Passing through Paris - do we have to clear customs?
 

Hi! Heading out to London on Saturday, but connecting in Paris first. I never had a lay over in Europe before, always gone direct from the US.... do we have to go through customs in Paris? Hoping the answer is "no" as I would rather use my time devouring a chocolate croissant.

Sorry, the answer is YES.

Assuming that your luggage will be checked through to London, there is NO customs in Paris. You will stay airside/ in transit since your final destination is not in the Schengen zone.
You will "clear customs", which in most cases means that you simply walk out with your suitcases (unless you do have something to declare), and immigration (which can but does not have to be a bit of a wait) in London.

But since changing planes/terminals in Paris CDG can take a while, I'd suggest that you wait with that petit pain au chocolat until you made it through security and are close to your gate for London.

You will have to re-clear security and probably show your passport at some point, but you will not go through the actual customs. Good advice to hold off on the chocolate until you are near your gate.

You only go through Customs if you have something to declare. Cowboy has the correct information.

I'm just curious--there are so many non-stop flights from the US to London, so why did you book a flight connecting in Paris?

The answer depends on the nature ofthe connection.

If you've got a one-ticket connection - as you might on a combination of AF/Delta, or of AA/BA - you just go through security to the onward gate, assuming you got your boarding pass to London when you checked in, and got your bags through-checked.

Otherwise, who knows? Answer: no-one on this board.

Ask the airline, or airlines, who sold you the ticket. If it's two tickets, you might have to recheck, or even change airports.

You know the facts. We don't - and anyone giving you advice without them doesn't know what she's talking about.

If the OP has two seperate tickets that changes everything. I certainly hope that's not the case.

Agreed - is this a single ticket (easy) or separate tickets (a potential major PIA).

Thanks everyone.... I want to say single ticket. Delta from home to Boston, then from Boston on is Air France. Sounds like I will be ok and will definitely wait on that pain au chocolat. I was just in Brussels so is not like I haven't indulged recently.

As to why the stop over... this is what happens when you buy the ticket a week prior to heading out. And I prefer to go on Delta and get a flight that gets me over the pond first thing in the morning. That narrowed down the options at the last minute.

The important thing is what is your flight from Paris to London? You're okay with Delta and Af , they code share it's the onward flight that might make the difference, if you have to check into another airline and pick up your luggage and recheck it. Still customs is mainly a walk through, unless they pull you aside. Never happened yet but it can

avalon, the way I'm reading her post at 5:40am, once she leaves Boston it's all AF. If that's the case she won't have to pick up luggage and re-check.

You will clear neither customs nor immigration if you are in direct transit in Paris, since the UK is not part of the Schengen zone. You will certainly go through security again, however. Customs and immigration will be cleared in London.

Thanks everyone! Just noticed that my layover is almost two hours. Should be plenty of time for that pain au chocolat!

I hope you have time for your pain au chocolat, but my recommendation stands that you hold off until you get close to your gate. Transfers at CDG can be very time consuming and you might have as much spare time as you expect.