My wife and I are flying from Canada to CDG. Initially we thought we would take the train from CDG to Nice but we now realize flying would be faster and cheaper. Since this is not a connecting flight I assume we will have clear immigration and then check in again and go through security to get the next flight. What time frame should we be giving ourselves between flights 4 hours?
Thank you
Posted by
Michigan
375 posts
Hi - did you double check pricing for one complete flight (not direct, but one booking with a layover at CDG) - from Canada to Nice?
Posted by
New York, NY
3996 posts
I allow a 4 hour large cushion when I am changing planes to a non-connecting flight in Europe. While I have never done this at CDG, I have done this at AMS, LHR and FRA. Peace of mind is worth the 4 hour wait for me. Your inbound flight could be late for many reasons; to be forced to buy a last-minute one way or roundtrip intraeuropean flight(s) at CDG would negatively affect my trip
Posted by
OP
66 posts
that's what we were thinking. We got a great seat sale to Paris and the carrier does not do flights beyond CDG. Also the tickets are bought so no changes.
Posted by
Michigan
375 posts
4 hours seems reasonable. I really hate rushing around airports and the stress that creates, especially in a foreign country when everything can be all new and different.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4044 posts
Are you sure that Do It Yourself will be cheaper than letting an airline arrange your itinerary? Using www.matrix.itasoftware.com and www.skyscanner.com I found lots of one-stop choices from Toronto to Nice for about the same price as two separate tickets. Remember that a budget fare within France will have extra charges beyond what shows up on the opening screen.
The continental gateway need not be CdG. Air Canada makes the transfer to its partner Lufthansa, for instance, in Munich, a smaller airport.
Letting a trans-Atlantic carrier take responsibility for the second leg, and probably check your luggage through to Nice, should be less stressful and maybe a little quicker. Two hours should cover a transfer even in CdG, and if there is a delay, the airline will find you a later flight.
HOWEVER: I don't know your departure point in Canada and don't have your travel dates, both important factors. A multi-city search function might work for you, travelling from Nice by ground transport north to Paris for the flight home.
Posted by
Florida (previously California)
3695 posts
Given that you have already bought your tickets to Paris, I would allow 4 hours or more. I hate rushing through airports so I usually allow 6 to 8 hours but that is probably an excessive reaction to having been burned in the past.
Posted by
Chicago
8053 posts
There is always a risk. We had a flight from Chicago to Amsterdam come in 5 hours late once when we had to turn back to Gander to offload a problem passenger. Most of our flights to Europe have been late by half an hour to an hour. Even with 4 hours you might still miss an ongoing flight. But 4 hours is usually safe. You need to be at check in about 2 hours ahead for a domestic flight; that gives you an extra two hours for immigration, luggage collection, customs and finding your gate. It can take longer than that, but most of the time that would be enough and some times it might be way generous. We usually average about an hour through immigration in Paris, but I have read recent reports of it occasionally taking 2.5 hours; a lot depends on how many huge planes landed 10 minutes ahead of you. Note that check in closes about 40 minutes ahead for budget airlines like Easyjet so you have a bit less time than you think, but 1.5 to 2 hours is usually enough for check in and security for a domestic flight.