Travel Info – Airfare To Paris, Airport Transfers & Paris Airports

Step One: look for airfare to Paris. Booking your flights should come even before booking your hotel. With so many hotels to choose from, you'll be able to find the right place to stay to correspond with the dates you've chosen to travel, especially if you start with our handy Guide to the Best Hotels in Paris…

Airfare Tip: You're more likely to find cheaper flights to Paris if you fly outside of the high season of June to September and Christmas. We travel to France a lot, and it's a long trip from the west coast. Over the years we've tried them all — milk-runs, layovers, and seat sales. Our conclusion? It's worth it to find the most comfortable flight.

Consider Savings Versus Comfort

Although rock-bottom cheap flights to Paris may save you a few dollars up front, it can end up costing you more in other ways — in fatigue, in time spent in airports, in jet-lag recovery time, and in the overall service of the airline.

That's the reason we continue to recommend Air France, but with one warning — Air France has "partnered" with Delta Airllines, For travelers, this is a huge pain since Delta is one of the airlines we always try to avoid. So, when you book, make certain your flight is operated by Air France and not by Delta.

Why We Recommend Air France

We first loved Air France because it offered far superior in-cabin service, better food and (the clincher for us) lots of free champagne. But, on a couple of flights we weren't happy with the food, the plane, or the champagne!

Here's what turned us around — Air France listened. After our unsatisfactory flights we complained online, telling them what we thought should be improved. Then, during our next recent flight, the Air France staff came to interview us on board. They wanted to follow up and to find out how they were doing! This is unheard of on any other airline. It was both surprising and gratifying.

Most important, though, the service and the food had improved. The food was actually good. The champagne was the real stuff, the cabin was in great shape, and the entertainment system couldn't be beat. (It's unfortunate that, recently we've found that the food has sunk to the standard airline meal. But everything else is great, including the airport experience in Paris.)

There are a few other advantages to flying Air France. When you land you arrive at the premier terminal (2E) at Charles de Gaulle, while the North American airlines are usually relegated to the "other" terminals. Air France also has one of the best in-flight entertainment systems, which can be pretty important on flights lasting up to twelve hours. Plus, Air France has some pretty darn good fares from the west coast.

Understanding Charles de Gaulle Airport

For most travelers the main airport in Paris is Charles de Gaulle (CDG), where North American flights land. It's the biggest airport in Europe and one of the busiest in the world. Use our handy guide to learn more about your destination before you fly and what to do after you arrive.

Airport Transfers

When you arrive at Charles de Gaulle airport it will be at the end of a long and tiring journey. You have to find your luggage (easy), get through customs (easy), and then get from the airport into the city (more difficult). There are a quite a few choices in airport transfers. We review them in our guide.