How much time do I need between flights connecting in Paris?

[craftymom914]

We just returned from our Med Cruise. We flew Continental Cleveland to Paris, and Air France for Paris to Venice. On the return it was Barcelona to Paris using Air France, Paris to Cleveland on COntinental.

 

We DID NOT have to pick up our luggage. We made sure it was booked through to the final destination.

 

We were in Terminal 2 and had to go from 2A to 2F - opposite ends!. We went through passport control in Paris. Because of a schedule change on Continental's end, we had a 5 hour lay over so that was more than plenty. On the way home we had a 2.5 hour lay over and that was just about enough. We got through the maze of moving through the terminals and had time for a cup of coffee.

 

I chose that route to avoid the east coast congestion. Our flights were flawless. I had read many scary stories about Air France on the boards, but I will say they were perfect. I feel very lucky.

 

Good luck!

[craftymom914]

We used miles for part of our tickets so they were in fact 2 separate tickets.

While we had a Continental "ticket" for the Air France flight, we could not print out boarding passes or get seat assignments for the European legs until we got to the airport. You need the boarding pass before you go through passport control, but there is an Air France desk nearby making it easy. But that can add 20m minutes to the time-frame.

[spindrift]

On our return flight after our cruise, we leave Athens at 12:45 p.m. and arrive Paris to connect within 45 minutes to our next flight on to Houston. We are Business Class and they say they escort you to your next flight. Any comments? Air booked by Air France showing a legal connection. We go from terminal D to Terminal E, as I recall.

[Taxguy77]

tally10 - We are on the 10/1 sailing. We have done the Med before but have always managed to miss Venice, which is on our itinerary. I'm really looking forward to the 2 days we spend there. Looks like this is your first Med cruise. I hope you enjoy it. Our flight is from Cincinnati to Newark, NJ and then directly to Rome on Continental.

Mek amd Tally10- Shame on you for missing Venice, one of the most interesting cities in Europe.:( Go Now!

 

It is pretty, interesting, unusual (capitalize that), and sinking so you may be the last generation to see it.

I was there a couple of years out of college for two days, and again almost 50 years later with my DW for a full day. If you have time, several islands very close by specialize in glass blowing, fancy tablecloths (forget the term), and other items. A day's trip I remember well from over 50 years ago!:) I have Venetian Glass I purchased on the glass blowing island over 50 years ago! The story of their trip from Venice to Texas would fill a book!:D

[craftymom914]

I would be very reluctant to accept such a tight time frame unless you know you can live with a dealy. Planes are flying very full at the moment, so don't necessarily count on getting on the next one...or getting on in Business Class. I don't know if you walk or take a shuttle from D to E, so you should check out on the airport map....or from other cc posters.

 

Good luck

[cruisemom42]

It took quite a while because (and we had people following us who had come in with us, and were a bit confused, catching other ships out of Barcelona) we had to change terminals (Air France going from international to a "domestic" terminal), go through security at three places), upstairs several times, downstairs several times, and then take a bus to the other terminal to another gate and then walk upstairs (outside) to the gate. I felt like we were doing an obstacle course, but was so happy to make it. I would suggest taking minimal hand luggage as I really struggled, especially climbing all of those stairs with it.

 

 

This bears re-reading because it is classic CDG and is one reason why everyone recommends allowing PLENTY of time for any connecting flights. CDG is not well designed and is difficult to navigate quickly. Unless you are very lucky and the stars are all aligned, I think any flight with a connecting time of less than 2 hours minimum is a risk, for all of the following reasons:

 

1) Many flights do not park at a gate but rather on the tarmac, with buses to shuttle you to the gate. This takes more time than the usual deplaning.

 

2) Access between terminals can be confusing, with very little (or contradictory) English signage. In addition, the access is subject to change. Sometimes you will have to take a shuttle, whereas other times you are allowed to walk. I do think this is getting a little better now. But in 3 different trips through CDG last year, I used 3 different methods of transportation to reach the same area.

 

3) Security checks can be slow. In typical French bureaucratic fashion, they have devised a system with different lines based on how soon your flight departs. In theory this should work well, but instead just seems to increase the chaos.

 

An obstacle course is an apt description. As with all things, I find that if I allow sufficient time, it doesn't seem that difficult, but if I have called it close it inevitably becomes a nightmare.

[bheals1]

Do you think I will be better off if I fly AF vs. Continental from Houston to CDG? My connecting flight to Barcelona is AF.

[Sheepdog]

I just read on the "Easy CDG" site that you cannot walk between terminals.

Is that now correct for term.3 to term.2 ???

I did it last year but maybe now with the CDGVAL,you must take that ???

Any tips on how to get to term.2 B.....coming from term.3 appreciated.

Sharon

[breslow]

We just returned from our cruise, our flights took us from NJ to Paris, then Paris to Venice and the same in return. 90 minutes no matter what terminal you come into or go out of is absolutely NOT enough time at the Charles Degaulle Airport. Connections there require you to pass through security, etc. Going to venice we had 1.5 hours, came into terminal 2a and left from 2f, we missed our connection! Our return flight I rescheduled so we had 1 day in paris rather than connecting. Our hotel told us to arrive 2.5 hours before our flight. Although it sounded like too much time I am glad we listened to them. It took over 1 hour just to check in our luggage. Then more time to get through security. The lines at each stop were ridiculously long and the staff worked very slow.

[solent]

We flew Air France via CDG from UK to BCN to go on a cruise , due to a change of timetable after I had booked my son & his girlfriend had to be booked on a later flight, with a 45 minute connection time. I was concerned about the connection time and also the flight they were booked on was the last BCN flight that day I called Air France several times informed them they were 17 years old and on their own, each time I was told that the connection time would be OK, if the first plane was late they would be met by an Agent and taken through. The first flight took off 20 mins late, they told the crew and were informed that the captain had called ahead and the connecting plane would be held, they arrived 10 mins after the scheduled time there was no one to meet them so they ran, from 2E to 2F, they arrived at the gate which still showed the flight as boarding, they were told they were too late.

They were sent to the Customer Service desk where they were informed that as they were under 18 they had to be chaperoned, they were booked into a hotel (3 rooms with the chaperone in the middle room) and put on a flight the next morning, they made the cruise.

I would not rely on anything a ticket reservation person told me in future, luckily my son is well travelled and unfazed and has transferred through CDG several time so knew his way around, but it is confusing for example Air France site shows that you have to bus from 2E to 2F but you can walk.

[hillslife]

We just returned through CDG on Aug 8th and I was worried about this connection the entire trip due to what I had read on CC.

 

Going from LAX-CDG-Venice we had 1hr 10 minute connection time. It was early am, we walked (they have moving sidewalks, so went pretty fast) from Terminal F to Terminal E - just followed the signs, there was no line at the passport check line and we did not have to go through security again. So we made it, no problem.

 

On the return, FCO-CDG-LAX we had a 3 hour layover - so no worries. However, this process took much longer because we were directed out of the secured area, into the main lobby, and had to go through passport check line and security again....many people were running and missed their connection. Our plane also landed away from the terminal and we had to be bussed to the terminal - which again delayed the process.

 

So, it is possible to make the connection - just follow the signs to the correct terminal, don't take the tram, it is quicker to use the moving sidewalks and run if you have to, and try not to be directed out of the secure part of the airport if you can help it - good luck with your travels.

[magiceye]

After reading all the posts I am somewhat nervous about our CDG connection time of 1 hr 25 minutes. I called AF this morning and they assured me that is an adequate amount of time. The agent said that their minimum is 45 minutes, but I really don't think that is doable. I am hoping that our flight from Miami gets in on time and we'll be okay. Now that I am aware of the difficulties, I will be sure to study the map before we leave. What would we do without CC?

[mek]

quote=Taxguy77 Mek amd Tally10- Shame on you for missing Venice, one of the most interesting cities in Europe.:( Go Now!

 

It is pretty, interesting, unusual (capitalize that), and sinking so you may be the last generation to see it.

I was there a couple of years out of college for two days, and again almost 50 years later with my DW for a full day. If you have time, several islands very close by specialize in glass blowing, fancy tablecloths (forget the term), and other items. A day's trip I remember well from over 50 years ago!:) I have Venetian Glass I purchased on the glass blowing island over 50 years ago! The story of their trip from Venice to Texas would fill a book!:D

 

 

Well I am finally getting there. :) I can't do everything at once! :D

[NAJNLA]

Going from LAX-CDG-Venice we had 1hr 10 minute connection time. It was early am, we walked (they have moving sidewalks, so went pretty fast) from Terminal F to Terminal E - just followed the signs, there was no line at the passport check line and we did not have to go through security again. So we made it, no problem.

 

Was it F to E or E to F? Air France told me it will be E to F.:confused:

[Fanchew]

An hour and a half is enough time...if you run and the stars align and none of your flights suffer mechanical delays and the lines aren't long at the airport. We had an hour and twenty five minutes. Ran all the way. Had to go through passport check lines, go upstairs, then downstairs, then upstairs for the baggage check. Got to the gate at 7:12 and they started boarding at 7:20 a.m. Given the opportunity, would book a flight with more layover time to lessen the stress.

[ranchette]

I just called Air France and was told we do not have to claim our baggage.

[CathyCruises]

We also connect in Paris to Barcelona, but both flights are on Air France--hopefully that will help somewhat. We have 2 hrs. 30 mins.--fingers crossed!

 

Cathy

[alwzcrzn]

I just called Air France and was told we do not have to claim our baggage.

 

You may not need to claim your luggage, but we have been there, we had an hour and 20 minutes and would have missed our flight if our outgoing flight to Barcelona had not been substantially delayed. The airport is not very well organized, no signage and you will be bussed from the tarmac and taken out of the secured area, thus needing to go thru security and immigration (it is your first stop in the EU). Accomplishing all of that, you will then be bussed back out to the tarmac for your next flight. If you can, you might want to reconsider. In a perfect world, you may be able to make it, at CDG, the world is not perfect!:eek: