Paris Barcelona

Charles de Gaulle is three airports wearing one name. Terminal 1 is the original 1974 brutalist circle with satellite gates reached through underground tunnels. It handles Star Alliance carriers and has a retro-futurist quality that either fascinates or confuses on first visit. Terminal 2 sprawls across sub-terminals labeled 2A through 2G, the largest section by far, with 2E handling most transatlantic arrivals. Terminal 3 is the budget terminal: basic, separate, and a different experience entirely.

The CDGVAL automated shuttle connects the three terminals in about 8 minutes, but the walk from your gate to the shuttle platform can add another 10. Walking between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 is not realistic without the shuttle. Within Terminal 2, some sub-terminal connections are walkable and others require a bus. Security wait times spike during the morning transatlantic departure push from 2E.

The defining fact about CDG is its distance: 25 kilometers northeast of central Paris. The airport itself is well-equipped, modern in the newer sections, and stocked with restaurants and shops. But everything about your trip includes that commute into the city, which takes longer than many short-haul European flights.

Orly is compact, close to the city, and often overlooked by transatlantic passengers who default to CDG. Four terminals numbered 1 through 4 handle a mix of domestic, European, and a handful of long-haul flights. The terminals connect to each other on foot, no shuttle trains or underground tunnels required, which is a genuine relief if you have ever navigated CDG.

The international arrival areas are smaller and immigration moves faster than at CDG. The terminal buildings are functional rather than architecturally ambitious, though recent renovation has added polish to the arrivals hall and retail areas. It lacks the scale and lounge options of CDG, but what it trades in size it gains in speed.

Orly sits 13 kilometers south of central Paris. For anyone staying on the Left Bank or in the southern arrondissements, the ground transfer advantage over CDG is significant: half the distance, half the cost, and less time stuck on the motorway. The airport operates under an overnight curfew, so late-night departures and early-morning arrivals are not an option.

Beauvais-Tillé is a single-terminal airport 55 miles north of Paris. The distance from the city makes it a budget carrier outpost rather than a true Paris airport. Facilities are minimal: a few cafés, limited seating, and no transit rail link. Expect long queues at peak hours in a building not designed for the volume it sometimes handles.

No jet bridges at most gates. You walk across the tarmac to your aircraft. Check-in counters and security share the same compact space. If your flight is delayed, there is not much to do inside.

El Prat splits across two terminals that feel like different airports. T1 is the modern one, with high ceilings, natural light, and a layout that actually flows. Most international carriers and Vueling operate from here. The walk from security to the far gates takes longer than you expect, so do not cut it close.

T2 is the older terminal. Smaller, more utilitarian, and mainly home to Ryanair. It gets the job done but the food options are limited and the gate areas feel cramped during peak departures. A free shuttle bus connects T1 and T2 every few minutes, though budget about 15 minutes for the transfer if you need it.

Both terminals have decent Wi-Fi and enough cafes to pass the time before boarding. Arrivals in T1 are straightforward: baggage claim, then a short walk to the Aerobus and taxi stands outside. T2 arrivals are even simpler because the terminal is smaller. Check which terminal your airline uses before heading to the airport.