How early should I get to CDG?
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris, France · Checked Oct 25, 2026
The short answer
Delta suggests arriving 3 hours before international departures at airports without their own listed times, which includes CDG; check-in must be completed at least 1 hour before departure
Those are blanket rules. Your real number depends on your terminal, the time of day, passport control and whether you're checking a bag. Leave By works out your exact leave time.
Source: delta.com
Passport control on the way out
French border police run exit passport control at CDG, after check-in and before your gate; in some terminals it comes after the security check. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES), fully operational since April 10, 2026, covers US citizens: your passport data, a face photo and fingerprints are recorded, and digital records have replaced passport stamps. Long passport queues have been reported since April; one family leaving CDG that month cleared check-in and security, then waited about three hours for passport control and missed their flight despite arriving three hours early. Paris Aéroport (ADP) has said it switches to manual checks when queues get too long, and no official wait-time figures for CDG departures were found. At Terminal 2E, Delta sends Sky Priority passengers to dedicated border and security lanes before the main security checkpoint.
More on exit checks, the EU's Entry/Exit System and US preclearance: how early for an international flight.
Security lines at CDG
No official CDG wait-time data was found. Since EES became fully operational on April 10, 2026, news outlets have reported long passport queues at CDG, including a family who missed their departing flight after about three hours in the passport line in April. ADP has said it reverts to manual border procedures when waits become excessive.
Terminals and checkpoints
Terminal 1
United
- Mainly Star Alliance airlines; United moved back to T1 in January 2023 after its renovation
- United check-in is on level 3, hall 3; the Star Alliance lounge is on level 4, before passport control
- From the RER B station Aéroport CDG 1, take the free CDGVAL shuttle to Terminal 1
Terminal 2A
American
- oneworld airlines, including American
- A shared boarding area between 2A and 2C handles security and passport control in one place
Terminal 2B
JetBlue
- JetBlue flies from 2B to Boston and New York-JFK
Terminal 2D
Air Tahiti Nui
- Air Tahiti Nui uses 2D for its Los Angeles flights
Terminal 2E
Delta, Air France
- Delta says its flights to and from the US use 2E; Air France uses 2E and 2F, so check your boarding pass
- Delta check-in is at Rows 2 and 3
- The LISA shuttle train links 2E to the L gates and M gates, so allow time to reach your gate
Terminal 3
- Used by charter and low-cost airlines; this research found no US airline here
- Next to Roissypôle and the RER B station Aéroport CDG 1
Between terminals: Terminals 2A to 2F are linked by walkways; 2G is reached by shuttle bus. The free CDGVAL train links Terminal 1, the RER station Aéroport CDG 1 (by Terminal 3) and the Aéroport CDG 2 TGV station between 2C, 2D, 2E and 2F.
Getting to CDG
Rideshare and taxi: Paris taxis charge a flat fare between the city and CDG in either direction: €56 from the Right Bank and €65 from the Left Bank (2026 rates).
Transit: The RER B takes about 34 minutes from Gare du Nord. It stops at Aéroport CDG 1 (for Terminals 1 and 3; take CDGVAL to Terminal 1) and Aéroport CDG 2 TGV (between 2C, 2D, 2E and 2F). The RER B is regularly disrupted, so check before you go. RoissyBus stopped on March 1, 2026; its replacement, the 9517 bus from Saint-Denis Pleyel (metro line 14), takes about 50 to 70 minutes from central Paris.
Driving and parking: Recurring traffic jams on the A1 motorway make road travel times to CDG unreliable, so leave a buffer.
Construction and changes in 2026
- The CDG Express rail link from Gare de l'Est is still being built. It is due to open on March 28, 2027, with a 20-minute trip every 15 minutes. Until then, use the RER B.
Checking a bag
Delta: check in at least 1 hour before departure (CDG follows Delta's general international rule). United: check-in closes 75 minutes before departure at Paris airports. American: 60 minutes for check-in and checked bags on flights from outside the US.
CDG tips first-timers miss
- Budget extra time for the EES passport line on the way out. Queues of up to about three hours were reported at CDG after April 10, 2026.
- Check your terminal: Delta US flights use 2E (shared with Air France), American uses 2A, United uses Terminal 1 and JetBlue uses 2B.
- Terminals get new names on March 16, 2027: Terminal 3 becomes 2, 2A and 2C become 3, 2B and 2D become 4, 2E becomes 5, 2F becomes 6 and 2G becomes 7. Tickets for later flights may already show the new names.
- Unlike Heathrow, CDG still applies the 100ml liquids limit in carry-on bags, even where new CT scanners are installed.
- If you are flying from 2E, allow time for the LISA train to the L and M gates after the checkpoints.
Leaving for CDG?
Pick your flight and where you're starting. Leave By checks live traffic, security lines and your terminal, and tells you the minute to walk out the door.
Free. No account.
Questions travelers ask
How early should I get to CDG for a flight to the US?
Plan on at least 3 hours, and more at busy times. Delta suggests 3 hours for international departures, check-in closes 60 to 75 minutes before departure depending on the airline, and the EES passport line has taken up to about three hours at peak times in 2026.
What happens at passport control when I leave France?
Under the EU Entry/Exit System, your passport, a face photo and fingerprints are recorded as you exit, and your passport is no longer stamped. The check comes after check-in; in some terminals it comes after security, so do not linger before it.
Which CDG terminal is my flight to the US from?
Delta flies to the US from Terminal 2E, which it shares with Air France. American uses 2A, United uses Terminal 1 and JetBlue uses 2B. Check your boarding pass, because terminals get new names on March 16, 2027.
How do I get from Paris to CDG by train?
Take the RER B, about 34 minutes from Gare du Nord. Get off at Aéroport CDG 2 TGV for Terminal 2, or at Aéroport CDG 1 and take the free CDGVAL to Terminal 1.
Sources
- European Commission - The Entry/Exit System will become fully operational on 10 April 2026 (Mar 30, 2026)
- European Commission - Entry/Exit System (EES)
- The Connexion - EES delays cause missed flights at Paris airport despite early arrival (Apr 16, 2026)
- The Connexion - EES checks paused? EU responds over possible exemptions (May 8, 2026)
- The Local France - Queues worsen at French airports as EES rollout continues (May 5, 2026)
- AFAR - Be ready for a long wait at border control (June 9, 2026)
- Euronews - French airports call for suspension of EES rollout (Feb 24, 2026)
- Delta - Paris (CDG) airport information
- Delta - International check-in time requirements
- AP via MyNorthwest - United narrows check-in window; airline comparison (May 2025)
- Air Journal - United Airlines returns to CDG Terminal 1 (Jan 10, 2023)
- Wikipedia - Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
- The Connexion - Paris Charles de Gaulle airport to rename terminals (Oct 9, 2026)
- Euronews - Paris's new airport express train has a launch date (Apr 28, 2026)
- Sortiraparis - RoissyBus is ending: alternatives (Dec 8, 2025)
- Service-Public.fr - Forfaits taxis 2026 (Jan 16, 2026)
- Journal du Geek - 100 ml liquids limit ends at these airports (Aug 5, 2026)
Airport conditions change. Always follow your airline's check-in and bag-drop deadlines.