- Introduction: A Week Above The Atlantic
- Review: Air France-KLM Lounge Toronto Airport
- Review: Air France-KLM Lounge Toronto Airport
- Review: Plaza Premium Lounge Toronto Airport
- Review: Air France A350 Business Class
- Review: Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris CDG
- Review: Le Bus Direct (Paris Airport Bus)
- Review: Icare Lounge Paris Orly Airport
- Review: La Compagnie A321neo Business Class
- Review: United 767 Polaris Business Class
- Review: Hilton Garden Inn Heathrow Terminal 2
- Review: Plaza Premium Lounge Heathrow Terminal 2
- Review: Brussels Airlines A320 Business Class
- Review: NEW Brussels Airlines A330 Business Class
I arrived at Paris Charles de Gaulle around 8AM, and I had a flight out of Paris Orly at 2:30PM. My first stop was the Air France Arrivals Lounge, both to get a shower, and also to get some work done.
In this post:
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris Location
This isn’t Air France’s fault, but I despise Charles de Gaulle Airport (unless flying Air France La Premiere, in which case it’s awesome). We arrived at Terminal 2L. First I had to take a train towards the immigration hall. The train was so overcrowded that I thought I was in the Tokyo subway during rush hour.
Then I witnessed the longest immigration line I’ve seen in my life, and this was a Wednesday in mid-November. Fortunately there was a SkyPriority lane, and there they had a 20 minute wait just to use the automated kiosk. I can’t even imagine how long other people waited.
Anyway, once through immigration I followed the signage towards Terminal 2C, which is where the lounge is located. This was quite a walk, though I appreciated the opportunity to get some steps in after an overnight flight.
Walking to Paris CDG Terminal 2C
Once in Terminal 2C, the Air France Arrivals Lounge is located just past check-in counter 10 and on the left.
Charles de Gaulle Airport Terminal 2C
You’ll see a sign for it there, and then the entrance is pretty obvious as well.
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris signage
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris exterior
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris Hours
The arrivals lounge is open daily from 5:30AM until 1PM. Those hours make sense, since the intent is that you can shower here before heading to the office, or even spend a bit of time here before you can go to your hotel for check-in.
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris Access
The lounge is open to Air France first and business class passengers arriving on long haul flights, plus Flying Blue Elite Plus members.
Furthermore, you can purchase access to the arrivals lounge, subject to availability:
- The cost is 50EUR prior to 10:30AM
- The cost is 35EUR after 10:30AM
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris Review
Just inside the entrance to the lounge was a sitting area with half a dozen leather chairs.
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris seating
Past that were about a dozen dining tables, which is the main room of the lounge.
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris seating
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris seating
Behind that dining area is a small nap room with three daybeds.
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris nap area
Then back towards the entrance is a shared luggage storage area and business center, it seems. When I checked in I was encouraged to leave my bag there, though in general I’m not very comfortable leaving my bag unattended if it’s not being watched, so I kept it with me most of the time.
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris business center & luggage storage
In the dining area was a buffet spread that was pretty good for an arrivals lounge.
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris buffet
There were packaged snacks, fresh pastries and croissants, a coffee machine, and a fridge with soft drinks, water, soda, and yogurt.
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris breakfast
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris breakfast
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris breakfast
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris drinks
Then in the corner of the room was another station with cold cuts, cheese, fruit, yogurt, and granola.
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris breakfast
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris breakfast
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris breakfast
The main part of the lounge was the shower rooms, of which there were over a dozen. I first worked a bit and then took a shower, and was happy to see that the rooms were readily available.
Air France Arrivals Lounge showers
Air France Arrivals Lounge showers
The shower room was a good size, with a luggage storage rack, sink, toilet, and walk-in shower.
Air France Arrivals Lounge shower suite
Air France Arrivals Lounge shower suite
Air France Arrivals Lounge shower suite
Air France Arrivals Lounge shower suite
The water pressure and temperature control were excellent.
Air France Arrivals Lounge shower
There were nice wall mounted toiletries, and then also some other basic amenities by the sink.
Air France Arrivals Lounge toiletries
Air France Arrivals Lounge shower suite toiletries
They also have a shirt pressing service, where you can hang your shirt in a door and then they can collect it and press it for you.
Air France Arrivals Lounge shirt press service
The one downside to the shower room — which I pretty consistently find to be the case in airport shower rooms — is that there wasn’t much air circulation at all, so the air really stood. After taking a shower I shaved, and I was sweating like crazy. Maybe I just need to stop taking long, hot showers…
I ended up spending a bit over two hours in the lounge between working and showering.
Air France Arrivals Lounge Paris Bottom Line
While not the chicest lounge out there, I thought the Air France Arrivals Lounge was good, all things considered. The shower rooms were good and readily available, there was a sufficient amount of seating, and the food selection was better than in many other arrivals lounges.
Everything I am seeing online indicates that this lounge closed during COVID and has never reopened. If this is true you may want to add something to this review to indicate that the lounge is no longer available.
I have a Hilton Amex card that comes with a priority pass for airport Lounges. . Can I access this lounge in Paris CDG ?
@ Joyce -- Unfortunately no Air France Lounges at CDG participate in Priority Pass.
Is the lounge available for Delta One passengers?
Does the lounge still close at 1300hrs?
Does this lounge still exist? Is there another arrivals lounge now? Flying ORD to CDG in September and would be nice to shower after a long flight.
Are Business passengers arriving on Delta-operated or coded flight allowed entry? The sign shown in the pictures has the Delta logo, but my experience is that sometimes the Air France staff are more inclined to not allow entry for Delta passengers
Nothing compared to the Lufthansa Arrival Lounge in Frankfurt - more food and nicer design that what I see here.
Yes, the humidity in the shower rooms is the worst I've ever experienced in my decades of air travel. I'm just surprised AF haven't made changes despite constant complaints. I guess because those in the know, like me, just don't go there anymore which is why it's nice and empty for the new reviewers.
Oh! Much-debated communal toiletries :)
Look at the poster in the nap room! It must be decades old already.
Does the arrival lounge sell access to anyone? Or does someone need to be flying on a SkyTeam airline? I'm flying in next week on AA and I do not believe they have an arrivals lounge there. Unless someone knows better?
Thanks.
Delta One passengers also have access. I must have been fortunate because the sky priority line at immigration was only about 10 minutes (6am on a Tuesday in June) when I was at CDG while the regular line was probably the longest I’ve ever seen.
@Jason
The arrival lounge has been there since when terminal 2E did not exist and terminal 2C was an important terminal for AF long-haul flights.
AF do not have anymore their own metal flights there.
I do not know why AF has not decided to create another arrival lounge in terminal 2E.
One advantage is that very few people know that this arrival lounge exists : so there are often not soo much passengers inside.
why is the lounge in 2C? that seems ridiculous given that AF has no flights from there...
AJP - yes, absolutely!
The problem is the location in terminal 2-C which is a trek when the airline is located in E/F. It would be great if was located in E
This is handy to know, thank you. I'm flying in AF in J SEA-CDG next March, have an 11 hour layover in CDG, then onward from CDG to IST later that night. We plan to arrive, go directly to the arrivals lounge, grab a shower, then head into the old center of Paris for the afternoon before returning to the airport in the evening and then flying on to IST overnight.
My concern is the...
This is handy to know, thank you. I'm flying in AF in J SEA-CDG next March, have an 11 hour layover in CDG, then onward from CDG to IST later that night. We plan to arrive, go directly to the arrivals lounge, grab a shower, then head into the old center of Paris for the afternoon before returning to the airport in the evening and then flying on to IST overnight.
My concern is the limited lounge hours. You say it's open until 1 pm. Our inbound flight is scheduled to arrive at 11:15 am. At most airports that should be plenty of time but I know CDG is huge, not optimized for moving through it, and often has long lines (as you experienced).
If we come off the plane quickly, and do our best to move briskly through the airport, do you think we will have enough time to get there in time, and catch a quick shower - before they close ? Thanks
Is the lounge open to arriving passengers in Delta One?
Yes, yes, yes ... what is up with the "no air circulation" in all of the Air France shower rooms at CDG? Other airline shower rooms at other airports can also be bad, but AF @ CDG seems to be the worst. After a shower (a warm shower at that), I find myself profusely sweating. The sweat is just dripping off of my face. I then have to allot another 20 to 30 minutes to...
Yes, yes, yes ... what is up with the "no air circulation" in all of the Air France shower rooms at CDG? Other airline shower rooms at other airports can also be bad, but AF @ CDG seems to be the worst. After a shower (a warm shower at that), I find myself profusely sweating. The sweat is just dripping off of my face. I then have to allot another 20 to 30 minutes to hang out in the lounge to try to cool off. Then I feel like I need to take another shower! Can't airline showers put portable fans in each shower room at a minimum? And turn the air conditioning on full blast at a low temperature?
Did you have time to hang out with the homeless people in terminal 1?
Awesome Lucky
If I have to guess, you are flying La Compagnie’s A321neo from Orly since that was where flew from st the end of the Tomorrowland report
Can’t wait
I successfully avoided CDG for the last dozen or so years and now I know why.
First off the plane and the "SkyPriority" line was 30-40 minutes deep before reaching the immigration officer.
Going from 2F to 2E(M) took 65+ minutes.
The lounge is not open to skyteam elite plus but only to flying blue elites?
Went through CDG, for the first time, last month on the way home from TXL.
Will attempt to bypass this airport, which I had done successfully for the past 10 years, from now on.
SkyPriority line was longer than the other lines and had a 30-40 minute wait to reach the immigration officer. All-in-all 65 minutes and we were the first 2 off of the aircraft.
This was going from 2F to 2E(M).