RJdxer From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 5338 times:
I'm heading over to Kiev for the meet next week and so far the loads look good out and back. But I got a nasty surprise a couple of years ago about this time in AMS. You would have thought the country of the Netherlands was under evacuation and the 9 BF seats and 14 Y seats vaporized in a matter of seconds with oversolds from other airlines. So, here I am running the gauntlet again. I can get back to the States on CO connecting from Kiev through AMS, FRA, and CDG without having to leave the airport of my choice. Which airport should I choose on the way back that has the best facilities in case, God forbid, I get stuck? Anyone know of a decent hotel that doesn't charge you like you're buying the place instead of just staying there near said airports? Thanks in advance.
FlySSC From France, joined Aug 2003, 7312 posts, RR: 61 Reply 1, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 5283 times:
CDG is surrounded by one the biggest Commercial and Industrial center in Europe, plus the huge "Parc des Exposition".
All this is in a perimeter of 20 km CDG airport.
Concerning Hotels around the airport, I can tell that you can find everything around CDG, from the cheapest though very decent hotel at 39€ the double room/night, to the state of the art Sheraton or Hyatt.
Most of them offer complementary shuttle to CDG.
It can be difficult sometimes to find an Hotel roon when there is a big event (like the Paris Air Show) but this is never the case during the summer.
Itsnotfinals From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 5262 times:
AMS is the best, only 20 minutes into Centraal Station and several hotels right at the airport. Many many shops and restuarants air side and land side.
FRA is number 2, there is a Sheraton right there at the airport and lots to do in the terminal. Very good rail links.
CDG is in the middle of nowhere, rail is not as convienent as AMS or FRA.
Jano From Slovakia, joined Jan 2004, 814 posts, RR: 4 Reply 4, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 5254 times:
For $12 get Global Travel Shield Global Travel Delay plan. With it you can spend up to $300 per day on hotels and food due to "Missed Connections Delayed or Canceled Flights, or Denied Boarding". Then it does not matter if you are stuck in CDG or AMS of FRA. There for sure are hotels priced below $200 around any of those airports. Plus you'll will have some money left to enjoy the local cuisine
Baguy From UK - England, joined Mar 2006, 528 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 5212 times:
Definetly CDG, it has some good shopping and food facilities plus the 'Roissyville' hotel complex. If you wanted to go into central Paris you can take the RER B line straight to Gare du Nord.
Leskova From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 6075 posts, RR: 72 Reply 8, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 5177 times:
Admittedly, I've never transitted through AMS myself - but from the experience of family members, I'd say avoid it at all cost.
Regarding CDG - admitted, there are a lot of hotels around it, but I always found the airport itself (inside the terminals) to be a bit boring, as in "not much to do"... barely any shops to browse through, not much in terms of restaurants... but then again, I've only seen 2D and 2E or 2F (not the one that collapsed, but the one that TAM departs from).
As for FRA - I admit that I might be somewhat biased there, but I've never had any problems here at the airport - and I use it several times every month. Admittedly, I don't connect here, since I live in Frankfurt it's either my origin or my destination. But even before I lived here, I never had trouble occupying myself in the terminals - and there's dozens of hotels around the airport, plus the Sheraton directly attached to the terminal... and downtown is only about 15 minutes by train, and there's dozens more hotels there (and, of course, restaurants, bars, shops, ...).
Paneuropean From Netherlands, joined Sep 2006, 876 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 5164 times:
Quoting Leskova (Reply 8): Admittedly, I've never transitted through AMS myself - but from the experience of family members, I'd say avoid it at all cost.
Hmmm, interesting... According to many polls AMS is the best airport in Europe and offers lots of interesting features. It has many shops, the place has a museum, a casino, massage places etc..
AMS is clean and it's the easiest place to navigate.
FRA is a nice place, but that only counts for T2. T1 (Lufthansa) is a big concrete awful bunker, constantly under construction.
CDG has interesting architecture, however it's hard to navigate.....
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21464 posts, RR: 24 Reply 11, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 5159 times:
Quoting Leskova (Reply 8): Admittedly, I've never transitted through AMS myself - but from the experience of family members, I'd say avoid it at all cost.
I disagree with that comment. I have used AMS many times and it is by far the most convenient connecting hub of the 3 being discussed here. I generally try to avoid FRA (ZRH and MUC are much better if they were options), but I would choose FRA without question over CDG which is confusing and inconvenient. In my experience, the only worse connecting hubs in Europe than CDG are LHR and LGW.
One reason I avoid FRA is that too many flights park at remote stands requiring buses to/from the terminal which means more standing and waiting. That never happens at AMS except for regional/commuter flights, mainly KL CityHopper flights using Fokker aircraft. I have never yet arrived or departed AMS on a 737/A320 or larger aircraft where the flight was not parked at a gate with direct access from the terminal. At FRA dozens of flights seem to use remote gates. It's also common at CDG, including many widebodies.
Mdodd From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 348 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 5131 times:
AMS.
Its nicer, newer and is, well, in Amsterdam :P
CV990 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 13, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 5121 times:
Hi!
I was in AMS in October 2006, FRA in November 2006 and CDG in June 2007. I think these airports are nice, I personally like very much AMS because it's well located, lot's of light, lot's of shops, and the dutch are very kind and dynamic people. FRA is for me, maybe the oldest...or it looks a bit more outdated than AMS ( if you had the chance to fly via MUC, then that's a complete "new ballgame"!!! ) and it's not so attractive has AMS. Finally CDG, well I was quite surprised because actually it worked really fine with me, I stayed overnight in a small hotel about 10 minutes from the airport, it's called Hotels Confort Chain, I had a decent room for about € 70,00 with the courtesy bus going every 30 minutes. Passing passport checks/customs in all airports went really fine! Now if you get stuck I think AMS have the best connections to downtown Amsterdam, around 20 minutes by train and you pay round trip € 6,20...it's unbeatable I think!!!
regards
Haggis79 From Germany, joined Jun 2006, 1096 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (5 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 5069 times:
So far I only had the misfortune to misconnect in CDG, so I can only speak about this one....
pro: relatively easy and reasonably chep to get to the city - that counts for all of the three, but I would spend a day in Paris anytime over Amsterdam or Frankfurt... I have yet to spend a night there, but the Ibis hotel is located directly between the Terminal 2 tarmac, some taxiways and the northern runways - I guess from most of the rooms you should have a very nice view onto the airport action (I might actually do that one day voluntarily ) There are also a lot of other hotels of all categories.
con: the airport is not the most interesting one if you decide to stay in the terminal. There are only few spots which offer good view and the restaurant choice is limited as well. Not a lot to do, either. If you stay in the terminal and want to have a view onto the tarmac you should make your way to the rooftop of the Terminal 2 train station (which is actually a taxi drop-off and waiting area, but you can have a look over the fence as well. No chance to sit down there besides your own luggage, though...)
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