Flying from Paris: what you need to know
Paris has two main airports, and the price difference between them is significant. Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is the long-haul hub — Air France's home, plus every major international carrier. Orly (ORY) handles European routes, domestic flights, and some budget long-haul service. Transavia (Air France's budget subsidiary) operates from Orly with cheap European fares.
Transatlantic from Paris is fiercely competitive. Air France, Delta (joint venture partner), United, American, Norse Atlantic, and French Bee all fly to North American cities. French Bee deserves special mention — their A350 service to New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco starts around €250 one-way, undercutting everyone.
For Africa and the Middle East, Paris has the strongest connections from any European capital. Air France's colonial-era route network means nonstop service to Dakar, Abidjan, Douala, Kinshasa, Algiers, Tunis, Casablanca, and more. These routes are often cheaper from Paris than from any other European departure point.
Asian routes are well-served. CDG has nonstops to Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Delhi, and more. Air France's premium economy product is solid on these long flights and goes on sale in January.
Intra-Europe from Paris is a budget traveler's playground. EasyJet, Transavia, Vueling, and Ryanair (from Beauvais, technically) cover dozens of European cities for €20-80 each way. The train is competitive on Paris-London (Eurostar) and Paris-Brussels routes, but flying wins on price for Spain, Italy, and Eastern Europe.