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Transfer from Charles de Gaulle airport to Athens

We will be traveling through CD in mid September. Delta allowed us to book with only an hour and 10 min layover. Since both flights are Delta can we assume this is a doable plan. Will they just book us on the next flight if we miss the planned flight. We considered changing our flight to Greece but it is so much more expensive to do that now. If they rebook us ( if the one hr 10 min layover did not work then will we still be paying a hefty fee). Our originating flight is Dallas.

We are in the same situatiion returning to Dallas. We have 1 hr 20 mins. These flights are also on Delta and again they permitted it.
Can I assume this is ok. We are not experienced with booking International flights so would appreciate any help. Would only packing in carry ons help. My husband prefers to check luggage. Thanks for any help

Posted by
14811 posts

The flights between Paris and Athens are not on Delta but one of their partner airlines. It is a codeshare flight sold with a Delta flight number. If you look closely at your ticket/reservation it will say who is operating the flight. If you can't find this information, let us know the flight numbers and dates and we can help you.

In Paris,, going to Athens, you will go through passport control and have your passport stamped. On the return, you will also go through passport control in Paris and get your passport stamped again. If you check luggage, it will be checked all the way through to Athens going and then through to Dallas on the return. You won't have to touch it in Paris.

If Dallas is the first place you enter the U.S., then that is where you will go through U.S immigration and customs.

If you miss the connections, you'll be booked on the next available flight...not necessarily the next flight.

Posted by
1734 posts

Since you are going through CDG, the CDG-ATH flight will certainly be an Air France flight which is a Delta partner.
You will arrive at CDG at terminal 2E and your flight to Athens will be at terminal 2F which is just opposite

In CDG, usually the minimum connecting time recommended is 90 minutes for connections that require travel between terminals
If you have been sold a flight with a connection time of 80 minutes, we must assume that it's possible.

Anyway if it's an Air France flight, there are between 3 and 4 a day for Athens.

Franck II explained to you what will happen if you miss your flight.

Posted by
3115 posts

Twice I had to make this nightmare connection of only 70 minutes. It seems like it should be plenty of time, but in my case I barely made it both times. Once because out of 12 passport desks only 4 were open and there were at least 2, if not 3, other flights all trying to get through that chaos at the same time. The other time my flight into CDG was delayed and I had to run to my gate after getting my passport stamped to make it. When I got to Athens I discoverred that my checked bag had been misplaced and it didn't show up on Santorini, my final destination, until 4 days later. What a horror show that was. I sincerely hope you avoid this sort of experience!

And by the way, I don't know if anything has changed since then, but CDG was the dirtiest airport I've ever had the displeasure to pass through. Not only dirty, but so many people were smoking the air was fetid.

Posted by
2613 posts

Here is a link to my report of doing that transfer in Paris recently. I only had carryon. I had a much longer layover than you do, but this should give you a sense of timing.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/report-how-long-it-took-me-to-change-planes-at-cdg-on-a-monday-morning-in-april

Here is a video of some people doing a 2F to 2E transfer earlier this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqCCWEmbR7Y

It’s a nice video. Keep an eye on the 2:53 minute mark. That’s where problems sometimes arise at CDG - that line is sometimes extremely long and slow - in the video I sent you, it’s really short.

Posted by
3312 posts

I Repeat what Lee said ... CHas De Gaulle is a NIghtmare ... and no, it is NOT do-able in 70 minutes!! You will miss you r flight, any checked luggage won't be transferred, ground staff not only is unhelpful but mocks your questions ... I would not accept a transfer there, period, after 2 awful experiences, but if forced to, would not accept a layover of less than 3 hrs. The transport between different wings is by pokey bus (announcements in french only) meandering thru airport -- in my 1st instance, we jumped off bus in desperation, and ran thru center of airport for more than half a mile, barely made it to boarding gate, last psgrs - and as plane pulled out onto runway, thru window we saw bus slowly pulling into that departure wing. Our luggage was still in Paris when our domestic flight left for Santorini. THose bags didn't arrive at Santorini until 36 hrs later... and were NOT delivered to our hotel; we had to rent a car to go & get them.

One of our experiences was with Air France -- but the biggest problem is the airport itself. Do verthing u can to change.