CDG and Orly split departures across Air France's hub and budget European routes.
Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is Air France's global hub and France's primary long-haul gateway, with three terminals sprawling across a vast campus. Terminal 2E and 2F handle most international SkyTeam traffic. Orly (ORY), closer to the city centre, focuses on European short-haul, North Africa, and Transavia's budget network. RER B links CDG to central Paris in 35 minutes; Orlyval connects ORY to the same RER line.
Air France competes directly with Gulf carriers on Asia-bound long-haul from CDG, creating periodic fare wars that benefit passengers. Transavia and easyJet dominate the European budget segment from Orly. For transatlantic routes, Delta, United, and American all operate from CDG alongside Air France, producing strong seat availability and competitive pricing year-round.
Summer holidays (June through August) and the Christmas-New Year period drive the highest fares from both CDG and Orly. January-February sits in a deep demand valley where airlines slash prices to rebuild load factors after the holiday rush. Purchasing Navigo Easy cards at CDG for metro and RER access saves money versus single-use tickets for trips into Paris.
New York leads transatlantic traffic from CDG. Dubai, Bangkok, and Tokyo dominate the long-haul east-bound routes. European favorites include London, Barcelona, and Amsterdam.
January and February are the low-fare window across most routes from both CDG and Orly. A secondary dip appears in November before Christmas demand builds.
Compare CDG full-service carriers against Orly's budget options. For Asia and the Middle East, Gulf carrier connections often undercut Air France direct pricing by EUR 100-200. Midweek departures shave another 10-15% off.
