Flying Tips

Buy your tickets at the right time. Look for tickets as soon as you’re ready to firmly commit to flight dates and ports. As you delay, dates sell out and prices generally go up. Special fares are limited to a few seats to jump-start departures. It’s wise to look for tickets four to six months before you fly.

Book your spring and summer travel in January, February, and March. Fall travel should probably be booked by May or June. If you're traveling in September, start looking even earlier. If you travel in winter — November through March — purchase your tickets a month or so in advance (with the exception of winter breaks and holidays, which require earlier booking).

Be flexible - moving your flight by one day (out of peak and into shoulder season) could save you hundreds of dollars. Likewise, fares are generally a bit cheaper for travel Monday through Thursday than for weekends.

Consider flying "open jaw."  It’s the cheapest when the same airline covers each segment of the round-trip journey.

By your tickets at odd hours - you can find cheap fares between 1-3am.

Travel off season when demand is lower.

Make use of your frequent miles wisely. Review your ticket carefully when you book it. Double-check your dates, destinations, and exact spelling of your name. Expect to get an electronic ticket. E-tickets are here to stay — most airlines no longer issue paper tickets. Bring the printed receipt with you. Be sure the receipt has your e-ticket number, not just the airline’s reservation code.

Check in online before heading to the airport. Most carriers' websites allow you to check in and print your boarding pass 24 hours before departure time. This is a good way to confirm your flight schedule and seat assignment, and can save you from waiting in check-in lines at the airport. Reserve a specific seat for maximum comfort.

Budget Flights to Paris

There are around 50 low-cost airlines that operates in Europe these days and many of them land in Paris. They offer both one-way and return flights without a cost increase or penalty. Make sure you leave plenty of time for the connection flights, especially  if that "other flight" is your transatlantic flight back to the US or anywhere else in the world.

Most of these carriers operate, user-friendly websites, with interactive flight maps and straightforward online booking. However, the best fares are found on sites that search routes on multiple cheap airlines. The one that allow you to put together the ideal discount-flight itinerary, by comparing cut-rate prices is www.Mobissimo.com  that not only offers Low cost flights but intercontinental flights, hotels, car rental and cruises. You can also try  www.CheapoAir.com  for last minute Airfare Deals and www.kayak.com

Flights versus train

Flying can save both time and money, especially on long journeys. For shorter distances within a single  country or region, the train is more practical. Europe's high-speed train network is getting faster and faster, covering even long distances in a snap. Train and car travel, unlike flights, keep you close to the scenery, to Europe, and to Europeans.

Important to know about Low cost Carriers

With cheaper airfares come some pitfalls and here are just a few: budget tickets are usually nonrefundable and non-changeable; most of airlines take only online bookings; flights are often tightly scheduled resulting in some unexpected delays; sometimes they to go out of business, leaving you to find an alternative; no food on board; expensive baggage restrictions (make sure you read the baggage policy carefully before you book) and they sometimes use obscure airports, costing you time an money to reach your final destination.

Tip Travel light on low-fare airlines. You can store extra luggage at train stations, airports that offer short and long term baggage storage or in your last hotel if you intend to return. This way you will avoid charges for extra luggage that are very strict on low-fares airlines.

Paris Airports

Paris is served by 3 airports: Orly, Roissy Charles de Gaulle (both well linked by public transport to central Paris) and Beauvais, which handles charter and some budget carriers, including Ryanair and Central Wings and has a relatively good link to Paris by bus.

Orly

Orly is 18km south of the city. Its has two terminals, Orly Ouest (Orly West) and Orly Sud (Orly South), that are linked by a free shuttle bus service that continues to/from the airport car parks and RER C station Pont de Rungis-Aéroport d’Orly. The Orlyval automatic metro links both terminals with the RER B station Antony.

Roissy Charles de Gaulle

Aéroport Roissy Charles de Gaulle is 30km northeast of central Paris and has three aérogares (terminals). It is served by commuter train - RER line B3: Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1 (CDG1), which serves terminals 1 and 3, and the sleek Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 (CDG2) for terminal 2. A free shuttle bus links the terminals with the train stations.

All information about transfers and flights can be found on Aeroportsdeparis.fr Official site for Orly and Roissy (Charles de Gaulle) airports.

Beauvais Airport

Beauvais airport is the hub for few low cost European carriers. There is a shuttle service from the airport to Paris. More information can be found on  Aeroportbeauvais.com