Charles de Gaulle vs Orly: Which Paris Airport Should You Choose?

The Great Paris Airport Debate

When booking a flight to Paris, most travellers default to Charles de Gaulle without a second thought. But according to veteran travel correspondent Simon Calder, that could be a costly mistake. Given the choice, he would pick Orly airport every single time.

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Understanding the Two Airports

The relationship between Paris CDG and Orly mirrors that of London Heathrow and Gatwick. Orly, like Gatwick, is the older airport, but Charles de Gaulle — like Heathrow — has grown to become twice as large. Orly and Gatwick lean toward short-haul, low-cost operations, while CDG and Heathrow are predominantly long-haul hubs.

The vast majority of UK-to-Paris flights serve CDG, located 14 miles northeast of the capital. Orly sits just eight miles to the south, with connections currently limited to flights from Gatwick and Heathrow on Vueling, and from Bristol, Manchester, and Southampton on easyJet.

Why Orly Wins

The case for Orly is straightforward: Charles de Gaulle is complex and confusing, while Orly is relatively simple to navigate. But the real transformation came in the summer of 2024.

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Until then, Orly suffered from dismal public transport links. But just ahead of the Paris Olympics, Line 14 of the Paris Metro was extended to the airport. This single change revolutionised access to the city.

You can now reach the central station of Chatelet-Les Halles in just 25 minutes, with access to virtually any RER or Metro station in the capital via a single change. Compare this with the cumbersome and often slow RER connection from CDG, and the advantage becomes clear.

Tickets from the airport cost 13 euros to anywhere in the Paris region — covering an impressively extensive area.

One Important Tip for Return Journeys

There is a catch when heading back to Orly. While you can board the Line 14 train with an ordinary 2.50 euro Metro ticket, the final leg to the airport requires a premium fare. You can pay on arrival at Orly, but it takes ages. The smart move is to buy an airport ticket in advance from station machines.

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Avoid Paris Beauvais at All Costs

Simon Calder also offers a clear warning about Paris Beauvais, the so-called "third airport." While Ryanair and Wizz Air market it as "Paris," the reality involves a 75-minute coach journey to a remote Metro station, followed by another lengthy trip to the city centre. From Beauvais, the total journey time to central Paris takes roughly as long as the flight itself from many UK cities.

Bonus: Getting to San Sebastian on the Cheap

For travellers heading to Spain's Basque Country, Calder shares an ingenious tip. Rather than booking expensive transfers from Biarritz airport (at least 100 euros), take Bus Line 3 from the airport to St-Jean-de-Luz for just 1.30 euros (37 minutes), then transfer to the Euskotren narrow-gauge railway from Hendaye to San Sebastian — another 1.30 euros for a charming 40-minute coastal ride. Total cost: barely two pounds per person.

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When Will UK Travellers Need the Etias Permit?

Calder also addresses the burning question about the EU's Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System. The EES (Entry-Exit System) is expected to be introduced on a staggered basis, with every Schengen frontier operational by April 2026.

The Etias permit — which Brussels insists is not a visa, though it walks and talks like one — will launch approximately six months after EES is fully rolled out. That could be as early as October 2026. However, during the first six months of Etias, the permit will not be mandatory. The earliest a UK traveller will actually need one is therefore around April 2027.

The cost will be 20 euros, and it will require providing personal data in advance. Despite the EU's terminology, Calder predicts it will come to be known popularly as a "euro-visa."