what time to get to CDG?
 

hi fodorites,

we're taking KLM to YYZ via AMS. our flight departs CDG terminal 2 at 9:40 am on a friday morning. will i face the same security measures as the folks who are traveling to the US?

i had originally planned to be @ the airport two hours in advance (we will have checked luggage). we are taking the RER from st. michel.

i'm getting confused reading the threads here (i.e. check-in 3 hours early for a trans-atlantic flight vs. 1 hour early for an inter-european flight)...what time should we leave the st. michel station in order to get to CDG for our flight?

thank you!

Yes, you will get the same security treatment as all international passengers.

I see your point about whether it's to be treated as an inter-Europe flight vs. an international one, but if it's KLM all the way, I'd treat it as an international one.

And I never mess around with timing at CDG. I am always there 3 hours in advance.

hi stcirq,

great - thanks for confirming. we'll catch a 6 am-ish RER from st. michel then. that will put us at CDG with three hours to spare.

lilaki

3 hours is always best at any busy airport like CDG or LHR. I would much rather have time to spare for being too early than the stress of wondering if I can make my flight.

At the risk of stating the obvious, make sure you know which terminal you need at CDG. The last time I flew out of CDG we went to the wrong terminal and had to change terminals once we got there. We still made our flight but only because we arrived so early.

A flight to Amsterdam counts as Schengen domestic, so security goes faster. I would be there 90 minutes early just to be safe, but check-in is open until 30 minutes before departure.