Originally Posted by
EricH
I prefer a later arrival time, which reduces the possibility of a multi-hour delay in getting a room in Paris (unless an early check-in is available). You'll be jet lagged and tired from lack of sleep, so it's nice to have a place to rest for a while on arrival. As for EWR vs. IAD, neither is great, but you'll survive.
+1. Much prefer a later flight if possible (e.g., 10pm) because you can eat at a restaurant beforehand (or Polaris if in biz), ignore airplane meal, sleep as much as possible during more or less normal sleep hours (say 11p to 6a), arrive in Paris at reasonable wakeup time (~7a EDT), which happens to be early afternoon there, meaning you may be able to check in immediately to hotel and then can struggle through rest of day to relatively early bedtime.