blondietink

We are booking for a trip for my family of 4 (one in a wheelchair) to Paris in late September. My choices from BUF are either change planes in Newark or Dulles. I have heard horror stories about changing in Newark but not sure if these are true or not? Also, what is the preferred time to land in Paris, early am or more towards mid-day? From past experience flying back home from Hawaii we do much better with the time change if we start the trip after 10pm than if we start at 5 pm. Everybody is tired by the later flight and better chance to get some sleep. How long does customs and immigration take in CDG? We can't check-in to our hotel until 3 pm.

Kmxu

One consideration is the change of terminals, from A to C/D at IAD, and from A to C at EWR (could be B/C or A on return). It is better to post your proposed flights here so that the suggestions will be more helpful.

NJSwamplands

If both airports are close in meeting your needs, I always prefer IAD to EWR for having a lower level of chaos inside the terminal and not being 15th for departure after push back.

PsiFighter37

BUF-EWR is likely on UAX; all UAX departures are now out of Terminal C (I do not recall seeing anything other than mainline out of the new Terminal A). As such I would think transiting with a wheelchair will be easier in EWR because there will be no terminal change.

On the way back, I think it won’t be pleasant either way because you will have to re-clear security no matter what.

Repooc17

​​​​​​Currently, there is an early morning flight on mainline, but I am assuming OP would be taking a later (regional) flight to minimize connecting time.

tarheelnj

You also have ORD as a consideration, although that's backtracking. Some prefer that routing because its longer flight time affords an opportunity for more sleep.

No matter what, allow 4 hours for your EWR/IAD connection, even if it means taking an earlier flight out of BUF (especially with a wheelchair). For a special trip like this, it's better to have a long layover than to have a canceled/delayed flight mess your trip up.

Passport control in CDG Terminal 1 for US passport holders can take a really long time, depending on how many other flights arrived just before yours. As for your hotel, some now allow an early check-in for a fee. I have an upcoming trip to Paris where my hotel is allowing me to check in at 10am for an additional 40€ fee.

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.

malgudi

What horror stories have you heard?

Perhaps share them so we can either confirm or debunk.

lhrsfo

For Eastbound TATLs I always prefer a later departure time as there's significantly more chance of getting some sleep, and there's a shorter time to struggle through until you can climb into a proper bed at the other end.

drewguy

+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.

goodeats21

Careful, some UAX at EWR use the stupid remote / bus gate. Ending up at the remote stand would probably be the worst option for someone in wheelchair.

mahasamatman

If the choice is EWR vs. anything else, pick anything else.

JimInOhio

The remote UAX gates at EWR are non-ideal. However, all of the BUF-IAD flights appear to arrive at the "outdoor" A gates which I think are probably worse as you have to make your way from the A to C Concourse. As most here know, there's no quick and dirty way to do that.

whlinder

This is important to highlight, since an IAD arrival at A1 through 6 will be on airstairs down to ground level, then up (via elevator) to either the IAD mobile lounge (to D gates) or to get to C, up again to cross the "roadway", then back down to the concourse level, then down a couple of levels to the train. Train to C, then elevator up, long walk, elevator again to get to gate.
Don't know if EWR could be worse, but IAD has a lot of "up and down" in connections between A and C/D.

iapetus

Maybe it's just me, but I care much more about where I connect on the return TATL than I do about the outbound connection point. Being on the West Coast, entering the country SFO is my preference ('cause I can't fly directly to LAX unless I go through LHR).