Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, attracting over 30 million visitors per year. With its world-famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre Museum, it’s no wonder why so many people flock to the City of Light. However, Paris can also be an expensive city to visit, especially when it comes to airfare. Flights to Paris tend to be pricey year-round, but the cost can vary significantly depending on when you choose to go. So when is the cheapest time to fly to Paris?
Cheapest Time of Year
In general, the cheapest time to fly to Paris is during the off-peak season from November to March. This is when airfare tends to be the most affordable since there is less demand from tourists. The absolute cheapest month is typically February, followed by January and November. During these cooler months, you can often find roundtrip flights from major U.S. cities to Paris for under $500.
Here is an overview of the cheapest months to fly to Paris:
Month | Average Ticket Price |
---|---|
January | $580 |
February | $560 |
November | $590 |
As you can see, February has the lowest average ticket price at around $560 roundtrip. Prices are only slightly higher in January and November at around $580-590 roundtrip.
Avoid Peak Travel Times
While the winter months are generally the cheapest for Paris flights, it’s also key to avoid booking during peak travel periods. Major holidays like Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter will drive prices up significantly. School breaks in February and April can also lead to higher demand and more expensive plane tickets.
If your schedule is flexible, try to book your trip to Paris during the off-peak weeks in between major holidays and vacations. The best window is typically mid-January through early February, when the winter chill has set in but tourists are few.
Here is an overview of peak travel weeks to avoid when booking Paris flights:
Time of Year | Weeks to Avoid |
---|---|
December | Mid-December through New Year’s week |
February | Mid-February (many schools have winter break) |
April | Week before and after Easter |
Summer | Late June through August |
Paris sees its highest tourism numbers from June through early September, so airfare will be most expensive during these months.
Book in Advance
Booking your flight to Paris well in advance, ideally 2-3 months early, can also help you secure a cheap fare. As you get closer to your travel dates, prices tend to increase significantly. Airlines use complex algorithms to set fares based on forecasted demand. The earlier you book, the better chance you have of locking in a low promotional fare before prices start to rise.
It’s also important to be flexible with your travel dates if booking in advance. Consider flying midweek instead of the weekends, which tend to be more expensive. Also be open to flying on various days of the week – Tuesday or Wednesday departures are generally cheaper than Friday or Sunday. If you can fly out earlier or extend your trip by a few days, you may be able to snag a much cheaper flight.
Use Flight Search Engines
To find the cheapest Paris flights, be sure to use a few flight search engines like Google Flights, Kayak, and Skyscanner. These sites search hundreds of airlines and online travel agencies for you instantaneously. By comparing fares across different airlines, days of the week, and nearby airports, you can easily identify when prices are lowest.
Pro tip: try searching for “Paris” rather than the specific airport code. This allows the flight search engine to check rates to all Paris airports including Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Orly (ORY), and Beauvais (BVA).
Some key features to use on flight search sites:
- Flexibility with dates +/- 3 days
- Filter by entire month to see cheapest dates
- Price graph shows daily fare fluctuations
- Set up price alerts for your ideal dates
Leveraging these flight search tools is by far the easiest way to find cheap Paris flights quickly.
Fly to alternate Paris airports
To save even more money, consider flying into one of Paris’s smaller airports instead of Charles de Gaulle. Beauvais-Tillé Airport (BVA) is located about an hour outside the city but offers super cheap flights on European budget airlines like Ryanair. You can often find one-way fares for as low as $40-60 to Beauvais.
Orly (ORY) tends to have better flight deals than Charles de Gaulle since it’s Paris’s secondary international airport. It hosts many low-cost and charter airlines, so be sure to check rates for Orly as well as CDG when searching flights. The train ride into town is also quicker from Orly, just 30 minutes to central Paris.
Here’s a comparison of average flight costs by Paris airport:
Airport | Average Ticket Price |
---|---|
Beauvais | $150 roundtrip |
Orly | $550 roundtrip |
Charles de Gaulle | $600 roundtrip |
As you can see, you can save hundreds of dollars by being flexible with which Paris airport you fly into. Beauvais offers the cheapest rates by far, but it’s also the most remote. Orly can be a happy medium offering easy access to Paris alongside affordable fares.
Use Budget Airlines
One of the best ways to score cheap flights to Paris is flying on low-cost carriers like Norwegian, WOW, and XL Airways. These budget airlines offer direct flights to Paris year-round with base fares often half as expensive as major carriers.
Some top budget airlines for Paris flights include:
- Norwegian
- XL Airways
- Level
- French Bee
- easyJet
- Vueling
- Ryanair (flies into Beauvais)
The one downside of low-cost carriers is that they often charge extra fees for checked bags, seat assignments, onboard food, etc. But if you pack light and come prepared, you can avoid most of these add-on costs.
Just be sure to search both budget airlines and major carriers like Delta, American, and Air France when booking. Oftentimes the major carriers will price match budget airline fares to win your business.
Use Miles to Book Award Flights
If you have some airline miles or credit card points saved up, using them to book award flights is one of the easiest ways to get to Paris cheaply. Delta, American, and Air France/KLM all fly to Paris from the U.S. and offer great award flight availability, especially during off-peak months. You can often book roundtrip award seats for 60,000-70,000 miles in economy.
Be sure to check if your credit card offers bonus miles when you redeem towards travel. For instance, Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer 1:1 to United, Hyatt, British Airways and other loyalty programs. Redeeming points through Chase can get you an extra 25% in value towards flights.
A few tips for booking Paris award flights:
- Search segment by segment for best availability
- Consider flying one-way in business class
- Use Flexible Rewards to browse various programs
- Wait until 1-2 weeks out to book (last-minute seats open up)
If you have hotel/airline cobranded credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Amex Platinum, check your point balances first before paying cash. You may be able to book Paris flights for free or very cheaply with your existing rewards.
Fly out of Alternative Airports
Flying out of smaller regional airports near you can be a sneaky way to find cheap Paris flights as well. International flights from major hubs like New York JFK or Chicago O’Hare will always be more expensive due to higher demand.
But looking at routes from alternative airports like New York Stewart International (SWF), Providence (PVD), Hartford (BDL), or Baltimore (BWI) can unlock some hidden deals. For example, Norwegian Air offers direct flights to Paris from smaller Northeast airports for as low as $280 roundtrip—often hundreds less than the same flight out of JFK.
Some things to consider when flying from alternative airports:
- Compare cost of ground transportation to/from airport
- Research airline baggage policies and fees
- Look at flight schedules and connections
- Weigh total time and cost vs. savings
Sometimes the savings aren’t worth the extra hassle of getting to a smaller airport. But in many cases, starting your trip from an alternative city airport can save you big on airfare to Paris.
Conclusion
While Paris flights are rarely cheap, there are definitely ways to save if you’re flexible and do your research. The best approach is to:
- Travel during the off-season from November to March
- Avoid major holidays, events, and school breaks
- Book at least 2-3 months in advance
- Use flight search engines to compare airports, dates, and airlines
- Consider flying into Beauvais or Orly to save money
- Fly on low-cost and budget airlines when possible
- Redeem miles and loyalty points for award flights
- Check smaller regional airports for cheaper direct routes
While snagging a $300 roundtrip fare to Paris is rare, following these tips can easily help you save $100-200 on airfare. That’s more money you can spend enjoying croissants, champagne, and all the other wonders the City of Light has to offer. So start searching for flights now and you could be strolling along the Seine and underneath the Eiffel Tower before you know it. Bon voyage!