Connection times in Paris CDG

I am hoping to travel to Ammman with Air France via Paris CDG. I have two options for the outbound flight; either leave at 06:30, arrive in CDG at 09:30 and wait until 13:15 for the connection or take the 08:55 flight, arrive at CDG at 11:50, for the same 13:15 connection to Amman.

I have a similar situation coming back, but if I missed my first choice connection to Dublin, I would only have to wait 2-3 hour for the next flight while if I miss the connection outbound, the next flight wouldn't be for another 24 hours.

If I took the 08:55 flight from Dublin, would 1:25hrs be sufficient to make the connection or would it be pushing it. The alternative is to hang around the ariport for nearly 4 hours and a 06:30 start.

Air France should be able to confirm whether your incoming flight from Dublin and the outbound flight to Amman are to/from the same aerogare/terminal at CDG — IIRC, it depends on the airline, not the destination.

If so, in theory, 1:25hrs should be sufficient — but if there's any delay in the Dublin flight you could still end up missing the connection. If you've to change terminal, count on anything between 10 and 40 minutes to physically get from one aerogare to the other — assuming you don't go astray at any point!

DrMoriarty said:

Air France should be able to confirm whether your incoming flight from Dublin and the outbound flight to Amman are to/from the same aerogare/terminal at CDG — IIRC, it depends on the airline, not the destination.

If so, in theory, 1:25hrs should be sufficient — but if there's any delay in the Dublin flight you could still end up missing the connection. If you've to change terminal, count on anything between 10 and 40 minutes to physically get from one aerogare to the other — assuming you don't go astray at any point!

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Checked the website, need to change from 2F to 2E; apparently when going this route, it is only a short hop on the shuttle bus but the other way around you go around all of 2A,2B,2C,2D before getting to the connection.

Should make it no probs. AF and CDG seem set up for this kind of transfer. I would plan on my bag not making it though, i.e. pack a large carry on (within the limits) with stuff you'll need in the first 48 hours... Good luck!

i personally hate CDG - have missed 2 connections there and the service staff don't give a fig ... if it's for the sake of 3 hours, i'd take the longer connection to be sure to be sure

Originally Posted by redchariot
....if I miss the connection outbound, the next flight wouldn't be for another 24 hours.

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I wouldn't risk it. The choice seems to be a delay of four hours with certainty, compared to a risk of a 24 hour delay. I flew from CDG to Dublin recently and found it to be the most confusing airport I'd ever been in. It was Monday evening and not crowded. It was impossible to get directions. Luckily I was there hours ahead of time and the time was easily passed while I went around in circles. A couple of regular travellers told me I wasn't the only one who found it confusing. It didn't matter but the outbound flight from Dublin to Paris (Sunday midday) was delayed for almost an hour.

1h25 is more than likely fine (As far as i know 45 mins is the minimum allowed time at CDG 2 for connections - but that's really pushing it) - How much of a disaster would it be if you missed the Amman flight - if it's absolutely 110% imperative that you get to Amman that day then I guess the 6.30 would be advisable for peace of mind .. otherwise the 8.55 would be fine as unless there's some serious problems you will be fine (even if the flight is nearly an hour late you'd still make it)

As observed if you can do it with hand luggage (certainly sufficient handluggage to get you through the first day or two) it would be a good idea since while you may make the connection your bags might not. Even though the Cityjet flights from DUB-CDG are very limited in onboard locker space they will usually allow you to take you average sized trolley bag down to the gate at Dublin and then pick it up at the stairs of the aircraft in CDG.

One other pointer - if there's any sort of queue for the shuttle bus from 2F to 2E (and there often is in my experience) just forget about it and exit through baggage reclaim / customs and just walk landside over to 2E (it's less than 5 mins walk). This advice applies for not just 2F-E transfers but anything within 2 - none of it is more than a 10 min walk max. ( it doesnt' apply for trasnsfers from 2 to 1 and vice versa as you can't walk that)

It is fairly important that I make it to Amman on the date of travel as I am joining a group tour. Wouldn't be the end of the world if I arrived a day late but it would mean I would miss the first day of the tour.

So I decided to take the earlier flight to be safe. I know I probably would have been fine but as one poster stated, a 4 hour wait is better than a 24 hour wait.

Just back from the trip; as I said in the last post I took the 06:30 flight and going by the time it took to get to the other terminal, I would have easily made it.

However, coming back this morning; the flight from Amman was delayed due to poor weather so instead of an hour to get to the flight to Dublin, I had 20 minutes. I was in the new Terminal 2E which is connected to 2F so no need for shuttle bus but even hurrying along, I arrived at the gate exactly at the time the flight was due to leave, but as the passengers are bussed out to the plane it was too late. No problems though, the transfer desk put me on the next flight 3 hours later; got meal vouchers as well.

The big difference between the flights out to Amman and those back to Dublin again; if I had missed the flight to Amman, I would had to have waited 24 hours until the next one, but as there are several flights to Dublin daily, it was not a problem coming back.

By the way, going by the flights both out and back it seems to me that connections in CDG are confusing as hell; give me Amsterdam anyday (even Heathrow - no that is pushing it)