Exploring Paris, France: Multiple Airports, One City

Paris is served by multiple airports, with four airports officially serving the city. Charles de Gaulle and Orly are considered the two 'main' airports, particularly for international travel, but Paris-Beauvais and Châlons Vatry are also used by some low-cost airlines. Paris-Beauvais is the smallest of Paris' regional airports, located around 50 miles northwest of the city, and is a popular choice for budget domestic and European flights. Charles de Gaulle, Paris' largest airport, is a major hub for international travel, located 16 miles northeast of the city centre.

Charles de Gaulle Airport is the largest airport in Paris, located 16 miles northeast of the city centre

Paris is served by multiple commercial airports, with four airports officially serving the city. However, only two of these are considered 'main' airports: Charles de Gaulle and Orly. Charles de Gaulle Airport is the largest airport in Paris, located 16 miles northeast of the city centre. It is a major hub for international travel, known for its extensive global connections. The airport is located in Roissy-en-France and is best for long-haul international flights.

Charles de Gaulle Airport has three main terminals, spread across more than a mile. Terminal 1 is known for its avant-garde architecture and is spread across five levels, while Terminal 2 is spread across seven sub-terminals. Terminal 3 lies 1km from T1 and is composed of one building. The terminals are connected by free shuttle buses and CDGVAL automated trains.

The other two airports serving Paris are Paris-Beauvais and Châlons Vatry, which are used by some low-cost airlines. Paris-Beauvais is located in the town of Tillé, around 50 miles northwest of Paris, and is the smallest and farthest away from the city centre. It is a popular choice for budget domestic and European flights, with seven European, primarily low-fare and no-frills airlines operating from the airport.

Orly Airport is one of the two 'main' airports in Paris, along with Charles de Gaulle

Paris is served by three different airports, including Orly Airport (ORY) and Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). Orly Airport is located south of Paris and handles domestic flights within France as well as traffic from across Europe. It is smaller and more manageable than Charles de Gaulle Airport, but it still offers travellers similar services, including arrivals level restaurants, cafes and pâtisseries.

Charles de Gaulle Airport, located north of Paris, is the largest of the three airports and the busiest in Paris. It is a major hub for international travel and is known for its extensive global connections. The airport has three main terminals, spread across more than a mile and connected by free shuttle buses and automated trains. Terminal 1 is noted for its avant-garde architecture, while Terminal 2 is spread across seven sub-terminals.

Beauvais Airport (BVA), the third airport serving Paris, is the smallest and farthest from the city centre. It is located around 50 miles northwest of Paris in the town of Tillé and primarily serves budget carriers. Despite being the smallest, it is still a relatively busy airport, with an average of four million passengers per year.

Beauvais Airport is the smallest of Paris' regional airports, located 50 miles northwest of the city

Paris is served by multiple commercial airports. Officially, there are four airports serving Paris, although only two—Charles de Gaulle and Orly—are considered “main” airports, especially when it comes to international travel.

Paris-Beauvais Airport offers flights from a total of seven European, primarily low-fare and no-frills airlines: Ryanair, Air Moldova, Blue Air, Laudamotion, Sky Up, Volotea, and Wizz Air. The facilities at this two-terminal airport are far less extensive than those at CDG and ORY, but there are still plenty of shops, cafes and newsagents to keep you busy.

Châlons Vatry Airport is one of the two airports occasionally used by low-cost airlines

Paris is served by multiple commercial airports, with four airports officially serving the city. However, only two of these airports are considered 'main' airports, especially for international travel: Charles de Gaulle and Orly.

Charles de Gaulle Airport, on the other hand, is Paris' largest airport and a major hub for international travel. It is located 16 miles (around 30 minutes by car/taxi) northeast of central Paris and is known for its extensive global connections. The airport has three main terminals, spread across more than a mile and connected by free shuttle buses and CDGVAL automated trains. Terminal 1 stands out for its avant-garde architecture, while Terminal 2 is spread across seven sub-terminals, and Terminal 3 is composed of a single building located 1km from T1.

Paris has four airports in total, although only two are considered 'main' airports

Paris has four airports in total, although only two are considered main airports. Charles de Gaulle (CDG), north of the city, is the largest of the three, with the most international flights. If you’re coming from the US, you’ll likely arrive here. It is a major hub for international travel, located 16 miles (30 minutes by car/taxi) northeast of central Paris. It is known for its extensive global connections and has three main terminals, spread across more than a mile.

Orly (ORY), south of Paris, handles domestic flights within France as well as traffic from across Europe. While smaller than CDG, it still offers travellers similar services, including arrivals level restaurants, cafes and pâtisseries.

Beauvais (BVA), the smallest of Paris' regional airports, is the furthest from the city centre. It primarily serves budget carriers and caters to low-cost domestic and European flights. It is a relatively busy airport with an average of four million passengers per year.

Le Bourget Airport is the fourth airport, located in the northeast of Paris. It is a business aviation airport and is used for private and business flights.

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