1.5hrs to changes planes in CDG. Enough time?

[SF-Pilgrim]

Hi

I'll be flying from the US to Barcelona. I'm looking at a flight on Air France that gives me 1.5hrs to change planes. My flight to Barcelona will be on AF/Joon. From my Google searches it looks like I arrive terminal 2E, and my connection is in 2F.

I suspect I'll need to go through customs at CDG. Is 1.5 hours enough time for customs and change terminals?

Thanks!
Tom

 

[Kitsambler]

Is 1.5 hours enough time for customs and change terminals?

Customs is not the issue; Immigration is. You have a terminal change. You are really really cutting it close; there is no margin for delays anywhere. Personally, I would arrange a longer layover for a change in Paris.

In Amsterdam, it would be close but doable. In Frankfurt, still uncomfortably tight due to the long distance between international and domestic gates.

 

[naplesdon]

If you bought both of your tickets from the same vendor, they should have you covered for the connection time and/or the fallout of not making the connection. If your flight arrives on time and you keep your wits about you getting from one terminal to the other there should be no problem. I can't remember if there is a security check between 2E and 2F but then that probably changes without notice from month to month. I am not sure about the immigration check, you may not have to clear that until your finally destination.

 

[Canuck]

Customs is not the issue; Immigration is. You have a terminal change. You are really really cutting it close; there is no margin for delays anywhere. Personally, I would arrange a longe layover.

I agree. Too close for comfort. From past experience, I would not chance it.

 

[Kitsambler]

I am not sure about the immigration check, you may not have to clear that until your finally destination.

One clears EU immigration when one first sets foot in the EU; one clears CUstoms when one has collected one's bag at the final destination.

For example, when I flew from Seattle to Munich last month, I cleared Immigration (and had my passport stamped for EU entry) at Frankfurt, where I changed planes. Then I collected my luggage at Munich and cleared Customs (which is a minimal time requirement, if any).

 

[jeffnd]

Your mileage may vary, but when I went through customs at CDG, I handed my passport to an officer who didn't even look at me, or my passport, stamped it on a random page and threw it back to me. I swear, the time from me getting off the plane to picking up my bag was less than ten minutes. However, on my return trip, I had a 2 hour layover at DFW and almost had to chase the plane down the runway.

 

[MichaelB10398]

Hi

I'll be flying from the US to Barcelona. I'm looking at a flight on Air France that gives me 1.5hrs to change planes. My flight to Barcelona will be on AF/Joon. From my Google searches it looks like I arrive terminal 2E, and my connection is in 2F.

I suspect I'll need to go through customs at CDG. Is 1.5 hours enough time for customs and change terminals?

Thanks!
Tom

Hello Tom,
Your situation really is a hit or miss. There will be days when you can breeze through and have time to spare. Then there are other times - when there are a lot of flights coming in around the same period - when it can take hours for you to get everything accomplished in order to catch your flight.

I generally like two hours for a transfer in Europe, but I have a higher risk tolerance than many. You may even have an even higher risk tolerance and feel comfortable working any kinks if they should occur. Do what makes you comfortable. I would check the airline and find out how many of the same flights to the same destination they fly daily. If it is several it may not be a big deal to miss your first flight because you will just connect on the next flight. Talk to the airline about the downsides - cost of rescheduling - if any; time it will take to reschedule, etc.

Have a great time - when it rains enjoy the liquid sunshine that life brings our way.

Buen Camino,

 

[peregrina2000]

I think Don is right that the important thing is to make sure that this is all one through ticket, then it doesn't really matter whether you breeze through or get clogged up. If it is one ticket, the airlines will have to get you to your final destination. But if you are buying a one way ticket from Paris to Barcelona separately, if you miss your flight, it's your problem. You will be stuck with buying a new ticket and losing what you spent on the other one.

I have missed connections in Europe on several occasions and have always found that the airline personnel were very efficient and accommodating. They have even put me on flights with airlines not in their alliance just to get me to my destination quicker.

And SF -- you may already know this, but I usually find that the "multi-city" option (in to Bilbao and out of Santiago for instance) gets me the most convenient travel arrangements and doesn't cost too much more than if I flew in and out of Madrid and then made my travel to start point from Madrid and then back from Santiago to Madrid separately. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[JulieandPeter]

Sitting in a plane at the CDG at this very moment. We were supposed to take off two hours ago, but are delayed by a mechanical problem. Fortunately, I'm not feeling stressed by the delay at all because I booked my connecting flight in Los Angelos for tomorrow (I wanted to recover a little from jet lag before continuing our trip). My advice is to give yourself a lot of time to make the connection - maybe spend a couple of days in Paris. It is a very nice city.

 

[Sailor]

I learned my lesson in September 2017 when our inter-connecting flight to Madrid was delayed five plus hours in Washington DC (lost my train to Pamplona, lost my bus to St Jean). Expect the unexpected. Good luck, y que la luz de Dios alumbre su camino.

 

[julia-t]

This link may give you some idea of what to expect...

http://easycdg.com/passenger-inform...nsfer-terminal-2e/terminal-2e-to-terminal-2f/

 

[JulieandPeter]

Sitting in a plane at the CDG at this very moment. We were supposed to take off two hours ago, but are delayed by a mechanical problem (the emergency lighting in the cabin was not working). Fortunately, I'm not feeling stressed by the delay at all because I booked my connecting flight in Los Angelos for tomorrow (I wanted to recover a little from jet lag before continuing our trip). My advice is to give yourself a lot of time to make the connection - maybe spend a couple of days in Paris. It is a very nice city.

UPDATE: Our delay was 5 hours; we had to get off the plane, go through security again, and wait at the gate until the plane was fixed. BTW There is security at each gate area at CDG Terminal 1, so allow for security lines. I felt terrible for the many, many people who missed their connections in Los Angeles. They would have been in slightly better shape if they had booked with the same airline, but still the inconvenience of having to re-book a flight outweighs giving one's self plenty of time to make a connection.

One last word of advice about CDG Terminal 1: Most of the airport amenities (shops and restaurants) are before you go through security, so if you have a long layover don't go to your gate hours in advance because there are not as many choices after security.

 

[JulieandPeter]

Hi Again,
Sorry I just noticed you were talking about CDG Terminal 2 and I also just noticed that you live in the SF Bay Area. We live in the Bay Area, too. Norwegian Air flies nonstop Oakland to Barcelona in May for appx. $300.00 one way. The "lowfare+" ticket includes meals, seat choice, and a checked bag (Premium ticket is similar to business class on other airlines, but for coach prices). Not sure when you are traveling, but it's hard to beat that price and there is no changing planes. Their 787 Dreamliners are very nice, so you might want to check Norwegian Air out for your travel dates. BTW I have no commercial interest in Norwegian Air, but I have flown them many times to Europe and we have always enjoyed our flights (even yesterday's delayed flight from Paris because the captain and the crew were GREAT!).
Buen Camino!

 

[Smcrnc]

We flew Air France on our return trip to the US and had a plane change at CDG. We had 1.5hr and we were literally running through the airport to the gate and made last call as they were closing the doors. If I had to do it again, I'd allow at least 2.5hr.
That Norwegian Air flight looks amazing! Almost worth flying from Ohio to SF!

 

[JulieandPeter]

We flew Air France on our return trip to the US and had a plane change at CDG. We had 1.5hr and we were literally running through the airport to the gate and made last call as they were closing the doors. If I had to do it again, I'd allow at least 2.5hr.
That Norwegian Air flight looks amazing! Almost worth flying from Ohio to SF!

They fly out of Chicago and Boston as well. Nonstop Boston to Barcelona appx. $300 for Lowcost+ and $500 for Premium (in May). It's $231 if you carry on, bring your own meals, and do not select your seat. I don't live in the East Coast, so I'm not sure if that is a good price. However, every time I go to the grocery store and the clerk tells me the total, I think "Wow, I could fly to Spain for that."