A few questions about CDG

[pcur]

I am just starting to research for a European cruise in Nov 2021.  I found that my Chase Sapphire points can be transferred to Air France, and that their business class points tickets are considerably cheaper than my old standby, British Airways.  So, instead of going through London, we will be going to CDG.

 

Our desintation is BCN, but I'm getting a hotel for a night or two in Paris, then proceed to BCN.

 

My questions are, and corrections are welcome!!:

 

- Arriving in terminal 2E, how long a walk is it to the shuttle?  We will most likely be staying in the Novotel next to the Roissypole RER station, and from what I can see it's 2 stops after getting on next to terminal 2E. 

 

- From what I can find, we would be leaving on Air France to BCN from Terminal 1, correct?

 

- Has anyone flown AF 777-300ER  business class?  The seat/pods look a little narrow and short, but it could just be camera angles.  My husband is 6'1", and it looks like the footrest is recessed far enough that he will be comfortable.  I checked seatguru.com, but didn't find any reviews specific to this question.

 

Thanks!

[klfrodo]

Here's I nice review

I have made the flight on AF in Business Class and enjoyed it.

My experience only.

I don't speak French. When the FA came around to serve , he tried to start the conversation in French. I tried my best to inform him I didn't speak or understand French. He rolled his eyes then spoke in English. Next time he came around, same song and dance. CDG was just a connection for me though.

 

[pcur]

Thank you!  I have discounted the customer service aspect, as I have read it can be hit-or-miss, and my husband will probably not like the food, but if it's comfy we will be OK.

Edited April 18, 2020 by pcur

[Twickenham]

 

6 hours ago, pcur said:

I found that my Chase Sapphire points can be transferred to Air France, and that their business class points tickets are considerably cheaper than my old standby, British Airways.  So, instead of going through London, we will be going to CDG.

 

Our desintation is BCN, but I'm getting a hotel for a night or two in Paris, then proceed to BCN.

 

Can't comment on AF business class, as I've never flown them up front. However, regarding the transfer of points, I have heard anecdotal reports of people who have created Flying Blue accounts with the sole purpose of transferring points having their new accounts frozen. Seems it triggers some sort of fraud alert in their system. Therefore, if you don't already have a Flying Blue account, I would create one ASAP, and make sure that you have some sort of transactions on the account prior to transferring the points - establish an account history, if you will.

 

Also, unless you can include it with your TA flight at the same number of points, I wouldn't fly down to Barcelona - take the train, much more pleasant and thus negates the necessity of staying at an airport hotel.

[FlyerTalker]

11 hours ago, pcur said:

- Arriving in terminal 2E, how long a walk is it to the shuttle?  We will most likely be staying in the Novotel next to the Roissypole RER station, and from what I can see it's 2 stops after getting on next to terminal 2E.

 

Impossible to say.  T2E is comprised of three separate concourses, along with the main terminal building.  So depending on what your arrival gate and concourse might be, you could be a healthy walk to the inter-concourse train, or a walk from your gate to the curb.  Look at some maps and satellite photos to get an idea or what you think.

 

The "shuttle" you talk about is the CDGVAL, which is an automated train.  CDG uses the term "shuttle" for their various intra-airport bus services, both landside and airside.  It is in the area between T2 C, D, E and F -- on the lower underground level.

 

 

11 hours ago, pcur said:

I am just starting to research for a European cruise in Nov 2021.  I found that my Chase Sapphire points can be transferred to Air France, and that their business class points tickets are considerably cheaper than my old standby, British Airways.  So, instead of going through London, we will be going to CDG.

 

UR points have a number of different transfer partners so don't be set on AF.  Also, your assessment of "cheaper" should get another look -- AF has gone to a dynamic pricing model on award seats, so don't assume that it will always be less costly than BA.

 

 

11 hours ago, pcur said:

- From what I can find, we would be leaving on Air France to BCN from Terminal 1, correct?

 

AF operates from the T2 complex, with intra-Schengen flights from T2F and T2G.  BCN would probably be from T2F, as that's the main intra-Schengen departure area.

 

11 hours ago, pcur said:

- Has anyone flown AF 777-300ER  business class?  The seat/pods look a little narrow and short, but it could just be camera angles.  My husband is 6'1", and it looks like the footrest is recessed far enough that he will be comfortable.  I checked seatguru.com, but didn't find any reviews specific to this question.

 

Compared to Club World on BA, you will find them spacious.  They are both wider and longer than what you find on BA.

 

5 hours ago, Twickenham said:

However, regarding the transfer of points, I have heard anecdotal reports of people who have created Flying Blue accounts with the sole purpose of transferring points having their new accounts frozen. Seems it triggers some sort of fraud alert in their system. Therefore, if you don't already have a Flying Blue account, I would create one ASAP, and make sure that you have some sort of transactions on the account prior to transferring the points - establish an account history, if you will.

 

It is not absolutely necessary to have earned points to FB (though it could not hurt to use a shopping portal to put some in), but you definitely want to have the account up and running for at least a month or more before attempting a transfer in and quick redemption.  This advice holds for most all FF programs.

 

5 hours ago, Twickenham said:

Also, unless you can include it with your TA flight at the same number of points, I wouldn't fly down to Barcelona - take the train, much more pleasant and thus negates the necessity of staying at an airport hotel.

 

If the time between your arrival and departure at CDG is more than 24 hours, you no longer have a "connection" or "transfer", but instead have a "stopover".  Flying Blue does not allow stopovers on award tickets, so you would be charged for a separate additional redemption for the CDG-BCN segment.  One way to avoid this is to make your transfer time be under 24 hours.

 

For example, using the current timetable, the flight SFO-CDG arrives at 11:10am.  For you to get the through fare for SFO-BCN, you would need to leave CDG no later than 11:10 the next morning.  Fortunately, there is a flight at 9:30am, so you could arrive in Paris, spend the day and night, catch that morning flight to BCN, and have no additional award redemption charged (though you may have some additional cash taxes/surcharges).  If, OTOH, you took the flight that leaves at 12:15pm, you would have stayed longer than 24 hours and you are now a "stopover".

 

If you insist on staying more than 24 hours, now it becomes a question of comparing the costs of a separate award ticket, a separate revenue ticket or taking the train.  Only you can make that decision on all the factors of cost, time and convenience.

 

5 hours ago, Twickenham said:

I have heard anecdotal reports

 

Twickenham - And I loved you using this phrase, given your signature.  🙂

 

[waterbug123]

16 hours ago, klfrodo said:

My experience only.

I don't speak French. When the FA came around to serve , he tried to start the conversation in French. I tried my best to inform him I didn't speak or understand French. He rolled his eyes then spoke in English. Next time he came around, same song and dance. CDG was just a connection for me though.

 

 

That's unfortunate.  Despite having somewhat of a reputation otherwise, I've never found the AF flight attendants to be anything but pleasant, polite and perfectly willing to speak English.  English is, after all, the common language that often unites people from a variety of countries as is often found amidst air travel, hence it being the official language worldwide for pilots to communicate with air traffic control.   Usually the FAs overhear us conversing or can guess we're Americans and they speak English to us.  Only once, when traveling solo, did an AF FA speak to me in French at first but the second I hesitated to reply she switched immediately to English, and certainly without an eye roll. 

As for the biz seats, I've never flown biz on AF, only economy and premium economy, but the food has always been fine.  And always, even in economy, the bread/croissants have always been very good, which is not surprising for an airline based in France.

[pcur]

On 4/18/2020 at 4:56 PM, Twickenham said:

 

 

Can't comment on AF business class, as I've never flown them up front. However, regarding the transfer of points, I have heard anecdotal reports of people who have created Flying Blue accounts with the sole purpose of transferring points having their new accounts frozen. Seems it triggers some sort of fraud alert in their system. Therefore, if you don't already have a Flying Blue account, I would create one ASAP, and make sure that you have some sort of transactions on the account prior to transferring the points - establish an account history, if you will.

 

Also, unless you can include it with your TA flight at the same number of points, I wouldn't fly down to Barcelona - take the train, much more pleasant and thus negates the necessity of staying at an airport hotel.

Many thanks for the information.  I opened an AF account a few days ago, so I'll see what I can do about creating some history.

 

My husband might be interested in the train; he mentioned the train on previous trips where we sailed from Barcelona.

[pcur]

We will be staying in Paris for 2 nights, to getting to Barcelona is a 1 day affair, and I'm not happy about a 6 - 8 hours train ride. 

 

I had planned to book us on a separate economy flight with AF, and I may do that before I do the point transfer and I book the international flight.  Or, I may get their credit card for more points.

[terry&mike]

Also look at Vueling for the separate economy flight from Paris to Barcelona.

[dabear]

We flew AF bus class a few years ago on the way to Israel with a 2+ hour layover at CDG. I'm 6'2" and the bed was one of the best I've experienced. The food, wine and service were excellent.