Paris is served by two major international airports — Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly, administered by Aéroportos de Paris Group. Both airports come with free shuttle services between terminals, above-average services and amenities, like world-class duty-free and luxury shopping, children playgrounds and great dining opportunities, add to this free Wi-Fi in some terminals. The airport staffs are friendly and helpful and their excellent knowledge of the English language makes traveling to and from Paris a pleasant experience for anyone!
Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
Some 23 km (14 miles) northeast of Paris, one can find Charles de Gaulle (sometimes called Aeroport Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle) — the first airport in France in terms of passengers’ traffic and one of the busiest airports in the world welcoming more than 59 million passengers annually. The airport began its service on March 8, 1974 and has three terminals or ‘aerogares,’ which are a fair distance to travel between each.
CDG boasts of a wide range of facilities and services, including money and communications (ATMs, banks and currency exchange offices), conference and business facilities (Terminal 1 has meeting rooms for up to 15 people equipped with VIP lounge), a lost-property office and baggage shipping services, tourist information centers and pharmacies to name a few, as well as plenty of gleaming, sophisticated restaurants (from the grass-covered La Terrasse de Paris to the family-friendly Hippopotamus), plus brandy shopping venues with something for everyone. For disabled travelers, CDG offers reserved parking spaces with the relevant permits at cheaper rates.
Airlines at Paris CDG Airport include: Armavia, Adria Airways, Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cyprus Airways, Finnair, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Cathay Pacific and so on. Popular destinations from this airport are Strasbourg, Montreuil, Paris, Poissy, Bruxelles, Beauvais and Lille. Charles de Gaulle is where most holidays in France begin and end! To get from the airport to your destination, you can rent a car; take a taxi, a train or a bus.
There are nearly 40 hotels in or near Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to suit any need and budget, from the 2 star Comfort Hotel Charles de Gaulle Airport to the 3 star Novotel Aulnay Sous Boise to luxury hotels of Mercure Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle, Radisson Blu Charles de Gaulle Airport and Sheraton Paris Airport Hotel & Conference Center.
Paris Orly
Orly is the second largest airport in Paris serving around 35 million passengers each year. Unlike Charles de Gaulle, Orly is slightly closer to the city (some 13 km (8 miles) to the south), and primarily handles domestic flights (including Air France) and international destinations around the Mediterranean, as well as long haul flights and plenty of low-cost carriers. The airport serves around 30 airlines and is and has two terminals: South and West, each linked to two short-term car parks.
As Paris Orly Airport is within the urban conurbation surrounding Paris, it is far easier to access by public transport from the city. There are hotels situated nearby, offering comfortable accommodation, business services and more, most accessible via free shuttle services from Orly South.
One surprising thing about the airport is that when boarding a flight, you’ll be greeted by a ‘virtual’ agent, which isn’t a real person and takes on the appearance of a 2D hologram.
Wish you good flights to and from the City of Lights!
