Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG): Compensation for delays, cancellations and overbooking 

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG): Get compensation for delays, cancellations and overbooking 

Have you experienced a flight delay, flight cancellation or found that your flight to or from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport was overbooked? In many cases, you may be entitled to financial compensation under EU/UK Regulation 261/2004. 

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, often referred to as CDG or just Charles de Gaulle Airport, is one of Europe’s busiest airports. Consequently, delays, changed departures, long queues at check-in, boarding issues or challenges with transfers between terminals can occur. 

If you are at the airport waiting for a delayed flight, have been notified of a cancellation, or have been denied boarding at the gate, it is important to know your rights. In some cases, the airline must not only offer assistance but also pay compensation. 

On this page, you’ll find an overview of your rights when your flight to or from Paris Charles de Gaulle is affected by a delay, cancellation or denied boarding due to overbooking. 

Common causes of delays at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport 

Delays and cancellations at Paris Charles de Gaulle can occur for many different reasons. Some of the most common causes are: 

• heavy traffic at the airport and in European airspace 

• restrictions imposed by air traffic control 

• bad weather in Paris or at the destination 

• delayed inbound flights 

• technical issues with the airline 

• strikes in France or other countries 

It is not always clear to passengers whether the reason entitles them to compensation. Therefore, it may be a good idea to have your case assessed, especially if the delay on arrival was three hours or more. 

Have your case assessed here

Delayed and cancelled flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in 2025 

When compared to the average cancellation and delay rate for the 50 largest airports in Europe, which stood at 1.0% in 2025, it is clear that punctuality at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is lower than at other major European airports that also handle millions of passengers per year. 

When are you entitled to compensation for flights to and from Paris Charles de Gaulle? 

First and foremost, it is important to note that the EU261 regulations do not require the airport to pay compensation. It is the airline that may be liable if your flight is delayed, cancelled or overbooked. 

You are typically entitled to compensation in the following situations: 

1. Delayed flight 

If your flight is delayed by three hours or more on arrival, you are entitled to financial compensation if the delay is not due to extraordinary circumstances. The decisive factor is not when the flight departs from Paris Charles de Gaulle, but when you actually arrive. 

A delayed flight usually only entitles you to compensation if the cause is within the airline’s control. This could include, for example, technical issues, scheduling errors, operational challenges or a shortage of staff at the airline. 

2. Cancelled flights 

If your flight is cancelled, the airline must offer you the choice between rebooking and a refund of your tickets. 

If your flight is cancelled less than 14 days before the scheduled departure, you may also be entitled to financial compensation, unless the cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances. 

3. Denied boarding 

If you have a valid ticket, arrive for check-in and boarding in good time, but are still denied boarding at the gate, you may be entitled to compensation for denied boarding. 

This often happens due to overbooking, where the airline has sold more tickets than there are seats on the flight. In this situation, you are generally entitled to both assistance and compensation. 

Important: If you are denied boarding, you should ask the airline for written documentation. This may be necessary if you wish to claim compensation later. 

How much compensation can you get? 

The amount of compensation depends on the flight distance and the delay on arrival. The price of your tickets is irrelevant. 

Under EU Regulation 261, you can receive between €250 and €600 per passenger, equivalent to approximately £215 to £520. 

Overview of possible compensation

Check your compensation claim

When is the airline not required to pay compensation? 

There are situations where the airline is not required to pay compensation. This applies in the event of extraordinary circumstances, i.e. circumstances beyond the airline’s control. 

Typical examples include: 

• very bad weather 

• restrictions imposed by Air Traffic Control 

• political unrest 

• security risks 

• strikes beyond the airline’s control 

• airport closures or major operational disruptions at the airport 

In such cases, you are generally not entitled to financial compensation. However, you may still be entitled to assistance, rebooking, hotel accommodation, transport or a refund, depending on what has happened. 

Technical problems and the airline’s liability 

Many airlines cite technical problems when a flight is delayed or cancelled. However, technical problems do not automatically constitute extraordinary circumstances. 

If the problem is due to normal operations, maintenance or planning, the airline may still be liable. Therefore, in some cases, you may be entitled to compensation even if the airline states that the cause was technical. 

It can be difficult to assess this yourself, so we recommend that you have your case checked. 

Check your case here

Flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle: Which airlines have the most cancellations and delays? 

Paris Charles de Gaulle is a major hub for French, European and international airlines. Air France operates many flights from the airport, but many other airlines also fly to and from Paris Charles de Gaulle. 

Regulation EU261 generally applies to all flights departing from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. If you are flying to Paris from a country outside the EU, your rights depend, among other things, on whether the airline is registered in the EU. 

Below you can see statistics on cancellations and delays of over 3 hours for the airlines that operated the most flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in 2025.

Your rights to assistance in the event of delays and cancellations at Charles de Gaulle Airport 

Although you are not always entitled to financial compensation, you may still be entitled to assistance from the airline, which, after a two-hour delay, must inform you of your rights and provide meals or accommodation where necessary. 

This may include, for example: 

• food and drink whilst you wait 

• the opportunity to contact family, work or a hotel 

• a hotel if an overnight stay is necessary 

• transport between the airport and the hotel 

• rebooking to a new flight 

• alternative transport 

• full refund if you no longer wish to travel 

If you pay for food, drink, transport or a hotel yourself, you should always keep your receipts. Read more about reimbursement of additional costs here. 

What should you do if your flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle is delayed or cancelled? 

If your flight is delayed or cancelled, you can strengthen your case by documenting the events thoroughly. 

1. Keep records 

Make sure to keep: 

• booking confirmation 

• tickets 

• boarding passes 

• emails and text messages from the airline 

• photos of departure boards at the airport 

• information about a new departure, new gate or rebooking 

• messages regarding the reason for the delay or cancellation 

2. Keep your receipts 

If you incur expenses for food, drink, hotels, transport or other necessities, you should keep all receipts. 

This is particularly important if you are waiting for several hours, have to stay overnight near the airport, or if the airline does not provide assistance itself. 

3. Note down times 

Write down when you arrived at check-in, when boarding was due to start, when you were notified of the delay, and when you arrived at your destination. After a two-hour delay, the airline must inform you of your rights, including any entitlement to meals and accommodation, so the exact sequence of events may be important. 

When it comes to compensation, the arrival time is often decisive, especially if the delay is close to three hours. 

Practical information about Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport: check-in, terminals and transfers 

Paris Charles de Gaulle is a large airport with several terminals and many international departures. It is therefore important to keep track of the terminal, check-in, gate and transfers, especially if you are connecting from Paris. 

The official airport website recommends using the terminal maps to find the correct terminal, check-in areas, baggage claim, restaurants, shops, lounges and other services at Charles de Gaulle Airport. 

Terminals at Charles de Gaulle Airport 

Paris Charles de Gaulle consists broadly of Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. Terminal 2 is divided into several areas, including 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F and 2G. 

Air France mainly uses Terminal 2 at Paris Charles de Gaulle, but your exact terminal always depends on the route, destination and specific departure. You should therefore always check your ticket, the airline’s announcements and the screens at the airport. 

Check-in and boarding 

Make sure you arrive well in advance for check-in, especially if you are flying outside the Schengen area, have luggage, are travelling with children or have a transfer in Paris. 

If you arrive late for check-in or boarding, this may affect your rights. If the airline refuses to let you board because you were not at the gate on time, you will normally not be able to claim compensation for denied boarding.  

Read more about when you should arrive at the airport. 

Transfer at Paris Charles de Gaulle 

If you are changing flights in Paris, you should allow plenty of time. Air France advises that passengers should familiarise themselves with transit between terminals, baggage, passport control and security checks when they have a connection at Paris Charles de Gaulle. 

When transferring, you may need to walk to another part of the terminal, take a shuttle or go through security again. Always follow the signs for “Connecting flights” or “Transfer”, and keep checking your gate. 

Hotels near Charles de Gaulle Airport 

If your flight is cancelled or you cannot fly on until the next day, you may in some cases be entitled to hotel accommodation and transport between the hotel and the airport. 

Paris Charles de Gaulle has several hotels nearby, both at the terminals and around the airport area. If the airline does not arrange accommodation itself, you should ask in writing whether you may book it yourself, and keep all receipts. 

That’s why many people choose Refundmore 

When a flight goes wrong, it can be difficult to work out whether you are entitled to compensation, a refund or other assistance. 

At Refundmore, we help passengers who have experienced: 

• flight delays 

• flight cancellations 

• denied boarding due to an overbooked flight 

• problems with refunds 

• lack of assistance from the airline 

We will review your case, assess your rights and engage with the airline. If necessary, we can also take the matter to court. 

You can start your claim with us in just 2 minutes. We handle the process, and we only charge a fee if we secure compensation for you. 

Start your claim 

Frequently asked questions about Paris Charles de Gaulle and compensation