Which Airline Should You Choose to Fly to the United States from France

Crossing the Atlantic takes planning before you even think about the parks. Your choice of airline affects your overall budget, how comfortable you feel when you arrive, and often which city you enter the United States through. Here is what we know about each option, so you can make an informed choice.

Air France, Delta, United, American: full-service airlines

Traditional airlines offer nonstop flights from Paris-CDG to major U.S. gateways. The table below summarizes the essentials.

Airline	Paris departure	Main nonstop destinations	Frequent flyer program
Air France	CDG	New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, Seattle	Flying Blue
Delta	CDG	New York (JFK), Atlanta, Boston	Flying Blue
United	CDG	New York (Newark), Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, Denver	MileagePlus
American	CDG	New York (JFK), Philadelphia, Dallas	AAdvantage

A round-trip economy ticket often costs between $650 and $1,100 during peak season when purchased two to three months in advance. The lowest fare classes (Air France's "Light," or Delta and American's "Basic Economy") exclude changes and sometimes checked baggage and seat selection. Always review the fare conditions before you book.

Flying Blue, the program shared by Air France and KLM, lets you earn miles on all flights operated by the group and its partners. If you plan several trips, one year to Yellowstone and the next to the Grand Canyon, those miles can eventually pay for a business-class ticket or a free upgrade.

French Bee, Norse, Level, Icelandair: low-cost alternatives

French Bee operates from Paris-Orly, not CDG, to San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. Base fares sometimes drop below $440 round trip in the off-season, compared with $760 to $980 for a similar trip on Air France. The tradeoff is straightforward: checked bags cost extra, usually about $65 to $110 per leg depending on weight and when you book. With two bags for two people, the initial price difference disappears quickly.

Norse Atlantic connects CDG with Los Angeles and New York on newer Boeing 787s. Its fares are among the lowest on the market outside holiday periods, but the airline is still young and its punctuality varies by season. Avoid booking a tight domestic connection on the same day.

Level, an IAG subsidiary (part of the same group as Iberia and British Airways), flies to Boston from Orly with limited frequency. It is useful if Boston is your gateway, but less flexible for other itineraries.

Icelandair connects through Reykjavik, adding two to four hours to the total journey. In return, the airline offers a stopover in Iceland of up to seven nights at no extra charge on the ticket. It is an appealing option if the idea of combining two trips sounds good to you.

Baggage and fares: what the advertised price leaves out

Comparing prices without checking the baggage conditions is the first mistake travelers make. A ticket advertised at $380 with checked baggage charged separately often ends up costing more than a $600 ticket with everything included, once both the outbound and return flights are added up.

Economy-class comfort also depends on the aircraft type. The Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, used by Air France, Norse, and French Bee on some routes, offer better air quality and less noise than older 777s or A330s. On an eleven-hour flight to the West Coast, you can feel the difference.

Punctuality: Air France and Delta post solid numbers on transatlantic routes outside periods of labor disruptions. Low-cost airlines are more dependent on operational conditions, and a delay can jeopardize a domestic connection in the United States booked for the same day.

Nonstop or with a layover: it all depends on your destination

For the East Coast (New York, Miami, Washington), a nonstop flight from CDG takes about eight to nine hours. Nearly all the airlines mentioned operate these routes, with good daily frequency.

For the West Coast (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Portland), allow eleven to twelve hours nonstop from Paris. Air France, French Bee, and Norse offer these routes without a layover. For Seattle, Denver, or Phoenix, a connection in Chicago, Dallas, or Atlanta is often the only option, or the least expensive one.

For a road trip through the American West, landing directly in Los Angeles or Las Vegas eliminates a long and expensive domestic connection. For an itinerary focused on the Rockies, Denver is a better gateway, even if it means a layover from Paris.

When to book for the best price

The rule has held for years: book three to five months before departure for summer (July and August), and two to three months ahead for the shoulder seasons. In June or September, fares sometimes drop below $550 round trip on traditional airlines.

January is traditionally the cheapest month for tickets to North America, with departures scheduled for March or April. Flash sales do happen, but they are unpredictable. It is better to set up a price alert and book as soon as the fare works for you than to wait for a hypothetical promotion that may never come.

Avoid French school holidays in February and April: prices rise quickly across all airlines, sometimes doubling.

Whatever flight you choose, remember to look into the national parks pass before you leave: it costs about $80 for twelve months, can be purchased online, and becomes valid as soon as you enter a park for the first time.