I flew on the world's only business class-only airline and it felt more like flying on a private jet across the Atlantic

French boutique airline La Compagnie is the only all-business class carrier in the world with a small fleet of two Airbus A321neos.

Source: Planespotters

The company flies between New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport and Paris and Milan year-round, as well as seasonally to Nice, France.

I toured La Compagnie, the all-business class airline flying between the US and France. It's the closest thing to flying private across the Atlantic.

A few other carriers also tried the unique configuration, including Qatar Airways, which flew deep-pocket customers between Doha and London — and later Doha and Dubai — using an Airbus A319LR.

Qatar Airways Made An All-Business Class Plane For Flights To London

Meanwhile, British Airways ferried premium travelers between New York and London on an all-business class Airbus A318. The service ended in 2020, with the airline citing falling demand and the pandemic.

British Airways has reportedly sent its most iconic jet since the Concorde to be scrapped. See inside the plane that shuttled VIP flyers between New York and London.

In an interview with Insider in 2019, La Compagnie cofounder and EVP Jean-Charles Perino said the business model is intended to split the difference between expensive business class seats and cheaper economy seats.

Startup airline La Compagnie found its niche as a low-cost business-class-only carrier. Now it's nearing profitability after just 5 years.

Instead of selling roundtrip business for several thousand dollars, and then charging in the hundreds per economy seat, Perino decided to put 76 lie-flat loungers on a plane and price it somewhere in the middle.

It's almost like crossing the Atlantic on a private jet for a fraction of the cost, though passengers won't get the added comforts — like a theater or double bed — onboard.

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Perino further explained the seat is affordable for travelers who are already going to pay extra for more legroom or premium economy seats, which are sometimes just as expensive as La Compagnie's roundtrip airfare.

I've been wanting to try the all-business-class airline for years and was finally able to check it off my bucket list in February. Here's what it was like from Paris to Newark.

My journey started at Paris' Orly Airport, which is about 12 miles from the city center. Because I decided to stay at a hotel southwest of the city, it was only a 20-minute drive.

My flight was scheduled to leave at 10:30 a.m. for a 1:00 p.m. arrival into Newark, and every instinct in me said to arrive at Orly by 7:30 a.m. at the latest to ensure there is enough time for check-in, passport control, and security.

But, because of La Compagnie's fast track options that came included with my ticket, I was encouraged to arrive around 9:00 a.m. — just one and a half hours early.

I'm glad they were true to their word, because I ended up arriving at Orly's Terminal 4 at 9:15 a.m. due to traffic, but was still at the gate by 9:45 a.m.

It was speedy for a few reasons. First, I could get my boarding pass online without having to first go to the check-in counter to verify my passport, which is not always the case on other airlines.

I also only had a carry-on, so I could skip the bag drop. Even if there was a line, there were two attendants assisting with checked luggage, and there are only a max of 76 people on the flight.

Meanwhile, accessing the secured area was a breeze. With my business class ticket, I could use the "Accès N° 1" priority line at security and passport control, so I was through in minutes.

Gate F04 was a short walk from there.

Typically, La Compagnie passengers can use an airport lounge to eat and rest before the flight, but it is undergoing renovation. So, they provided a €20 coupon for the nearby restaurant, EXK.

I got a ham and cheese quiche, fruit, coffee, and orange juice. It was surprisingly good for airport food, and I appreciated the gesture from the airline.

Unfortunately, we did get delayed about 30 minutes due to crew rest, but started to board around 10:45 am., and I got my first look at the all-business class plane.

I was immediately impressed by the look of the cabin — the aesthetic was elegant and the baby blue color scheme was calm and soothing.

The lounger itself didn't disappoint either. The A321neo has 19 rows of 4 seats in a 2x2 layout. I noticed the plane skipped row number 13 — I guess to ward off any bad luck.

After stowing my luggage — which I had more than enough space for — I explored the seat.

The lounger came will all of the bells and whistles of most business class products I've flown on, including a large touchscreen TV…

…a remote control…

…a reading light and a coat hook…

…an adjustable headrest…

…good quality headphones...

…a USB port and a power outlet…

...the option to have a recliner with a leg rest, or a fully lie-flat lounger...

…a privacy divider, which helped create a cozy space when sleeping…

…free in-flight WiFi, which was fast and reliable…

…plush linens branded with the La Compagnie colors and logo…

…a large, foldable tray table big enough for my laptop...

…and plenty of leg space thanks to the 62 inches of pitch in most seats. At just 5'3," I could stretch my legs all the way out, and the lounger is 26 inches wide, so I had a lot of wiggle room too.

The exit row seats offer even more space with 72 inches of pitch.

There was also a tabletop in between the two loungers...

…and a few small storage spots, including the side pocket…

…under the footrest…

…to the back-right of the seat where the headphones plug in…

…and under the TV. The slit was narrow, so its best for things like books or a laptop.

When I got to my seat, I found a water bottle and an amenity kit, which is the norm for business class.

But, the kit turned out to be my favorite yet. Inside were toiletries, socks, an eye mask, and lotions…

…and the bag itself was big with two sections — perfect to use on future trips for my own toiletries.

After settling into my seat, the flight attendant came by with orange juice and champagne. I ended up combining them to make a morning mimosa.

We pushed back from the gate soon after but ended up going back due to a paperwork issue. This was a little frustrating as I got to Newark one and a half hours late, but I've had delays on every airline I've flown on.

We were finally on our way at around 12:20 p.m., and I was excited to kick back and enjoy the ride.

During taxi, a yoga-themed inflight safety video came on to go over emergency procedures. I thought the stretching and breathing exercises were an interesting way to grab people's attention.

Shortly after takeoff, the flight attendants came through the cabin with drinks and a package of nuts. I opted for the red wine, which was nice and smooth.

Then, we were served our first meal. La Compagnie prides itself on its inflight cuisine, which is made in partnership with guest chefs, like Michelin-starred chefs David Toutain…

…and Franco Sampogna. The collaborations have taken place since 2017 with the help of Christophe Langrée, the former chef at the French prime minister's residence, Matignon.

Sampogna, who is from Brazil but has a New York City restaurant called Frevo, was onboard my flight to serve his course — blanquette of scallops and cauliflower topped with truffles.

I thought the meal was incredible, and the scallops were cooked perfectly. A La Compagnie spokesperson told Insider the food is prepped within 24 hours of the flights — much lower than the 48-72 hours on most other airlines.

Source: Insider

In addition to the main dish, I was also given an appetizer, which was a delicious salmon salad with sesame, lemon, and trout eggs.

A cheese plate, bread, and a caramelized apple tart were also served. I was so full I couldn't finish all of it, but the tart and salmon were definitely my favorites.

Source: La Compagnie

I'm a sucker for seafood and loved that courses one and two were fish. But, the airline will switch the main dish to chicken or cod steak in March, according to its online menu.

Source: La Compagnie

I thought the crew was extremely professional and attentive during the meal service. Because the airline is so small, Perino said flight attendants often know passengers by name: "That's something that the big guys could not do."

Source: Insider

I decided to take a nap around three hours into the flight, and I slept great thanks to the privacy of the cocoon, the padded lie-flat bed, and the plush, warm linens.

As someone who likes to kick a knee out when I sleep, I even had enough room to do so by lowering the window-side armrest. The aisle-side armrest is also adjustable.

Granted, my feet nearly reached the end of the foot nook when laying fully flat, and I'm only 5'3." So, taller passengers would definitely have to crunch up a little more.

But, I think there is still plenty of wiggle room to get comfortable, and I was happy that the tray table stowed into the side of the seat and completely out of the way of the lounger.

After a nap, I woke up and watched a movie until the next meal service. I will say that the lineup was pretty random, with movies like Kung Fu Panda 2 and Land of the Lost.

La Compagnie did have new movies available too, like Black Adam and Ticket to Paradise, as well as a meditation course and a flight map.

The second meal was served a little over an hour from landing. We were given an option of pastries or an eggplant and tomato sandwich — I chose the pastries, which came with a macaron, pudding, and cookie-like treats.

I'm not a huge fan of chocolate in general, but I liked the crumble and macaron. Next time, I'd probably go with the sandwich though.

After dessert, I ordered tea and then headed to the lavatory to freshen up before landing.

I thought the bathroom was very nice and clean, and I liked the gray accents that made it feel homier — similar to the wood-like finishes in Singapore Airlines' lavatories.

The wallpaper was even La Compagnie-branded.

We landed at 2:30 p.m. and had to be towed into the gate, which a flight attendant said is standard procedure for La Compagnie in Newark.

We parked at gate 51 and everyone deplaned quickly thanks to the low-capacity plane. I was off the jet and through customs within minutes — another reason I encourage frequent fliers to get Global Entry.

Overall, I loved my experience on La Compagnie, and the price tag is extremely reasonable for the product. I think the carrier is particularly perfect for people looking to splurge on a honeymoon, family vacation, or just a solo getaway.

The flight is more affordable than traveling business on a mainline carrier, and the product is comparable to competitors like Delta One or United Polaris.

Granted, I will say it can't beat Singapore's business class, which has a much larger bed and more storage…

I flew on the world's longest flight in business class and thought the 18-hour trip from Singapore to New York was nearly flawless

…and United and Delta's cabins do feel a little bit roomier with more table space, in my experience.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't hesitate to fly La Compagnie again — they even returned my jacket to me, which I stupidly left on the plane. One of the perks of it being a small airline.