How early does one have to arrive at CDG for intra-EU flights? (Or, what time does the Vueling counter open?)
 

Well, given the snafu we encountered getting Paris-Venice overnight train tickets, the boyfriend and I are now seriously considering flying instead. Although we were able to reserve tickets over the phone, they were more expensive than we bargained for, and at this point we've sort of lost our enthusiasm for the train.

Vueling has a flight out of CDG that leaves at 6:35 am that, even counting the cost of a hotel at CDG the night before, would save us 200 euros over taking the train. We like the idea of an early morning flight because it would mostly preserve our itinerary as-is -- we would get to Venice only a few hours later than we would have if we had taken the overnight train, and could leave Paris to head up to CDG around the same time we would have left on the night train.

Our main question is how early in the morning we would have to get up and to the airport. Neither of us have any experience with intra-EU flights. Currently, the unknowns for us are these:

1) What time does the Vueling counter open? All I could find on the website was a general statement that counters open 2 hours and 30 minutes before flights, but I wasn't sure if that applied to hideously early flights like these.

2) We will be checking baggage, but would check in online and print out our boarding passes before going to the airport. For those of you who might have flown Vueling out of CDG (or any other airport, really), how long should we budget in the Vueling line to accomplish this?

3) What kind of security line can we expect at CDG that early in the morning?

Basically -- how early would we need to get to the airport? I'm imagining we should plan on at least 2 hours, right? Boyfriend was arguing that since the EU is one big alliance, we could treat it like a domestic US flight and arrive 1 hour before. When I told him it was probably closer (if not more than) 2 hours, he said he'd rather take an evening flight and lose some of our time in Italy (we'd probably take a day off of Florence, reducing it to 2 days from 3) than have to get up at 3:45 am. Any help or information you have would be much appreciated as we try to finalize the itinerary!

Hi D,

Also check flights on www.myair.com for ORY/VCE.

((I))

main problem with all airlines now is they close the check in about 40 min in advance, so if a line is long when you get there, even if yu are in the line.. you can be blocked out from the flight.

90 minutes should suffice for the vueling flight as it is in a smaller terminal at cdg with a fairly efficient check-in counter system, if i recall.

try www.priceline.com after reading www.betterbidding.com, or www.biddingfortravel.com for a 4 star hotel at cdg.. you will probably get it for $70-80.

Others may have more definite information but if Vueling says their counter opens at a certain time before flights then i would go with that..whether it is early in the morning or not.

I assume you can meet the checked luggage weight restrictions.

I can only give you my experiences at CDG, most recently with Lufthansa. We taken several flights that leave Paris early, and while occasionally encounter long lines, we've never had problems. Our last flight (in May) was on Lufthansa, from CDG through Frankfurt and on to the U.S. The flight was to leave at 10:45. Per the suggestion of our hotel, located in the 6th, we left for the airport 3 hours before flight time (we were told one hour to get to the airport, 2 hours at the airport). On a rainy Monday morning, we arrived at CDG in 35 min. There was NO line at Lufthansa and a miniscule line at security. In fact, we were so early, that Lufthansa put us on their earlier flight to Frankfurt (which left at 9:40, I think).

This question really has nothing to do with CDG or intra-EU or anything. It's all aboug Vueling's policy of the 40-minute check-in cutout (if you have bags, even if you've done OLCI), and how they handle CDG T1 in the morning. Number of passengers? Number of counters open? How fast do they process check-in?

I also agree that getting there at 5am is about right.

You will need to get specific information from those who've flown Vueling out of CDG1 early in the morning. Most other information is irrelevant.

We just flew Vueling on Saturday from Rome FCO to CDG. Best airline flight experience of my life, bar none! If they could open in the US, other airlines flying their routes wouldn't stand a chance.

They were on schedule during each and every step of the process. Desk opened when they said, flight boarded when they said, take off was 20 minutes late but time was made up during flight so that landing was on schedule. The plane was new and clean, flight staff spoke every language, were friendly and sharp as tacks.

I will fly them within Europe from now on every chance I get. Thank God I gave up the overnight train idea for 30 euro ea. Vueling tix! Best of luck.

"Desk opened when they said..."

Exactly!

Thanks for the info on the counter opening. I know it seems intuitive to just go with the information on the website, but back in the days when the airlines were recommending you arrive 2 hours early even for your domestic flights, I had a 6:30 am flight and arrived at the airport at 4:30. However, the airline ticket counter did not open until 5 am. I just wanted to see if something like that might happen here.

Even if the counter does in fact open at 4:05 am (2 1/2 hours prior to flight), that doesn't really say whether the lines will be so long/slow that you need to get there at 4:05 to be safe or, if others have suggested, we could get there at 5 and have no trouble. Anyone else with experience with this?

I have no actual information, but I doubt their check-in counter will be open before 4:35am.

2 hours before the flight should be enough, at least is what they ask here in Spain. Undoubtedly, CDG is a whole different world, but at those early hours I don't think you would have any trouble.

the terminal vueling leaves from does not resemble "CDG madness" at ALL.

i have taken this flight with no problem.. but have always gotten there at least 90 minutes ahead when it is early in the morning.