Which airport fits your trip
| Your trip | Easier airport | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend in Latin Quarter, Ryanair/EasyJet | Orly | Closer, many European and low-cost carriers |
| Long-haul to US or Asia | CDG | Most intercontinental flights use CDG |
| Hotel near Disneyland or Marne-la-Vallée | CDG | CDG is north-east; Orly adds a cross-city leg |
| Business meetings in La Défense | Orly or CDG — check ticket | Orly is closer to west/south; CDG works if that is your ticketed airport |
Weekend in Latin Quarter, Ryanair/EasyJet
Orly
Closer, many European and low-cost carriers
Long-haul to US or Asia
CDG
Most intercontinental flights use CDG
Hotel near Disneyland or Marne-la-Vallée
CDG
CDG is north-east; Orly adds a cross-city leg
Business meetings in La Défense
Orly or CDG — check ticket
Orly is closer to west/south; CDG works if that is your ticketed airport
Rather not keep counting minutes? Get a fixed price in one click.
View airport transfersWhat affects your timing
- Orly (ORY) is about 14 km south of central Paris; CDG about 25 km north-east.
- Drive time: Orly 25–45 min, CDG 40–70 min from most central hotels (traffic dependent).
- Orly has terminals Orly 1, 2, 3 and 4 — always check your airline letter/number.
- CDG has terminals 1, 2 (A–G) and 3 — mixing them up can cost 15–25 minutes.
- Official taxi flat fares apply to central Paris for both airports; suburbs may add meter time.
Common situations
Two airports on one trip?
Arriving CDG and leaving Orly (or the reverse) means crossing Paris with luggage — allow 90–120 minutes between pickups, not just map time.
Book each leg separately and pick a hotel near your first meetings, not between airports.
Family with strollers
Orly terminals are generally quicker to navigate; CDG T2 can mean long walks and shuttles between letters.
Request a minivan and mention terminal + stroller when booking.
Tight same-day meeting
Orly often gets you to central Paris faster after landing; CDG passport queues can add 30–45 minutes on long-haul arrivals.
Share your flight number — we track landing time and adjust pickup.
Typical passenger mistakes
Booking a CDG transfer when your ticket says Orly 4
Airport codes on your ticket are final — ORY and CDG are 45–60 minutes apart in traffic.
Assuming Orly is always faster at check-in
Peak holiday mornings at Orly 1–2 can queue like CDG — still leave standard airport buffer time.
Choosing hotel only by price, ignoring airport side
South Paris + Orly = easy. North/east + CDG = easy. Mixing them adds cost and stress.
Getting ready
- 1
Check your ticket airport code
ORY vs CDG — and terminal number if shown.
- 2
Match your hotel district
Central/south favours Orly arrivals; north-east favours CDG.
- 3
Book the right transfer route
Orly ↔ Paris and CDG ↔ Paris have separate fixed prices.
- 4
Add realistic buffer
Shorter drive from Orly does not mean shorter total airport time — security lines matter too.