Good news for anyone booking the long-haul hop to the island: Air France is bringing the Airbus A350-900 onto Paris Charles de Gaulle - St. Maarten (SXM) earlier than planned. Filed schedules now put the type in service from February 1, 2027, instead of late March.
The route has largely been flown with the A330-200. The A350 takes over the daily rotations (including AF446 / AF498 outbound and AF445 / AF499 return). For passengers, the swap lands in peak winter season: a more modern cabin on a flight of about nine hours, and a newer aircraft for the famous low approach over Maho Beach into Princess Juliana.
In Air France's A350-900 layout for these flights, the jet seats 292 passengers: 48 in Business (1-2-1, direct aisle access, full-flat beds), 32 in Premium Economy and 212 in Economy. Quieter cabin, seatback screens, Wi‑Fi and USB power are part of the airline's current long-haul product, replacing an aging A330.
On the ground, nothing changes for a stay on St. Martin or St. Maarten: arrivals remain at SXM, the shared gateway for both sides of the island and for regional connections. What changes is the trip from Paris: the same nonstop link, a newer aircraft, and a booking window to watch as February 2027 flights show up clearly as A350 on search engines and airfrance.com.