Complete Paris Flights Guide 2026: CDG/Orly Airport Transfers and European

Bottom line: Paris has two airports — Charles de Gaulle (CDG, the main international hub) and Orly (ORY, primarily domestic and European budget airline base). Connecting between CDG and Orly requires allowing 3+ hours. As a major European hub, Paris flight prices fluctuate enormously — booking intra-European flights 60 days in advance can save 30–50%. This guide covers everything you need to know about flying in and around Paris.

Paris is one of Europe’s most important aviation hubs, handling over 100 million passengers annually. Whether you’re flying to Paris or transiting through, this guide helps you spend both time and money wisely.

Complete Paris Dual-Airport Guide

Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) — Europe’s Largest Hub

Key facts:

• Location: Approximately 25 km northeast of Paris
• Terminals: T1 (international flights), T2 (Air France and Star Alliance), T3 (budget airlines and charter flights)
• Annual passengers: Approximately 72 million (largest in Europe)
• 2026 expansion: New Terminal 2 satellite pier now open

CDG internal transport:

• Between terminals: Free CDGVAL automated shuttle, approximately every 8 minutes
• T1 ↔ T2: Approximately 15 minutes
• T2 ↔ T3: Approximately 10 minutes
• RER B express metro: Direct to central Paris, approximately 35 minutes, fare €12

CDG transit guide:

• Intra-Schengen connection (no immigration required): Allow 60–90 minutes
• Non-Schengen connection (customs required): Allow 90–120 minutes
• Cross-terminal connections (T1/T2/T3): Add 30–45 minutes

Orly Airport (ORY) — Budget Airline Base

Key facts:

• Location: Approximately 14 km south of Paris
• Terminals: Orly 1–2 (south), Orly 3–4 (west)
• Main users: French domestic flights, Spanish/Italian budget airlines, Transavia
• Annual passengers: Approximately 33 million

Orly airport transport:

• Orlyval rapid metro: Direct to central Paris (Châtelet), approximately 30 minutes, fare €12
• Orlybus: To Denfert-Rochereau, approximately 30 minutes, fare €8
• Last Orlyval departure: Approximately 00:30

CDG ↔ Orly Connections

If you need to connect from CDG to ORY (or vice versa), this is the most complicated scenario:

Option 1: Taxi / Uber

• Journey time: Approximately 60–90 minutes (varies by time of day)
• Cost: €55–90 (Uber relatively fixed; metered taxis vary)
• Best for: Lots of luggage, tight connection

Option 2: Public transport

• CDG → central Paris (RER B) → transfer to Orlyval
• Total journey: Approximately 90–120 minutes
• Cost: Approximately €20
• Best for: Light luggage, generous connection time

Option 3: Pre-booked transfer

• Welcome Pickups offers CDG–Orly shuttle service; booking in advance is 20–30% cheaper than hailing a taxi on the spot

Connection advice: If possible, always choose same-airport connections. If a cross-airport connection is unavoidable, allow at least 4 hours.

Flight Booking Strategy

Main Routes Departing Paris

Intra-European (cheapest routes from Paris):

• Paris → Barcelona: €30–80, 2 hours, easyJet/Ryanair/Volotea
• Paris → Rome: €40–100, 2 hours, Ryanair/easyJet
• Paris → London: €25–70, 1 hour, easyJet/Ryanair/Air France
• Paris → Amsterdam: €35–90, 1.5 hours, KLM/easyJet

Long-haul routes from Paris:

• Paris → New York: €350–700 economy
• Paris → Dubai: €400–800, Emirates/Air France
• Paris → Shanghai: ¥4,500–9,000, Air France/China Eastern/Air China

Flight Price Comparison Platforms

• Kiwi.com: The best European budget airline aggregator; the “Nomad” feature lets you search open-jaw multi-city itineraries
• Skyscanner: Established price comparison engine
• Google Flights: Best for flexible date searches

Budget Airline Pitfall Guide

Ryanair and easyJet are Europe’s two largest budget carriers, but both have hidden fees:

Ryanair pitfalls to avoid:

• Must complete online check-in — otherwise €55 per person at the airport
• Cabin bag (55×40×20 cm) requires purchasing priority boarding (€6–20)
• Only a small personal item is included; larger bags go into the hold
• No delay compensation unless the airline is at fault

easyJet pitfalls to avoid:

• Stricter baggage allowances than Ryanair — even 1 kg overweight may incur charges
• Seats not pre-assigned — paying to sit together (£5–15) is required
• Pushchairs are free to check in but must be declared in advance

Paris Airport Duty-Free Shopping

CDG DFS

The DFS at Terminal 2D is one of the world’s largest airport duty-free stores:

Worth buying:

• French wine / Champagne: 10–20% cheaper than city centre duty-free shops (though pricier than supermarkets)
• Guerlain / Sisley: French heritage brands; airport exclusive gift sets are good value
• LV / Hermès: Same price as the city, but no queuing
• Perfumes: 15–25% cheaper than city centre; gift sets are even better value

Not worth buying:

• Cosmetics sets (more expensive than duty-free at some Asian hubs)
• Electronics (cheaper in Hong Kong or Japan)
• Swiss watches (cheaper in Switzerland)

Orly Airport Shopping

Orly is considerably smaller with fewer brands, but prices are slightly lower than CDG. If time is short, Orly is fine for last-minute purchases.

Luggage Storage and Lounges

Luggage Storage

• CDG: Storage at T2/T3 — €6–10/item/day
• Orly: Storage at Orly 3 — €5–8/item/day

Airport Lounges

• Air France Lounge (CDG T2G): Free for Air France Business Class passengers; Priority Pass holders can enter
• Air France Lounge food quality is above average — good for resting before long-haul flights

Money-saving tip: If you fly frequently, consider a Priority Pass (many premium bank cards include it as a benefit) — valid at 1,200+ airport lounges worldwide, much cheaper than buying individual lounge access passes.

Summary: The Golden Rules for Paris Flights

1. Allow 4+ hours for cross-airport connections: CDG and ORY are far apart; traffic congestion is unpredictable
2. Book budget airline tickets 90 days in advance: Early-bird vs last-minute prices for European routes can differ by 3×
3. Use Kiwi.com for multi-city open jaws: The Kiwi Nomad feature is the best tool for multiple intra-European segments
4. Buy baggage separately for Ryanair/easyJet: Don’t assume the cheap base fare includes luggage
5. Don’t cut your return connection too tight: Allow 3+ hours for international flights to protect against delays

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