I am flying back to the states from Paris-DeGaulle on a 2 pm flight in early June. How much ahead of my flight should I arrive at the airport. I only have carry-on luggage.
Posted by
Chicago
8563 posts
I'd arrive 3 hours. Sometimes the airline will send you an alert days before or when you check in online their recommended time based on what's going on security wise.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
3282 posts
You never arrive at Charles de Gaulle less than three hours before your flight because if you do, you’ll be in line for two hours.
Now, when you arrive three hours, you’ll probably whip right through security but trust me it’s better to be bored in the gate area then be one of those people I saw a few trips ago in the immigration line having a nervous breakdown
Posted by
Seattle, WA
904 posts
May be airline dependent.
Last fall, Iceland Air switched us to Delta. We got an email before we left Paris. Walked up toward the Delta counter, a Delta employee caught us on our approach, looked at the message on my cell phone and magically gave us boarding passes from the kiosk in about two minutes, tops.
Three years ago, we had back-to-back two-hour lines on two consecutive days at the British Airlines counter due to one last minute flight cancellation, BA error messages when I tried downloading electronic boarding passes, BA understaffing, BA antiquated electronic systems, BA mismanagement, and their general incompetence and British Arrogance. It took us six months and the assistance of the French civil aviation authority (DGAC) to get BA to pay us what they owed us for an extra night’s hotel expense and the 24 hour flight delay. See https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/departure-from-cdg-a-cautionary-tale-for-british-airways-travelers
CDG is sprawling. There are lines for both security and departure passport control. 3 hours is my rule of thumb, there. Better safe than sorry.
Posted by
Paris
11466 posts
I live here and always target being at CDG three hours ahead of my scheduled flight's departure for the States.
I have done that 11 times in the last 18 months -- including twice last month --and it has worked for me every time.
To be fair, I must admit that I almost always check a bag. But I also know exactly where I am going and don't have to hesitate to look at signage, figure out my direction, etc.