CDG layovers and other airport transfer worries

Finally, what are your opinions on the pros and cons or arriving at your destination city at 8:30 a.m. versus at 2:30 p.m.?

The con of arriving at 8:30 am is that you will not be able to checkin most places that early while other guests are still there, meaning you have to find a place to store your bag if you want to jump right into sightseeing instead of sitting around waiting for the time to checkin. But some hotels that I know of specifically the Ibis will allow you to checkin early for a fee.

There is no con to arriving at 2:30 pm in May/June since the days are longer compared to now when it gets dark at 4p,m.

The pro of arriving at 8:30 is you can jump right into sightseeing once you know how to get rid the bag.
The pro of arriving at 2;30, is that your room is ready and you can freshen up before heading out.

Finally, could someone please walk me through what happens when transferring planes in an international airport en route from one country to another. Do we merely walk to our next gate, or do we need to go through customs or other such points? I am a complete novice here, so step by step info would be really helpful.

For a flight arriving in Europe from the USA New York to Paris, you will go through passport control on your way to the connecting flight to Vienna. The airline will have checked your bag all the way through to your final destination Vienna.

If you can find a deal in airfare that allows you to avoid a connection in CDG I say go for it. Other than Heathrow that is the airport that has given my travel the most problem (but it is not so bad being stranded in Paris when the airline compensates by putting you in a hotel) ; most recently two weeks ago my reservation was canceled because the incoming aircraft to CDG was so late it would have caused me to miss the connecting flight back. Another time we were sprinting to the gate because the security was super slow, it looked like they were doing it deliberately

CDG has a bad reputation for transferring but that doesn't mean you can't do it, or that it will necessarily be difficult in your case. The main thing is to allow enough time, taking into consideration the possibility that your inbound flight will be delayed. I think the two-hour layover is cutting it close. Four to five hours seems unnecessarily long but if those are your choices I'd be conservative. And I'd give the same advice about any of the major European hubs -- Heathrow, Amsterdam, Frankfurt.

You don't need to be as conservative about your return flights, since the chance of delay on the short first flight is less. But you do need enough layover time to go through TSA-style security (shoes and all that) for your US-bound flight.

The advantage of arriving in the afternoon, vs. morning, is a shorter jet-lag day. You won't have to delay your hotel check-in or spend a whole day in a zombie state, just a few hours. The best advice I've heard (and given) is to walk around outside, letting the adrenalin of discovery power you through till dinner time, then go to bed after dark. I take a pill to sleep through that first night and the next morning I'm pretty well reset. Your mileage may vary.

If we have to make a connection, based of past experience, we would chose Amsterdam first, Frankfurt second, and CDG last. With regard to time to make connections a little more is always better. We had rather be a little bored by having too much time than be stressed out by have a really tight connection.

Hi,

Given that choice alone of arriving at the destination city at 0830 versus 1420 hrs, I'll take 0830 any day...much better to arrive early.

If the plane actually lands ar 0830 hrs, as announced by the captain, after waiting and getting off, going to Immigration and Baggage, waiting and all, plus my usual dilly-dallying, I may not be on public transportation leaving the airport until close to 11 am.

I have had no problems at CDG, always the arrival airport from SFO since I don't change planes. I believe you go through Immigration at CDG, then proceed to the gate for Vienna, assuming your luggage is checked through.

I just booked to direct flights on American for a little over $500 each, leaving from JFK. Check again, I had been getting the high ticket prices as well.

About early arrival and bags: if you are staying in a hotel, every hotel I've ever stayed at would allow me to drop the bags, even if the room was not ready for check-in. Similarly, every hotel would hold bags after check out (so I could check out and leave the bags, do something, then return to the hotel to pick up my bags on the way to the airport). The EasyHotel in Budapest would have charged for this, as it's part of their business model; every other hotel did it for free.

This is not the same as early check-in, which would give you access to the room. I always assume my room won't be ready if I'm arriving in the morning, and I'm ready to pull out the things I need for the day (maps, guidebook, umbrella, etc) before surrendering the rest of my stuff to be stored until I return to check in.

However, if you're staying in an apartment, you will indeed need to figure out what to do with your bags before check in or after check out, as it's common that apartments have no provisions to store bags.

As for changing planes in Paris, I'll tell you about the one time I did it. I had allowed 3 hours for the connection, but my plane was very late taking off from New York, so I only had about an hour. I was very worried and rushing, and at security, the screener reassured me that I had time to relax, get a coffee, and meet a girl. Yes, she actually said that. Now, I'd rather have met a boy, but I did indeed have plenty of time to buy breakfast before boarding my next flight; no romance on that trip, alas.

What's involved in transfers at CDG: you get off the plane, and go to passport control (immigration). This can be lengthy or quick, and how long it will take cannot be predicted. You then make your way to your next gate, almost always in a different sub-terminal (don't be fooled that it's still in Terminal 2: CDG has 2A through 2G, each huge, and it takes time to get from one section to another). You will then go through security and to your next gate.

You go through customs at your final airport, but this is just a matter of walking through the Nothing To Declare line. Unless you are "randomly selected for additional screening" (possible but rare), you're done.

Hi Ruth, my rule of thumb is to allow at least 3 hours to transfer at CDG heading towards Europe, and 2 hours at Amsterdam. I've never had a problem at either airport, allowing this amount of time.

8:30am vs. 2:30pm. I would always select the 8:30am time. Every hotel has allowed us to leave our suitcases with them, and to me, I see an additional 6 hours of vacation! : ) Also, if there's an issue with a flight, there's still a chance a later flight could get you to your location the same day.

Thanks everyone....this is helpful and I think I will do some more looking around for options through other airports.

Thanks for mostly confirming my fears about DeGaulle.

The nonstop flight gets us to Vienna at 8:30 a.m. I figure once we get through the airport and into the city it will be after 11. We are staying at a small B&B and dropping off our bags there will not be a problem. The thing I like about this scenario is that it would enable us to participate in one of the 2:00 pm walking tours....which is a great way to get some fresh air and walk off jet lag..while also getting a little bit of an orientation to the city. Then an early dinner and early to bed, so we can get started on the real sightseeing first thing the next morning.

Most of the connecting flights have us arriving at Vienna at 1:30, 2:30, 7:30 p.m. So we've lost that first day of getting to know the city. I'm trying to decide how willing I am to let that go.

I need to take another look at flights that go through Amsterdam and Frankfurt. I don't know much about the lesser known airlines. Any advice as to which of these are safe/reliable and offer good service?
Thanks!!

What are the lesser known airlines?
Lufthansa is pretty well known but may be expensive.
KLM has been around a long time.
Look at Austrian Air also.

Austrian Air has the nonstop flight. We'd fly Austrian there /Lufthansa back. When I first looked the flights were under $1000 plus seat assignments, but they've jumped several times and are now more than $1200. I love KLM. I'm wondering more about things like WOW, Finnair, TAP Portugal, Turkish Air, etc. I'm a little leery, although with absolutely no research to back this up. Thanks!

I just took Iceland based Wow Airlines. They've been around about 5 years. They are fine. You just have to bring your own food and inflight entertainment and pay to carryon and/or check a bag. This is how they keep the prices low. Turkish Air you have to fly all the way to connect in Istanbul to get to Vienna or Venice or vice versa. I do not understand what to be leery about as all airlines seem to leave late, cancel flights or lose or damage baggage. I know because I worked before at Chicago O'hare as a passenger services agent in the international terminal 5.

On 08:30 vs 14:30:

If you don't have pressing business (in the vacation sense -- say you are leaving for the south of France the day after you arrive and you need to pick up a SIM card or run some errands before you leave) I always vote for the later arrival. I find that first day in Europe to be really difficult and I'm always in a haze. The later arrival means that bedtime comes sooner and I don't have to force myself to stay up for so long. But YMMV!