Dear expert travelers,
Our family will be arriving CDG on June 17 2022. Flying AA from DFW to LHR landing @ 12:45 PM, then flying British Airways from LHR to CDG @ 4:45 PM. Which airport can we anticipate to go through customs and immigration? LHR or CDG? Thanks in advance for your insight.
Posted by
Loire Valley
757 posts
If you stay airside at Heathrow, it will happen in France. If you have to change terminal at Heathrow then it will happen at both airports
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Thank you simon. I was hoping we did not have to go through Customs @ CDG.
Posted by
Loire Valley
757 posts
Why? Customs at CDG is just a case of walking down the green passageway. Takes no time at all and no hassle.
Posted by
Gulf Coast, usa
1161 posts
Simon is right. No worries about customs in France.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
7544 posts
You will go through both Customs and Immigration at CDG. In London, as mentioned, you just stay airside, but will have to go through security screening most likely.
Posted by
PA
2739 posts
England and France are two separate countries, and England is not part of the Schengen group. You were ALWAYS going to have to go through immigration and customs at CDG as you enter France there. If you choose not to stay airside at Heathrow then you will be crossing the border of England and also have to go through customs there, which is independent of your arrival in France. Had your flight from the US routed through any Schengen country, then you would have done immigration on that arrival and avoided doing so at CDG.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6501 posts
At CDG you'll also go through immigration, aka passport control. It might take awhile if they're especially busy with lots of arrivals. That will happen before customs, which as noted is just a simple walk-through unless you have something to declare. Then you'll be free to travel anywhere in the Schengen area, which includes most of continental Europe.
Posted by
Freedonia
14984 posts
If you have to change terminal at Heathrow then it will happen at both airports
No, you can stay airside and transfer terminals.
Use this link to get instructions on what you have to do:
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11177 posts
but will have to go through security screening most likely.
No 'most likely' about it. You will go through security between flights
Posted by
OP
7 posts
The last time we flew to FCO, our layover was in CDG. In CDG we had to go through customs and immigration. Once we got to FCO, it was easy and quick.
We are scheduled to arrive to CDG @ 7:15 PM. We were hoping not to waste time in immigration before heading out to go to the Eiffel tower. Last year in June when we came to Paris, the Eiffel tower was closed. We have an early train the following morning from Gare de Lyon to Nice @ 7:15 AM.
Posted by
Paris
9565 posts
Right, you went through immigration in CDG last time because France was your first stop among Schengen-member countries (Italy is a Schengen-member country.)
This time, France is your first stop among Schengen-member countries, so France is where you will go through immigration. (The UK is not a Schengen-member country.)