Charles de Gaulle or Orly? Choosing the Best Airport for Paris

Travellers heading to Paris sometimes have a choice of airports, and the decision matters more than it might seem. The relationship between Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly is roughly that of London Heathrow and Gatwick: Orly, like Gatwick, is the older, smaller airport oriented towards short-haul and low-cost flights, while CDG, like Heathrow, has grown into a sprawling long-haul hub.

Most flights from the UK serve CDG, 14 miles north-east of the city. Orly, eight miles to the south, has fewer links, including Vueling from Gatwick and Heathrow, and easyJet from Bristol, Manchester and Southampton. But where there is a genuine choice, Orly often comes out ahead.

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CDG versus Orly: the key differences

CDG is large, complex and easy to find confusing, with multiple terminals spread across a big site. Orly is comparatively simple to navigate, which can make a real difference when you are tired or short on time. For long-haul connections CDG remains the main gateway, but for a straightforward short-haul hop, the smaller airport tends to be the more relaxing option.

It is also worth avoiding the French capital's distant third airport, Beauvais. Although some low-cost carriers label it "Paris," it is a 75-minute coach ride from a remote Metro station, after which the journey into the centre takes about as long again.

Getting into Paris from Orly

Until 2024, Orly's public transport links were poor, but just before the Olympics, Line 14 of the Paris Metro was extended to the airport. You can now reach the central station of Chatelet-Les Halles in around 25 minutes, with a single change giving access to most of the RER and Metro network, far easier than the often slow RER from CDG.

Tickets cost €13 to anywhere in the wider Paris region. The main catch comes on the return: while you can board the Line 14 train with an ordinary €2.50 Metro ticket, the final leg to the airport needs a premium fare. You can pay on arrival at Orly, but it takes time, so it is best to buy an airport ticket from a machine in advance.

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New EU border rules to plan for

Whichever airport you choose, new EU border procedures are arriving. The long-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES) was expected to be introduced on a staggered basis from 12 October 2025, with every frontier due to have it in service by 9 April 2026. Once in place, passports will no longer be stamped; instead, non-EU travellers will have their fingerprints and facial biometrics recorded.

Separately, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is expected to follow in the final months of 2026, with a €20 fee. It is not a visa but a pre-travel authorisation, and there is likely to be a six-month soft launch before it becomes mandatory. To avoid surprises at the airport, it is worth learning how to start an ETIAS application before you travel.