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Is 2.5 hours enough time at Paris airport from TGV station to Delta at Terminal 2E to gate?

Delta just changed flight time. Now only 2.5 hours. Will arrive on TGV from Provence at 1. (Is it usually on time?). Never gone from there to Delta checkin to gate. Will have priority checkin and at security if there is a priority line for Delta. Is that enough time? Thanks in advance to experienced travelers who have already done this.

Posted by
10120 posts

With priority check in, and since there is a priority line for business and first class at passport control, and if your train is on time, you should make it. You will have to take a shuttle train out to your terminal after you pass security. I don't remember if CDG has a priority lane for security.

"experienced travelers who have already done this." I am an experienced traveler, having gone through CDG about thirty times, but my nerves would never let me take a train to the airport the day of a flight.

However, if you are a priority passenger, chances are if you miss your flight, they will put you on another. At least that's what Air France did for me when I mixed up the dates and missed my flight. I was flying in business, which helps. If you were to miss your outbound flight, the whole itinerary would be canceled, but not on a return.

Posted by
7181 posts

Another issue is that Delta is under specific orders from the TSA to submit the passenger list by a certain number of hours before your flight arrives in the USA. So the usual demand for arriving 3 hours before departure is not entirely for the airline's convenience. I don't know how late Delta would allow you to check in. If you're on your way home, it's not that important whether your baggage arrives on time. This is a big airport that frequently suffers congestion.

Posted by
211 posts

Thanks Bets. This confirms my fears. Just going to come in from the sticks the night before so we don't have to worry about it.😊

Posted by
7981 posts

Good idea. Never come in to town the same day as a high stakes flight. Stuff happens. 2.5 hours is not enough -- it might be -- but it very much might not be. We have had a high speed train come in 5 hours late on 3.5 hour trip. If we are returning from the boonies to CDG for a flight, we come in the day before and take a room at the airport; we try to do it early enough that we can take the train into town for dinner but are there at the airport for the flight out.

Posted by
211 posts

Jane
We are thinking of the Paris Airport Hilton. Looks close and easy from TGV and Terminal 2E.
Use HHonors award points. Anyone ever stayed there?
Thanks again for the quick advice.

Posted by
46 posts

We have had many close calls at CDG causing us a lot of grief. With recent events worldwide, I would speculate that security is going to be much slower than usual and that is slow! Don't put yourselves through it.

Posted by
46 posts

Also, we have had priority check in during those flights, and we were still experiencing close calls.

Posted by
2167 posts

We used the Paris Airport Hilton about 5 years ago with points. It worked out fine for us. We'd come in on the TGV from Avignon. We took the RER into Paris once we got settled and had plenty of time to walk around and get dinner. In the morning we took the Hilton shuttle to the airport, but I think there is a tram that goes to the terminals as well. Based on the trip we just returned from, I would look up the CDG terminal ahead of time and locate what you'll need, I.e. Delta's priority check-in line and the priority security line. The priority check-in line might be a no-brainier, but we just experienced British Air priority at Heathrow and it was in a completely different area. It didn't matter to us because we had plenty of time, but where there is a language difference, the more you know, the easier it is.