Concierge at CDG Airport??? To get through customs faster?

[West Coast Gal]

In 2017 we came to Paris and were met outside our flight by a concierge service that walked us through the airport, passed big lines and right up to customs (we had a line of 3), then through over to pick up luggage and brought us to our car service.  Does this still exist and do you have recommendations of who to use?  It was the best $100 we spent on the trip!

[West Coast Gal]

And thank you in advance

[sailing canary]

https://www.parisaeroport.fr/en/passengers/services/my-conciergerie-at-the-airport

[slidergirl]

You can also do a search on the 'net for  "concierge services CDG"...

[CruiserBruce]

Customs is easy at CDG. It's the "red/green" system. If you have nothing to declare you follow the green signage and you are out in a couple seconds. You will pick up your luggage before you get to the "red/green choice.

[slidergirl]

43 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Customs is easy at CDG. It's the "red/green" system. If you have nothing to declare you follow the green signage and you are out in a couple seconds. You will pick up your luggage before you get to the "red/green choice.

Now that I've re-read:  I believe they are talking about going to Immigration, not Customs.  The Concierge services may get to go through the Crew line, not the lines with the masses.  Not sure, but what I'm thinking.

[CruiserBruce]

25 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

Now that I've re-read:  I believe they are talking about going to Immigration, not Customs.  

Correct.

[Hlitner]

There are quite a few VIP/Concierge companies (easy to find by using a search engine such as Google) but I do not think you will find any for $100.  That being said we have never thought they were worth the money for those who are mobile and can handle their carry-on luggage.  What will often happen is a concierge service can help ease your way through the terminal and speed you through the immigration/Passport Check.  You then get to the luggage area relatively fast and find yourself waiting 30 min plus for your luggage.  By the time the luggage arrives so has everyone else from your flight (who did not pay any extra money for VIP service).   Nearly all European airports have luggage carts (either free or for relatively low cost) that you can use to ease moving lots of luggage through a terminal.  On nearly all our trips we have found Customs to not be an issue (we simply move through the Green (Nothing to Declare) line with little delay.  

 

But we do understand that some folks just like the experience of having a personal escort awaiting their arrival.  There is something nice about a person standing with a sign or tablet with one's name.  Is that worth $150 - $300?  

 

Hank

[slidergirl]

I did have a personal escort on my departure from CDG to Dulles.  Got me through the exit formalities very fast when the line snaked through the entire departure hall.   Didn't cost me a dime - just a shattered leg so they wheeled me through it all!!!  (sorry, had to put it in)

[West Coast Gal]

12 hours ago, Hlitner said:

There are quite a few VIP/Concierge companies (easy to find by using a search engine such as Google) but I do not think you will find any for $100.  That being said we have never thought they were worth the money for those who are mobile and can handle their carry-on luggage.  What will often happen is a concierge service can help ease your way through the terminal and speed you through the immigration/Passport Check.  You then get to the luggage area relatively fast and find yourself waiting 30 min plus for your luggage.  By the time the luggage arrives so has everyone else from your flight (who did not pay any extra money for VIP service).   Nearly all European airports have luggage carts (either free or for relatively low cost) that you can use to ease moving lots of luggage through a terminal.  On nearly all our trips we have found Customs to not be an issue (we simply move through the Green (Nothing to Declare) line with little delay.  

 

But we do understand that some folks just like the experience of having a personal escort awaiting their arrival.  There is something nice about a person standing with a sign or tablet with one's name.  Is that worth $150 - $300?  

 

Hank

Well that was 2017 pricing -  I just know that we landed early morning the the lines for customs were jammed packed .  This time we land early evening, so maybe the lines won't be so long. 

[West Coast Gal]

I want to thank everyone for all the good comments, I have taken a big breath after reading all the comments, going to forgo the service and just look for the green line and go for it!  Grin and buy a super bottle or 2 of wine for dinners with the money I save!

[tenmile]

After our experience flying into CDG in October, the concierge cost may be worth it. We did arrive early morning with 3 or 4 other full flights. We were in the immigration arrival hall for 2 1/2 hours because there were only 3 immigration booths open with more than 600 people to process. About half of us missed connecting flights, including us. We had scheduled 3 hours between our arrival and departing connection. Air France did a beautiful job of handling the re-scheduling nightmare, but we ended up sitting in CDG for 5 hours waiting for the next flight. Hopefully, the number of people working immigration has improved.   

[cruisemom42]

20 hours ago, tenmile said:

We were in the immigration arrival hall for 2 1/2 hours because there were only 3 immigration booths open with more than 600 people to process. About half of us missed connecting flights, including us.

 

I've heard this about other large European airports, particularly Heathrow. I think they are having some difficulties calibrating how willing people are to start traveling again with how many personnel they need onsite for immigration.

 

Best tip I've heard is to do the electronic immigration wherever you can. These are called eGates in the UK and US passport holders can use them. I've also used them at FCO (Rome).  I think they are also available in Amsterdam and Frankfurt. Not at CDG, unfortunately....

 

[West Coast Gal]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I've heard this about other large European airports, particularly Heathrow. I think they are having some difficulties calibrating how willing people are to start traveling again with how many personnel they need onsite for immigration.

 

Best tip I've heard is to do the electronic immigration wherever you can. These are called eGates in the UK and US passport holders can use them. I've also used them at FCO (Rome).  I think they are also available in Amsterdam and Frankfurt. Not at CDG, unfortunately....

 

Good information, thank you for sharing!