tropical destinations from Paris Orly, focusing on French overseas territories across the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, and Africa. Its all-widebody fleet of nine Airbus A330neo aircraft serves leisure travellers seeking alternatives to major carriers like Air France.

It’s also started flying from secondary French airports, a key move that’s helped it temper the tough competition from Air France and other leisure carriers flying from Paris. For some travellers, Corsair is an unfamiliar name, but once you know more, you may find it the perfect choice for your trip.

Where Corsair flies

Corsair’s network spans three main regions, with destinations including:

• Caribbean: Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe), Fort-de-France (Martinique)

• Indian Ocean: Mauritius, Mayotte, Saint-Denis (Réunion)

• Africa: Abidjan, Antananarivo, Bamako, Cotonou

Most routes originate from Paris Orly, though the airline also operates flights from Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, and Toulouse to select destinations, with service patterns that are route-specific and seasonal in some cases.

The carrier’s flights to its overseas territories like Martinique or Reunion are considered some of the longest domestic flights in the world. This means French nationals wouldn’t need to bring a passport (just their national identity card), but I’d always recommend travelling with one in case of a flight diversion or reroute on another airline.

A bit of Corsair history

Despite its name, the airline doesn’t fly to Corsica; its name comes from the Corsican family who founded the company and wanted to honour their roots. Over the years, numerous tour operators and leisure travel brands have acquired the airline.

Nouvelles Frontières was first and sold holiday packages and airfare using Corsair. Then came TUI Group, another major European name, which decided to change the brand to that of its umbrella group. This lasted less than a decade before the company returned to the Corsair name to take advantage of how familiar it was in the market.

Current fleet and cabin configuration

Corsair is not a giant airline. Now that it has retired its Boeing 747-400s, its fleet consists entirely of nine Airbus A330neo aircraft. Corsair operates three cabin classes: Business, Premium (premium economy), and Economy.

Within the economy cabin, you’ll find Economy+ seats that offer extra legroom and are located in the forward zone of the cabin for quicker disembarkation, but otherwise provide the same service as standard economy. These aren’t separated by a curtain the way Premium class is.

You’ll find lie-flat seats with direct aisle access in a staggered configuration in business class on the A330neo. You’ll find 21 seats in Premium class per aircraft. These seats have more legroom and recline, but are more like economy seats than a business class seat.

On the A330neo, the business class seats are in a staggered configuration with some seats closer to the aisle and others closer to the window (or the neighbouring seat if in the centre section).

I would opt for an odd-row window seat because these have the tables closer to the aisle. When you’re sleeping, this means you won’t be disturbed by people passing in the aisle. In the centre section, couples travelling together should also select an odd row since the seats are very close together, and tables on either side protect you from commotion in the aisle.

Economy is in a high-density configuration on the A330neo. I recommend choosing one of the last few rows because the curvature of the aircraft at the back means there’s one fewer seat per row providing a bit more elbow room.

Onboard experience

Corsair is a full-service airline, and what you get varies based on the cabin class. Let’s start with the most impressive product: business class. This is new territory for Corsair. Business class was only added to its planes recently (launching within the past decade). Before that, it was just premium economy and economy.

Business class

Corsair’s business class features lie-flat seats (a relatively recent addition to the fleet within the past decade) with ample storage, large HD entertainment screens, USB and power outlets, noise-reducing headphones, and a comfort kit by Payot.

You’ll get three hot meal choices to preselect from before departure (preselectable up to 48 hours before departure), a self-service bar throughout the flight with sweet and savoury snacks alongside a wide selection of drinks and spirits, and a higher checked baggage allowance than economy (2 x 32 kg checked bags plus 1 x 18 kg carry-on).

Premium class

This is Corsair’s premium economy product, and it comes with extra legroom, greater recline than Economy, a footrest, a large individual entertainment screen, noise-reducing headphones, and a free 1-hour Surf Wi‑Fi pack on A330neo aircraft. The checked baggage allowance is 2 x 23 kg, plus 1 x 18 kg carry-on bag.

Inflight, there is a choice of two hot dishes for the meal. Up to 48 hours before departure, passengers can preselect their preferred meal (or request a special dietary requirement meal) to enjoy on board. You’ll pay a surcharge for cocktails and digestifs. You’ll get a meal, snack or breakfast depending on the timing and destination of the flight.

In all cabins, on flights departing Paris, you can also buy upgraded Prestige menu items from Petrossian and Dalloyau that feature things like caviar and lobster, if you want to treat yourself. Themed meals are also available for sale, such as a Seafood Menu.

Economy class

Economy uses a very high-density configuration. These seats have less legroom than you might expect (especially for a tall person). At least, there are entertainment screens, USB charging ports, blankets, and pillows at each seat. The legroom is so tight that flight attendants force travellers to put their seats upright during meal service (even if you’re sleeping) so the tray table will fold down for the person behind you.

Before the main meal, you can order a drink from the bar, but later in the flight only soft drinks are complimentary. You’ll get a meal, snack, or breakfast free of charge depending on the timing and destination of the flight. I recommend packing a few extra snacks if you are travelling economy.

Loyalty program

The Corsair Club (also known as Le Club Corsair) operates differently from traditional mileage programs. Instead of earning points per kilometre flown, you earn monetary credits (a cashback in euros) based on your purchases. You can redeem these credits toward future flights (excluding airport taxes) and additional services such as seat selection and extra baggage fees for yourself or others.

As you earn higher elite status, you earn more credits for the same flight. A base member earns 2% back in euros (or the currency of your choice) from the base cost of the ticket (excluding taxes). Gold status members earn 5% back, and Platinum members earn 8% back. The airline bases status on the number of flights you take during the calendar year.

Only Corsair routes with a Corsair flight number earn credits, and the loyalty card doesn’t apply to flights operated by third-party airlines. That makes this program less useful, unless you fly Corsair regularly.

Corsair extras worth considering

The “SURCLASSE(E)” service allows travellers to bid for an upgrade to Premium Class or Business Class after making their reservation and up until the day of departure. The system gives a guideline on what the ideal bid would be, but I recommend going a little lower. In my experience, you can score a great deal this way.

You can adjust your bid up to six hours before departure when the auction closes, and the airline assigns any remaining seats to the highest bidder. There’s also the option to accept an immediate upgrade at the proposed price and be charged instantly, but chances are you could score an upgrade for a lower price using the auction process.

Corsair also offers a Train + Air package that allows travellers from 18 French cities (and Brussels) to purchase a train ticket as part of the airfare to reach one of its gateways. The offer combines the TGV journey, airport shuttle, and Corsair flight in a single booking.

By putting everything on one reservation, Corsair and SNCF will rebook you at no extra cost on the next available departure if the train or flight is delayed, with hotel coverage if needed. This takes the worry out of the travel process because if you book transportation to the airport separately and get delayed, the airline wouldn’t be responsible to rebook you free of charge.

Airbus A330neo planes have Wi-Fi onboard. Business and Premium passengers receive complimentary 1-hour Surf Wi‑Fi access, while Economy passengers can purchase access for a surcharge. Another perk for business class passengers is lounge access at the departure airport. But Economy and Premium passengers can purchase lounge access, subject to availability, during booking, via “My booking,” or at the Corsair airport counter.