I flew on an international flight for the first time in my life. Here are the 5 things that surprised me most.

On my flight to Paris, I had an economy seat in row 42 and was surprised to learn that every passenger received pillows and blankets.

From all of my previous experiences on domestic flights, these were things reserved for people sitting in first class.

If I'd known this, I wouldn't have packed a blanket. 

I made a rookie mistake of not asking for wine on my flight to Paris because I assumed I had to pay for it. I was later shocked to learn that Air France offers free alcohol to everyone on its international flights.

You can get Champagne or wine free of charge, and I learned that you can also ask for other alcohol.

I overheard my flight attendant offer other liquor to passengers who inquired about something stronger.

Multiple disinfectants and hand sanitizers were provided to passengers after boarding, in addition to a face mask.

We were also given additional individual towelettes for our hands to wipe clean before getting served our meals (also seen above in the separate packaging).

I still broke out my bottle of Purell, but the extra wipe made me feel fancy.

Airplane food can be hit or miss unless you're in business or first class. But I was thoroughly happy with the four total meals offered to me on my flights to and from Paris.

I had different chicken dishes on both flights, and breakfast pastries arrived in a miniature Bon Appétit shopping bag.

Maybe I'm easy to please when it comes to food, but I was impressed with what I received. I was pleasantly surprised that I was given a decent-size water bottle with dinner on my flight home and particularly enjoyed the pie served with my meal.

Additionally, I wasn't expecting to get numerous drink offerings at breakfast. I received coffee, orange juice, and a yogurt drink. The pastry was one of the best things I've ever eaten, and I immediately wanted another. 

After my flights, I was more impressed to learn that Air France allows you to request one of many "special meals" ahead of travel if you have a dietary restriction. Its website lists 13 different inclusive options to choose from, including a "gastric irritant-free meal" and a "gluten-free meal."

It typically costs $30 to check your first bag on domestic flights, so I was surprised when I was allowed to drop off my luggage without charge before heading to security.

Overall, I was impressed with Air France, and based on my experience, there's no other airline I'd want to fly to Paris with in the future.

The price of the airfare ($2,367.27 roundtrip) felt like it was worth it since so much was included that I was used to paying extra for once at the airport.

From my experience, I felt like Air France put the comfort of its passengers first with thoughtful amenities and an impressive menu for economy-class tickets. It made me wonder what it would've been like to sit in a more premier seat.