Paris Charles De Gaulle Vs Orly Airport: Which Is Better?

A look at the main choices when it comes to flying to and from the French capital city.


Photo: Markus Mainka/Shutterstock

Paris is the capital of France, and one of the biggest cities in Europe. Every year it welcomes tens of millions of visitors, ranking it among the most popular cities for tourism in the world. If you're flying to Paris, you have two main airports to choose from, namely Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY). But which is better?

Neither is quite in the city center

As with many big cities, Paris's main airports are not located right in its center. After all, land comes at a premium if you're building in a city with millions of inhabitants, particularly when you need enough to construct a major international airport. As a result of this, larger airports are often placed in outer zones.

Like rival sports teams, Paris's two main airports sit at opposite ends of the city. You can find Charles de Gaulle to the northeast, whereas Orly is located to the south of the French capital. There are also other more distant budget options.

Indeed, Ryanair has a significant presence at Paris Beauvais-Tillé Airport (BVA), with the facility being categorized as a focus city for the airline. easyJet, HiSky, and Wizz Air also serve Beauvais on a limited basis, although the airport's distance from Paris makes it a less appetizing prospect for airlines and passengers. All in all, it is located approximately 85 km (53 miles) from the center of the city.

Even further away is Paris Châlons Vatry Airport (XCR), located around 150 km (93 miles) to the east of the French capital. However, this former military base plays a far less important role, and presently serves just two Ryanair routes.

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Paris's most well-known airport is also the city's busiest. Last year, the airport served almost 57.5 million passengers, and it is steadily climbing back towards its pre-pandemic peak of 76.15 million. The facility is located 23 km (14 miles) from the city center, and it will turn 50 years old in 2024.

Charles de Gaulle has three big terminals, including seven sub-terminals within the terminal two complex. They are all within easy reach of the main airport, except 2G, which is connected by a shuttle bus service. Given its size and prestige, it is perhaps unsurprising that CDG serves as the main hub for flag carrier Air France.

One of the main advantages Charles de Gaulle holds over Orly is the number of flights coming into and out of the airport. More of the major international airlines fly there, and the lounge options are better. Data from ch-aviation.com shows that the facility serves an impressive 285 destinations in 117 countries worldwide.

The airport also excels in terms of ground transportation, with two railway stations and high-speed links. If you're looking for convenience when it comes to route options and flight frequency, Charles de Gaulle is probably your best bet.

However, this does, unfortunately, come at a cost. Ticket prices for flights into and out of Paris Charles de Gaulle are often higher than Paris Orly, and its hotels can also be more expensive. With this in mind, what exactly is Orly like?

Paris Orly Airport

In comparison to Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly Airport is a smaller facility. It only has two terminals, but this can actually be something of a blessing in disguise for passengers. After all, Paris Orly is generally much less crowded than Paris Charles de Gaulle, and average delays for flights and security checks are shorter. Last year, just over 29 million passengers used Orly Airport.

At a distance of 13 km (8.1 miles), the facility is also closer to the center of the city, which means that public transport connection times are slightly shorter. However, it is outdone by Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport when it comes to the aspects such as the frequency of transport connections throughout the day and night.

In terms of the airport's network, data from ch-aviation.com shows that Orly serves 177 destinations in 53 countries. Low-cost carriers play a particularly important role, with the facility being a hub for easyJet, Transavia, and Vueling.

Conclusion

When you combine its less busy terminals, the slightly faster connections, and the generally cheaper tickets, Orly makes a compelling case for itself over its rival in the north. Therefore, if you're staying in the south of the city, Orly should most likely be your first choice, if your departure airport has direct flights to the facility.

Likewise, if you are staying in the North, Paris Charles de Gaulle is your best bet simply for convenience. CDG is also the superior option when it comes to long-haul connectivity. When it comes to Paris's two main airports, it seems that bigger isn't always better. But, at the end of the day, which airport is better for you may simply come down to ticket prices and your end destination in the city.