Originally Posted by
Troopers
Similar question: I have a mid-week 9:15am flight on UA in J back to SFO. I believe UA flies out of T1. When should I arrive to process VAT refund and buy macaroons at Laduree in T2E(?)? Of course, will need to check in luggage and clear customs/immigration.
UA does fly out of T1, and you'll find a Laduree right at the entrance to the elevators that go to the lounges, if I recall correctly.
Others here are FAR braver than I. I arrive CDG 3 hours prior to flight time. Please note that my experiences are only with T1. The UA check-in lines can border on the absurd if you're not elite (for elites, it goes pretty quickly) plus the "real" security is at the gate, and can be a real nightmare. I always plan to be at the gate area a full hour prior to flight departure, and sometimes that seems like it's cutting it close.
With three hours, you can take your time and not be stressed, and spend some time in the excellent *A lounge. And I didn't mention the time passport control took a full hour (not during a time of crisis of any sort).
Planning a 3 hour time at CDG also allows you to have a traffic delay and still make your flight.
I'm also amused by someone's remark that T1 is laid out efficiently. Perhaps so, if you understand where things are, but to the newbie, it's an airport designed by Escher. Queues snake around in ways that boggle the mind sometimes.
For reasons unknown I actually enjoy CDG, maybe because I've got it figured out. Or maybe it's because it makes me less sad about heading home, if my last experience in France is CDG T1. :-)