Book a Paris flight and you're on your way to haute cuisine, world-famous art and architecture, and a glimpse into the aristocratic lifestyle of centuries past. While your flight to Paris might be cramped and full of miniscule airline snacks, your meal in Paris will be decadent. Don’t pack too much on your flight to Paris; it’s possible you’ll leave France with a new wardrobe. From Armani to Chanel to Prada, Paris fashion certainly makes a statement. Make sure you bring an extra suitcase with you – you’ll need it after a stroll down the Champs-Elysees or the Avenue Montaigne, two of Paris’ most frequented shopping streets.
But there’s more to Paris than food and fashion. A quick jaunt down the 18th arrondissement will land travelers in Montmartre where lesser-known painters created names for themselves and cancan dancers greeted guests at the famous Moulin Rouge. The Sacre Coeur (Basilica of the Sacred Heart) sits at the top of the hill and remains a must-see destination point for Paris visitors.
Good news for travelers: cheap flights to Paris can always be found if you’re flexible with your travel dates. Whether you want to stand at the top of the Eiffel Tower or walk along the River Siene, flights to Paris from major U.S. cities are easy to book and readily available. Before booking Paris flights, make sure you cash in some dollars for Euros. Because of the time change, it’s likely you’ll be exhausted after your flight to Paris. Hop in a cab, give your driver the required fare and enjoy the scenes and sights along the way to your hotel. After a cup of coffee and a fresh croissant, you’ll be ready to take on the City of Light.
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Like many destinations in Europe, cheap flights to Paris can usually be found during the winter months, especially January and February when temperatures stay in the 40s and 30s, skies are usually gray, and the weather is windy and damp. The city is at its best in springtime, so booking flights to Paris will be easy but often expensive from April to June when the temperatures are usually in the 60s and 70s. July and August can be hot and stuffy with temperatures going to the upper 70s and sometimes into the 80s. Flights to Paris are pretty packed in early fall when sunny weather continues through the first half of October. July is generally the warmest month and February the coolest.
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Peak Season:
Paris is one of the most popular destinations for springtime travelers. The major tourist season, and the most expensive time to book flights to Paris, runs from April to mid-September. Paris flights can be found on the cheap during off peak seasons, usually during the hot summer months. Winter in Paris is cold, but beautiful. Flights to Paris during the winter months are usually high-priced, but cheap flights to Paris can be found if your travel dates are flexible. Some dates to keep in mind when you’re booking your Paris trip: July and January are filled with couture fashion shows, and Bastille Day (July 14) is also a very busy time. August is a bit quieter since most Parisians take vacation the last month of summer. It’s possible to get cheap flights to Paris at the end of the summer, but travelers should be aware that many cafés, restaurants and shops might be closed for vacation during this time. Flights to Paris become more expensive in September through mid-October. The fall season features ideal weather, and cultural events start coming back after the August break.
Off Season:
There isn’t really an “off season” in Paris, but tourists looking for cheap flights to Paris should consider traveling during the summer months. The weather is hot and steamy during June, July and August, and many Parisians take the month of August as holiday. Deals to Paris are always available if your travel plans are flexible. Due to the cold winter months, there are few tourists in Paris from January to March so flights to Paris and deluxe accommodations are easy to come by.
If you’re traveling on a budget, beware that economy and low-priced hotels fill up fast no matter what season you travel. Paris flights and hotels should be booked far in advance during peak and off-season travel for the best availability.
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Once you arrive in Paris, the options are endless. First step: Go downtown. Flights to Paris arriving at Charles de Gaulle airport drop travelers at one of eight different terminals. Visitors to Paris can get downtown via train, car, taxi or public transportation.
If traveling by public transportation or via train, follow signs from the airport terminal to "Paris par train".Rental cars are available for daring motorists. Usually cheap flights to Paris are accompanied by car rental discounts, so check out the deals before purchasing your flight. Taxi cabs might the easiest way to get downtown. Taxis will take travelers from Charles de Gaulle to the city center for approximately 50 Euros. Keep in mind that there is a surcharge for taxis used at night from 7pm-7am, and on Sundays and holidays.
Travel tip: After booking flights to Paris, check with the airline to find out what terminal you’ll be arriving in. Some terminals have direct access to downtown transportation while other terminals offer shuttle buses to the public transportation drop-off points throughout the airport.
Charles de Gaulle
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Paris is a city for walking: along the river or boulevards, or through alleyways and squares. The city is only six miles across, so it can be managed on foot. When you want to get somewhere more quickly, the public transportation system, particularly the subway, is excellent. Driving is not recommended in Paris. Traffic is dense, the network of one-way streets is difficult to navigate, parking is hard to find and Parisian drivers are very aggressive.
Even though it is a century old, the Paris Métro is the easiest and most efficient way to get around Paris. The Métro and RER (Réseau Express Régional) suburban express lines are color coded and designated by numbers for the Métro and by letters for the RER. Métro stations are marked either by a large yellow M within a circle or by their Art Nouveau railings and archway bearing the name Métro or Métropolitain.
Buses are also available during the day and early evening, and the city has special protected bus lanes that help the buses move through traffic more quickly. Taxis are available, but hard to find during rush hour.
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- Paris is made up of 20 administrative districts called "arrondissements." They begin at the center of the city and curl clockwise around and out from the center. All street signs tell you which arrondissement you are in. Districts are within arrondissments; for example, St-Germain-des-Prés is in the 6th arrondissement, Montmartre in the 18th, and both the Quartier de l'Opéra and Pigalle are in the 9th.
- Street maps, also called street plans, are available nearly everywhere including at the entrance to and inside Métro stations, in bus shelters, at department stores, and the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau. Very detailed maps are available through vending machines in each arrondissment.
- There are over 150 art galleries and museums in Paris, and most of them are worth seeing. Chances are you have time to see only a few or even several, and you can do this while being kind to your budget. Some galleries are free. You may have to do some research to find them, but they are there. Paris also has museum passes for one, three, and five consecutive days. A pass grants you unlimited access to more than 70 museums and monuments in the Paris area. You can buy the passes online and have them delivered to you at home.
- Parisians smoke. All the time, including in restaurants. There are supposed to be non-smoking sections, but they are typically just a couple of tables and there’s not much concern over people smoking at non-smoking tables. A few restaurants have banned smoking, so if this is a concern, check before you go.
- Tipping is customary in Paris. In an expensive restaurant, the custom is to leave an additional 5% of the bill on the table. Pretty much everyone who provides a service is tipped: for example, taxi drivers, theater ushers and cloakroom attendants, unless there’s a sign for “pourboire interdit” (tipping forbidden).
- Leave yourself plenty of time at the airport. Charles de Gaulle is a large airport so plan accordingly. In some cases, you’ll disembark the aircraft on the tarmac and take a shuttle bus to the gate before entering the airport. If you’re boarding a flight from Paris, get to the airport early as you’ll have to go through a passport check and security. If the plane you’re boarding is located on the tarmac, a shuttle bus will take you from the gate to your plane. In this case, the gate closes approximately 15 minutes prior to the planned Paris departure flight so make sure you’re at the gate early.
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