CDG, Orly and Beauvais
Charles de Gaulle (CDG) north-east of the city carries most long-haul and many European full-service flights. RER B reaches Châtelet–Les Halles in about 35–45 minutes; taxis use regulated rates with night supplements. Partner searches often use the metro code PAR, which typically surfaces CDG and Orly — confirm the airport on the ticket, not the city name.
Orly (ORY) south of the centre suits many short-haul and leisure carriers. Orlyval plus RER B is the usual rail route into town. Some low-cost fares land at Beauvais (BVA), roughly 85 km north. The dedicated coach takes 75–90 minutes and can erase a cheap ticket’s savings, especially if your hotel is in the 6th or 7th and you land after 22:00.
Non-stop versus a connection — and Eurostar from London
From most of western Europe, Paris is a non-stop hop of one to two hours. A connection via Amsterdam, Frankfurt or Madrid is rarely worth it unless it saves a serious amount of money or matches a better departure from a regional airport. From farther afield — the Gulf, North America, Asia — one-stop itineraries via CDG are common; the useful comparison is total block time plus the CDG terminal change, not the first fare on the screen.
From London, Eurostar often wins on central-to-central time with light bags: St Pancras to Gare du Nord, no airport security theatre, and you arrive in the 10th. Flying can still price better from Gatwick, Luton or a regional UK airport, or when you need a tight evening return. Compare door-to-door, not headline fare. See the London–Paris route guide when that is your origin.
When fares and rooms move together
Fashion weeks, Roland-Garros and August consistently firm up both airfares and central hotels. January and November often soften outside school holidays. Easter and Christmas markets move the whole trip cost at once — a cheap Tuesday flight into CDG is not a bargain if the Marais hotel has doubled.
Tuesday and Wednesday returns frequently undercut weekend peaks on European short-haul. Orly and CDG can price differently on the same airline the same day. School-holiday Friday nights out of the UK fill first. There are no live prices on this page; open partner results for your dates and add bags before you judge the ranking.
Getting into the city after you land
From CDG, RER B is the default into the centre; allow extra time when works hit the line or when you land with two hold bags at rush hour. Taxis and ride-hail make sense after midnight or with a Right Bank hotel that is awkward on the RER. From Orly, Orlyval to Antony then RER B is the usual rail chain; the Orlybus still runs toward Denfert-Rochereau if that matches your arrondissement.
Beauvais means a coach, not a metro. Do not book a 23:00 BVA arrival into a 5th-arrondissement walk-up unless you are happy to pay for a long taxi. Left Bank versus Right Bank still matters after dark: Marais, Saint-Germain and the 7th feel like different cities once the RER stops being convenient.
Paris airports — quick compare
| Airport | Best For | Transfer to centre / resort | Main Drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles de Gaulle (CDG) | Airline choice; north/east/Marais | RER B ~35–50 min to central stations | Large terminals; longer walks |
| Orly (ORY) | Left Bank / south hotels | Orlybus / Orlyval + RER ~25–40 min | Fewer long-haul options than CDG |
| Beauvais (BVA) | Ultra-low fare only | Coach often 1h 15m+, then metro | Weak for late arrivals / short weekends |
Airport transfers — quick guide
- CDG: RER B is the usual rail link. Late nights favour a taxi if stairs and bags collide.
- Orly: Orlybus / Orlyval + RER or taxi — often cleaner for Left Bank hotels.
- Beauvais: Coach into Paris typically 1h 15m+. Skip for late arrivals into a short break.
Bags, cabins and where to stay
Low-cost Paris tickets are often personal-item only. A cabin bag plus a hold bag can invert a “cheap” Orly fare against a full-service CDG bundle. Read the fare family for size limits, not only the weight, and check whether a connection at CDG needs you to collect bags and re-check.
Pick the arrondissement before the hotel photograph. Centro-feeling first visits usually want the 1st–6th; value rooms push into the 10th, 11th or 18th with a metro plan. Then use the Paris stays guide and, for a longer walkthrough, the Paris city-break plan. Book Louvre and Eiffel timed entry in peak months — flight savings mean little if the slot is gone.