Phoenix to CDG: advice welcomed!

Jean Paul, welcome to Phoenix.
I haven’t flown to CDG. But you might want to look at direct flights out of LAX. You can fly PHX to LAX on Southwest for $69. Just give yourself plenty of time to change terminals. Flights can be more expensive out of PHX than LAX and there aren’t many direct ones. Just a thought....

We are in PHX and go to Paris just about every year and have used a number of routes.

We typically fly from PHX to MSP or DTW and then direct to CDG. We’ve have had really good luck plus it breaks up the time on a plane. prices have been pretty reasonable. Depending on time of year we have ranged from $600 to $850.

We once did the direct to LHR and it was a mess. There is only 1 flight a day on that route and if there is an issue there is very little recourse to get you where you need.

Flying to LAX we found was just more travel time and didn’t really make it worth it even though it was a well priced ticket.

is connecting through LHR with checked luggage a real pain?

If you're on BA planes all the way, you stay within Terminal 5 at LHR and it is straightforward. You do not collect luggage as it's checked through to Paris and you do not do UK immigration as you stay airside.

My favorite flight into Paris was on Iceland Air. You checked in for Schengen in Iceland so it was considered a domestic flight arrival. Even better we landed in Orly which is easier to get through and half the distance from Paris.

Unfortunately, they don't fly to Phoenix so you'd have to connect somewhere. I'm not sure it's worth adding a second stop enroute?

MSP or DTW as mentioned above are probably good options for you. At least with them, you are flying in the right direction!!!

I posted on your other thread but I'll try to cross-post that answer here as well:

I'd think about SLC as a hub. Delta has non-stop service from SLC to CDG and it's a terrific flight. The airport is large enough to have services but small enough to get thru fairly easily. Re-entry into SLC is usually pretty painless. There is not usually another international flight arriving at the same time as the flight from Paris so immigration is fairly fast. I've got Global Entry and there is never a wait for the kiosks plus the security person there is very helpful if you run into a snag.

I avoid East Coast transits. Before Delta started the non-stop service from SLC to Paris I used to change in Minneapolis which is not bad. That airport is huge so you really have to move after you deplane. I'll never transit thru JFK and will try not to go thru Atlanta."

I've done this flight three times. Once a direct to Heathrow and another going via Philadelphia to CDG and another via Atlanta (long time ago). Both are just fine. Just allow yourself at enough time for getting to the next gate. Heathrow was a long layover early in the morning and nothing was open. The link via Philly was fine, arrived CDG around 8:30am. I have someone booked on the IND-CDG nonstop in May, which arrives around 8:30am as well.

Heathrow was BA, which was nice, but expensive. The trick is to NOT book your return to the US via JFK. Customs is a nightmare in JFK.

PHX to LHR, non stop. Avoid the British Airways flights. They use worn out old planes, broken seats and video. American now has a non stop on this route.