Air France flights from Nice to Paris-Orly to end in 2026
Air France © Unsplash
The French national airline will end its domestic routes from Orly Airport to south-eastern France next spring.
The countdown has begun for regular users of the Air France connection departing from Orly. At the end of March 2026, the French carrier will permanently end its services to Nice, Marseille and Toulouse from the Paris airport.
A steady decline in traffic
The decision, announced in October 2023 in a press release, reflects an undeniable economic reality. Domestic traffic departing from Orly fell by 40% between 2019 and 2023, while same-day return trips dropped by 60%. On the Paris–Nice route, passenger numbers declined by nearly 15% between 2019 and 2024, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC).
The widespread adoption of remote working, the rise of videoconferencing and companies’ environmental policies have profoundly changed the travel habits of business passengers, who were once the core customer base of these routes.
What are the alternatives?
Air France will now concentrate all its operations at Roissy–Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). From early April, frequencies to Nice will increase to 12 daily services, compared with eight at present. However, the greater distance to CDG and its less convenient public transport connections may deter some travellers.
For passengers attached to the southern Paris airport, two options will remain: Transavia, the low-cost subsidiary of the Air France–KLM group, which is taking over half of the released slots, and easyJet. Only services to Corsica will continue to be operated by Air France from Orly, in accordance with public service obligations.