Connection times through Charles de Gaulle airport

[mertziek]

We are flying in to CDG-Paris on Delta from the US and arriving at 8:05 am on a Thursday morning.  We have a connecting flight booked at 9:30 am to Copenhagen.  Our luggage will be all booked through to Copenhagen and obviously we will have our tickets.  Is this enough time to make our connecting flight?  Do we need to go through additional security check lines?  A bit concerned we may not have enogh time to navigate the airport and not familiar with CDG airport.  Wondering if it’s like the crowds at Amsterdam.  TIA for any help.

[cruising cockroach]

20 minutes ago, mertziek said:

 Wondering if it’s like the crowds at Amsterdam. 

 

Well, if you think AMS is badly crowded...

[Zach1213]

27 minutes ago, mertziek said:

We are flying in to CDG-Paris on Delta from the US and arriving at 8:05 am on a Thursday morning.  We have a connecting flight booked at 9:30 am to Copenhagen.  Our luggage will be all booked through to Copenhagen and obviously we will have our tickets.  Is this enough time to make our connecting flight?  Do we need to go through additional security check lines?  A bit concerned we may not have enogh time to navigate the airport and not familiar with CDG airport.  Wondering if it’s like the crowds at Amsterdam.  TIA for any help.

 

I don't love AMS as much as many people do, but I will take AMS any day over CDG personally. CDG does get a worse rap than I feel it deserves, but I still don't find it great. Definitely more hectic than AMS, in my experiences.

[mertziek]

6 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

 

I don't love AMS as much as many people do, but I will take AMS any day over CDG personally. CDG does get a worse rap than I feel it deserves, but I still don't find it great. Definitely more hectic than AMS, in my experiences.

 

But what about the 85 minute connection time?  Is is doable?

[waterbug123]

Doable, yes.  Ideal, no.  A little over a year ago I connected through CDG on the way to Italy and again on the way back.  One connection was right at an hour, the other had an hour and 15 minutes.  I made it both times, but it was stressful, and on the shorter connection I didn't even have time to stop at the restroom.  There were passport checks and security.  I had access to very short priority lines based on my airline status, and am somewhat familiar with CDG, having been through it multiple times before, and it was still an extremely tight connection.  You have longer than I did, so you can probably make it, but you have very little wiggle room.  On your inbound flight, try to use the lavatory just before the seat belt sign is turned back on for landing.  Upon landing do not dawdle, or waste time stopping for food/drink/restroom until you have reached your connecting gate.  At that time, you can determine if you have extra time to run back and get a drink or find a restroom before boarding.

[Zach1213]

14 hours ago, mertziek said:

 

But what about the 85 minute connection time?  Is is doable?

 

waterbug is spot on as usual above me - absolutely doable, I have done it in economy w/o any sort of expedited immigration or security AND with Schengen immigration checks. But I sure as heck didn't like it, and wouldn't want to do it again if possible.

Edited February 15, 2019 by Zach1213

[FlyerTalker]

Your flight will arrive at one of the three concourses that makes up T2E at CDG.  The outbound will go out of T2F.  You'll have immigration and security processing.  I'd want more time, but you should be OK if your flights are on time AND you follow the advice above about dawdling along the way.

 

Get a map layout of CDG so you are familiar with the layout.  You'll follow the signs marked "Correspondances".

 

Here is a complete description of your connection.  It's not an official CDG website, but is quite informative.

 

http://easycdg.com/passenger-information/connecting-flight-connections-paris-cdg-airport/transfer-terminal-2e/terminal-2e-to-terminal-2f/

 

 

[hawkeyetlse]

CDG is generally a fine airport, but it's worse than AMS for overseas connections, because of the additional security screening for non-Schengen arrivals, and because some terminals require a shuttle bus transfer. So there are a couple extra places where you will probably have to wait in line and get slowed down. But an hour and a half should still be enough. You can look up a map of the airport so you know what to expect. It's impossible to say what the crowds will be like at any given moment.

 

If you're like most people, you're stuck with this ticket anyway. And in the worst case, they will rebook you (hopefully your cruise is not leaving that afternoon from Copenhagen…)

[mertziek]

Thanks to all.  I will definitely print out an airport map.  Our cruise does not leave until 3 days later and our first day in Copenhagen was left open for getting settled in so that’s good.  Definitely won’t dawdle and hope for on time arrival to Paris but as with all travel, you learn to go with the flow.

[Loreto]

 Flyer Talker gives great advice and easycdg.com is a very helpful website.  We have done it in under an hour and made our gate.

Good Luck!

Karen

[mertziek]

I’m more optimistic since we are Delta One and off the plane first.  Talked to Delta today, too, and agent who is familiar with CDG feels we will have time as long as we don’t dawdle.  There’s that dawdle word again.  🤭😂 Printed out map and instructions so I think I’ve done as much as I can to try to minimize delays.  Appreciate all suggestions.

[hawkeyetlse]

Delta One changes everything. Use the Sky Priority lines once you're off the plane and you should be through immigration and security in no time.

[FlyerTalker]

29 minutes ago, hawkeyetlse said:

Delta One changes everything. Use the Sky Priority lines once you're off the plane and you should be through immigration and security in no time.

 

In some places, instead of a SkyPriority sign, you'll see Access No 1.  Use that as well as SkyPriority.

 

One other item...don't put your passport and onward boarding pass away in some inaccessible pocket.  You'll need to show them at your security screenings and likely when entering any kind of priority line.

[mertziek]

Thanks for all the great advice!!!  I’m bookmarking this to refer to just prior to our travel.

[waterbug123]

12 hours ago, hawkeyetlse said:

Delta One changes everything. Use the Sky Priority lines once you're off the plane and you should be through immigration and security in no time.

 

In the examples I referenced about where I had an hour or a little more, I had Sky Priority, and was flying premium economy so one of the first off the plane.   It was still a tight connection.  Sky Priority lines help, but are no guarantee.  The OP should know that they still won't be able to dawdle between flights.

[mertziek]

4 hours ago, waterbug123 said:

 

In the examples I referenced about where I had an hour or a little more, I had Sky Priority, and was flying premium economy so one of the first off the plane.   It was still a tight connection.  Sky Priority lines help, but are no guarantee.  The OP should know that they still won't be able to dawdle between flights.

 

Definitely not gonna dawdle.  🤭😂

[tipsygirl]

We fly through both CDG and/or Amsterdam at least once a year. If we have the option we plan at least a 2 hour layover for either, but have had less time at both and did make our connecting flights after a a race through the airport. Unfortunately for our stress level some of those flights were also combined with late arrival.

Another complication at CDG can be landing in a zone away from the terminal, then disembarking down stairs and boarding a bus to get to the terminal. This has happened to us several times, and was unexpected.

Getting through passport control at CDG is more variable than AMS. Can be a long line even if you are in a priority lane. Have not had that as an issue at AMS. 

All that being said, we have never missed a connection through either airport. But we go prepared with terminal maps and the ability to run with our carry-ons if needed.