A private jet to Paris can use several airports, and two of them matter: Le Bourget and Charles de Gaulle. They are not interchangeable. One is built for business aviation and handles almost nothing else, the other is a vast commercial hub with its own rules for private aircraft. Choosing between them is one of the first decisions on a trip, and it affects the drive into the city, the permissions needed and the time on the ground. This guide describes the airports and their private facilities in public terms. It is editorial, and it is not a price list.
Le Bourget: the default for private jets
Le Bourget is on the north-eastern side of Paris. Its operator, Groupe ADP, describes it as an airport dedicated to business aviation and as the leading business airport in Europe. Commercial airline flights ended there in 1981, and the airport was refocused on business flying. ADP gives its area as 553 hectares with three runways, and it places the airport close to the city, at about 7 kilometres from Paris. Other published guides give a slightly larger figure, so treat any distance as approximate, and note that the drive depends on traffic rather than on kilometres.
The airport is also the home of the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, the national air and space museum, which has been on the site for many years. That is a point of interest on a day with a gap in the schedule, but the airport itself is a working business aviation field with no airline terminal and no public departures hall.
The private terminals at Le Bourget
Private aircraft at Le Bourget use fixed-base operator terminals, often called FBOs. Published guides list several operating at the airport, including Signature, Jetex, Dassault Falcon Service and ExecuJet. We name them only as places, so you know what you will see on the apron, and we are not tied to any of them. The terminals offer a lounge, a private area for immigration and customs clearance where applicable, ground handling and a car that comes to the aircraft or the door.
What differs from one to another is the detail: the layout, the lounge, the opening hours, the fuel and handling services, the parking for larger aircraft, and where the security and passport checks take place. We confirm which terminal your aircraft and operator will use, and we tell you where the car will meet you.
Charles de Gaulle: when it makes sense
Paris Charles de Gaulle is the country's main commercial airport, and it lies further out than Le Bourget, to the north-east of the city. Private flights can use it, but the general aviation facilities are limited, and published guides note that access for private aircraft is more restricted than at Le Bourget. The airport is a large airline hub, with the traffic and the taxi times that this implies.
Why use it, then? There are good reasons. If you are connecting to or from a scheduled flight, CDG is where that flight leaves. If your aircraft is large, or if you are coming from outside Europe and the operator prefers a major airport, CDG can be the practical choice. When you ask for a private terminal at Paris CDG, the answer is less standard than at Le Bourget, so we check what facility is available to your aircraft, at what hours and under what conditions, before we recommend it.
Orly and other options
Paris Orly lies to the south of the city and is also a commercial airport. It is a consideration if your destination or your hotel is on the southern side of Paris or if you plan to travel on towards the south of France. Smaller airfields around the region exist for small aircraft and helicopters. For most private trips into the centre of Paris, Le Bourget is the right place to start.
Slots, hours and noise rules
Business aviation airports are governed by their own rules. Aircraft need permission to land at the time requested, and Le Bourget has restrictions on night operations, so a late arrival or departure needs checking. Major events can limit availability, and the airport hosts large aviation shows. In the busy weeks around fashion weeks and big international conferences, parking space for aircraft can be tight. We recommend asking about your dates well before you travel and being flexible by an hour or two if you can.
What arrival looks like
An arrival at a private terminal is short. The aircraft stops on the apron, the crew handle the baggage and the passengers walk or are driven to the terminal. Passport control for flights from outside the Schengen area is carried out at the terminal, and customs may ask questions about goods you carry. Bring your passport and any documents that the operator asks for in advance. A driver can wait at the terminal or on the apron where the airport permits it. From Le Bourget, the drive into central Paris is normally short outside rush hour, and much longer in it. We arrange the car, track the flight and tell you where to expect the driver.
Getting into the city
Paris traffic is the main variable. The ring road and the motorway from the north-east become congested on weekday mornings and evenings, and a Friday evening is slow. If a tight connection is important, such as getting to a dinner, a show or a fashion week presentation, allow a margin. A helicopter transfer into the city is a further option for some travellers, subject to permissions and availability. Our Paris concierge guide covers hotels, tables and the city itself.
What to check before booking
Which airport will the aircraft use, and why? Which terminal and what hours does it operate? Are there any slot or night restrictions on your dates? Where will immigration take place? How big is the aircraft and does the terminal have space for it? Where will the car meet you? We ask each of these and confirm the answers in writing before you commit. For the wider picture on how a quote is built, see our private jet charter guide and the private jets pages.
Planning it with us
Tell us the date, the route, the number of passengers and where you are staying, and we recommend the airport and the terminal that fit, then arrange the ground transport at both ends. Message the concierge on WhatsApp to start.