Paris Orly Airport Guide 2026: Terminals, Map and Tips
Paris Orly Airport is the capital's second airport and, for most travellers, the easier one: four halls under a single roof, a few kilometres south of the city. This guide explains the Orly 1, 2, 3 and 4 layout, which airlines use which hall, how Orly compares with CDG, what to expect at arrivals and departures, and how to reach Paris, Disneyland or Versailles — written by a team that drives to Orly every day.
Book an Orly transfer ↗The quick answer
- Airport code: ORY. Paris Orly Airport is the smaller of the two main Paris airports (the other is Charles de Gaulle, CDG).
- Where it is: due south of Paris, about 13 km from the city boundary, on the A6 and A106 motorways. The closest major airport to the centre.
- Four terminals, one building. Orly 1, 2, 3 and 4 are connected halls, not separate buildings. You walk between them under cover — no shuttle train, no bus.
- Getting to Paris: 30 to 50 minutes by car; around 18 km by road to the Eiffel Tower. Public transport options are the metro line 14 extension, the Orlyval shuttle to the RER B and the T7 tram.
- The one thing to check: the hall on your boarding pass — Orly 1, 2, 3 or 4. Airlines move between halls from time to time, and the hall decides which door you use for check-in and which exit you come out of.
Official, real-time information (hall changes, works, disruptions) is published by Paris Aéroport on parisaeroport.fr. Everything below is the stable picture you can plan around.
Orly Airport map: how the four terminals fit together
Until 2019 Orly had two separate terminals with names everyone knew: Orly Ouest (West), used mainly for domestic and European flights, and Orly Sud (South), used for international and long-haul routes. A new building was then built between them to join the two, and the whole complex was renumbered 1 to 4 from west to east. The result is one continuous terminal with four halls:
- Orly 1 and Orly 2 — the two halls of the former Orly Ouest, at the western end.
- Orly 3 — the newest building, the junction between the historic wings.
- Orly 4 — the former Orly Sud, at the eastern end.
Arrivals are on level 0 throughout, departures on the level above, and covered walkways link all four halls on the public side. If you remember one thing from the map, make it this: Orly is compact. A terminal change here is a walk, not a journey — which is the main reason regular travellers prefer it to Roissy.
Paris Aéroport publishes the detailed terminal plans (check-in zones, gates, shops, car parks); the current versions are on parisaeroport.fr, and the screens in each hall show today's allocations.
Orly 1 and Orly 2 — the former Orly Ouest
Orly 1 and 2 are the two halls of the old western terminal and still carry most of its traffic: domestic flights to the French regions and a large share of European and Schengen departures. Transavia and Vueling are among the airlines you will see most often here, though allocations vary by route and season. Flights are short, luggage is light and the halls move quickly; arrivals come out into the public hall on level 0, with the taxi rank, car parks and the pick-up area a short walk from the doors.
Early-morning departures from Orly 1 and 2 are among the busiest moments of the day at security, so allow a margin on a 7 am flight.
Orly 3 — the newest terminal
Orly 3 is the building that joined the two historic terminals into one. It is bright, modern and open-plan, and it is where most low-cost airlines operate — easyJet, Vueling and Transavia among them. Arrivals here come in waves when several flights land together, which is precisely when the taxi rank outside fills up. Because Orly 3 sits in the middle of the complex, it is also the hall you cross on foot when moving between Orly 1-2 and Orly 4.
Airlines do move between halls from time to time. Check the hall shown on your boarding pass on the day, not the one you remember from last year.
Orly 4 — the former Orly Sud, international and long-haul
Orly 4 is the old southern terminal, the one with the longest history of international traffic. It handles the majority of non-Schengen and long-haul flights from the airport, including the all-Business boutique airline La Compagnie to New York. This is the hall where passport control matters: arriving from outside Schengen, you clear border control before baggage claim, then customs, and come out through the exit doors into the public arrivals hall.
Departures from Orly 4 are where you will find the tax-refund kiosks for non-EU residents and the widest duty-free offer at the airport. For an evening long-haul departure, give yourself the full three hours.
Which terminal is my airline at Orly?
The allocations below are the usual ones and hold for most flights, but airlines switch halls for works, seasons or specific routes. Always check the terminal on your booking confirmation or the official Paris Aéroport flight pages before you leave.
| Flights / airline | Usual hall at Orly |
|---|---|
| Domestic and Schengen flights — Transavia and Vueling among others | Orly 1 and 2 |
| Most low-cost airlines — easyJet, Vueling, Transavia among them | Orly 3 |
| International and long-haul flights | Orly 4 |
| La Compagnie (Paris – New York, all-Business) | Orly 4 |
Check before you fly: the hall is shown on your boarding pass and on the departures and arrivals pages of parisaeroport.fr.
Moving between terminals, and the Orly train and metro stations
Between the halls: walk. Orly 1, 2, 3 and 4 are linked by covered walkways on the public side and the whole complex is a few minutes' walk from end to end. Follow the signs for the hall you need; no ticket or shuttle is involved. If your airline switches your flight from Orly 4 to Orly 1 at the last minute, it is an inconvenience, not a crisis.
Metro line 14. The extension of the automatic metro line 14 now serves Orly directly, giving the airport a one-seat ride into the centre of Paris for the first time. The station is signposted from the terminals. Fares and the exact exits change over time — check them on the day.
Orlyval and the RER B. The Orlyval is the automatic shuttle that links the airport to the RER B at Antony; from there the RER runs into Paris and on towards CDG. It is the historic rail route and still useful for the south-western suburbs. Expect a change with your luggage.
Tram and bus. The T7 tram connects the airport to metro line 7, a budget option with a change and a long ride at the end. For an honest comparison of every option with times and prices, read our Orly to Paris transport guide.
Between the airport and a car. Each hall has its own drop-off kerb, short-stay car park and official taxi rank on the arrivals level, signposted "Taxis". Pre-booked chauffeurs park in the terminal car park and walk into the hall to meet you, so there is no kerbside hunt for a number plate.
Paris Orly Airport arrivals: what to expect
Passport control
Arriving from outside the Schengen area — mostly at Orly 4 — you pass border control before baggage claim. The PARAFE automated gates are open to adults travelling on biometric passports from the EU and a list of other countries, and are usually quicker than the staffed booths beside them; read the signs before you commit to a queue. Orly's queues are often shorter than CDG's, but they still bunch when several long-haul flights land together. Non-EU travellers are now registered in the European Entry/Exit System on first entry, which can lengthen the process on busy days.
Baggage and customs
Baggage belts are signposted by flight; trolleys are free. Orly's belt halls are compact and fill quickly, so read the tag before you wheel a case away — a mid-sized black suitcase is close to anonymous. After the belts you pass customs and come out into the public arrivals hall on level 0. Ignore anyone approaching you inside the hall to offer a taxi: only the official rank outside and a driver you have booked in advance are legitimate. Our Orly arrival guide covers the four mistakes to avoid, and if a bag does not turn up, lost luggage at CDG or Orly: what to do walks you through the next steps.
Where your driver waits at Orly, terminal by terminal
Orly is compact: the four terminals form one continuous building, a few minutes' walk from end to end, which makes the meet and greet far simpler than at Roissy.
- Orly 1 and 2 — the former Orly Ouest, domestic and many European flights. Your driver waits in the arrivals hall at the baggage-claim exit.
- Orly 3 — the newest building, joining the two historic wings. Same principle: arrivals hall, name sign.
- Orly 4 — the former Orly Sud, international and long-haul flights including La Compagnie. After passport control and baggage, your driver is right behind the exit doors.
Give us your flight number and we work out the terminal and the real arrival time; if the airline switches you to another terminal, the driver sees it and moves. You receive his mobile number before landing. We track the flight and move the pickup to the actual landing time, and 60 minutes of waiting after touchdown are included — enough for passport control and the baggage belt. Details and prices on the Orly airport transfer page.
Paris Orly Airport departures: timing and tax refund
How early to arrive
The usual rule holds at Orly: two hours before a European or Schengen flight, three hours before a long-haul departure, and your airline's own advice if it says otherwise. Orly is quicker to cross than CDG, but check-in counters, bag drops and security lanes belong to a specific hall, so arriving at Orly 1 for a flight leaving from Orly 4 means a walk through the whole complex with your cases. Add a margin for an early-morning domestic departure, for a tax refund, or on a day of industrial action.
Tax refund (détaxe)
Visitors resident outside the European Union can reclaim VAT on purchases made in France above a minimum amount per shop and day, provided the retailer issued an electronic tax-free form. At Orly the form is validated at the self-service PABLO kiosks in the departure areas by scanning its barcode; do this before checking in any bag that contains the goods, as customs may ask to see them. The rules and thresholds are set by French customs — confirm them on the official sites before you shop.
Security, shops and lounges
Liquids are limited to 100 ml containers in a clear bag unless the lane is equipped with new-generation scanners, which are being introduced progressively; follow the signs on the day. Once airside, each hall has shops and places to eat, with the widest duty-free choice at Orly 4 for international departures. Airline and pay-per-use lounges exist airside; access depends on your ticket, status or card, so check with your airline or on parisaeroport.fr before counting on one.
Practical information: Wi-Fi, luggage storage, strikes
Free Wi-Fi
Paris Aéroport provides free Wi-Fi in all halls; connect to the airport network and accept the portal. Power sockets are available in most seating areas.
Luggage storage
There are no self-service lockers in the terminals. Whether a staffed left-luggage service is operating, where it is and when it opens changes over time — check parisaeroport.fr before relying on it. If you simply want your bags out of the way between a morning landing and an afternoon check-in, a chauffeur by the hour keeps them in the boot while you move around Paris.
Strikes and disruptions
French air-traffic-control, airline and airport strikes are announced in advance and usually lead to a percentage of flights being cancelled rather than a full shutdown. Check your airline's app and the Paris Aéroport site the evening before and the morning of travel, and allow more time for security on strike days. Rail strikes affect the metro, the RER B and the Orlyval far more than the roads; our guide to strikes and protests in Paris explains how to keep moving.
Paris Orly Airport vs CDG: which airport is better?
Travellers booking a flight to Paris often have the choice, and the two airports feel very different once you land. The short version: Orly is smaller, closer and simpler; CDG is bigger, further and better connected to the rest of France and the world.
| Paris Orly (ORY) | Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | South of Paris, about 13 km from the city | North-east of Paris, about 25 km from the city |
| Layout | Four halls (Orly 1 to 4) in one connected building; walk between them | Three terminals, Terminal 2 split into seven halls (2A to 2G); CDGVAL shuttle train between terminals |
| Typical flights | Domestic, European and Mediterranean routes, low-cost airlines, some long-haul from Orly 4 | Air France intercontinental hub, most long-haul and transatlantic flights, Star Alliance and other global carriers |
| Rail | Metro line 14 extension, Orlyval to the RER B, T7 tram | Two RER B stations and a TGV station for the rest of France |
| Car to central Paris | 30 to 50 minutes | 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 |
| Taxi flat fare to Paris | €36 Left Bank / €44 Right Bank (regulated, subject to revision) | €56 Right Bank / €65 Left Bank (regulated, subject to revision) |
| Private chauffeur | From €119, met in arrivals, flight tracked, 60 min waiting included | From €119, met in arrivals, flight tracked, 60 min waiting included |
If your destination is on the Left Bank — Saint-Germain, Montparnasse, the Latin Quarter, the Eiffel Tower district — Orly is the natural choice. If you are heading to the northern arrondissements, Saint-Denis or the Stade de France, CDG is closer. For everything else the gap is one of comfort more than geography: Orly is the airport where you are in the car fifteen minutes after the belt, CDG the one where you plan the hall letter in advance. Our Paris CDG Airport guide covers the larger airport in the same detail.
Connecting between the two? They sit on opposite sides of Paris, about 45 to 50 km apart by road: count about 45 minutes with clear roads and 1 hour to 1 hour 30 at peak times. There is no direct rail link; our CDG to Orly transfer is timed to the real landing of your first flight.
Getting from Paris Orly Airport to the city and the Eiffel Tower
Orly lies due south of Paris, about 13 km from the périphérique and roughly 18 km by road from the Eiffel Tower, which stands on the Left Bank — the same side of the city as the airport. By car, count 30 minutes on a clear road and up to 50 minutes in weekday peak traffic. Your options, in short:
- Private chauffeur — door to door, fixed price from €119 to Paris, driver in the arrivals hall with your name, flight tracked, 60 minutes of waiting included. Orly airport transfer.
- Taxi — regulated flat fare to Paris intra-muros from the official rank outside each hall: €36 to the Left Bank, €44 to the Right Bank, subject to revision; queue on arrival, no booking in your name. Details in Taxi to Orly airport: fares, ranks and the private alternative.
- Metro 14, Orlyval + RER B, tram — the budget options, compared honestly in our Orly to Paris guide.
Paris Orly Airport to Disneyland Paris and Versailles
Orly to Disneyland Paris
Orly is about 55 km from the Disney parks — count 45 to 60 minutes by car. Unlike CDG, there is no direct rail link: reaching Disneyland by train means at least one change with all your luggage, so in practice the choice comes down to a shuttle coach or a car. A private transfer meets you in arrivals, fits baby and booster seats at no extra cost and drops you at your Disney hotel or the park gates, at a fixed price shown before you book. See our Disneyland Paris transfer page.
Orly to Versailles
Versailles lies west of Orly, on the same side of Paris, so the drive skirts the city rather than crossing it: count 35 to 50 minutes by car. Between Orly and any Versailles address the fare is a fixed €119 in Business Class, €149 in a 7-seat Business Van and €199 in First Class. If you plan to visit the palace, our Versailles page covers the day trip from Paris, and the private chauffeur in Versailles page the local transfers.
Frequently asked questions
How many terminals does Paris Orly Airport have?
Four halls — Orly 1, 2, 3 and 4 — but they form one continuous building. Orly 1 and 2 are the former Orly Ouest, Orly 3 is the newer building that joins the two historic wings, and Orly 4 is the former Orly Sud. You walk from one to the other under cover; there is no shuttle train to catch between terminals.
What is the airport code for Paris Orly?
ORY. On tickets and booking sites Paris Orly appears as ORY, while Charles de Gaulle is CDG and Beauvais is BVA. If your booking says PAR, it means any Paris airport — check the detail of the flight to see whether you land at Orly or at CDG.
Where is Paris Orly Airport?
Due south of Paris, about 13 km from the city boundary, on the A6 and A106 motorways. It is the closest of the Paris airports to the centre: count 30 to 50 minutes by car to a Paris address depending on traffic, with the Left Bank, Montparnasse and the Latin Quarter the quickest to reach.
Paris Orly Airport vs CDG: which is better?
Orly is smaller and closer to Paris: one connected building, usually shorter queues, 30 to 50 minutes by car to the centre. CDG is the intercontinental hub with three terminals, more long-haul flights and a TGV station, about 25 km north-east of the city. If you can choose, Orly is the easier arrival; with a pre-booked chauffeur, both are met in the arrivals hall for the same fixed price from €119.
How far is Paris Orly Airport from the Eiffel Tower?
Roughly 18 km by road. The Eiffel Tower stands on the Left Bank, on the same side of Paris as the airport, so count 30 to 45 minutes by car in normal traffic and a little more at weekday peaks. A pre-booked chauffeur drives you door to door for a fixed price from €119.
How do I get from Orly 4 to Orly 1, 2 or 3?
On foot. The four halls are linked and the complex is compact: follow the signs for the terminal you need along the covered walkways. No ticket, no shuttle bus and no train is involved, which is why a last-minute terminal change at Orly costs minutes rather than an hour.
Where does a private driver wait at Orly?
In the arrivals hall of your terminal, on level 0, at the baggage-claim exit, holding a sign with your name. Give us your flight number: we work out the hall and the real arrival time, and 60 minutes of waiting after landing are included. You receive the driver's name and mobile number before you land.
How do I get from Paris Orly Airport to Disneyland Paris?
There is no direct rail link from Orly to Disneyland Paris: by train you change at least once with your luggage. The parks are about 55 km from the airport, 45 to 60 minutes by car without a single change. A private transfer meets you in arrivals, fits child seats free of charge and drops you at your Disney hotel or the park gates, at a fixed price shown before you book.
Travelling for work?
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Land at Orly, leave the terminal behind
Book a flight-tracked Orly transfer from €119 — a chauffeur waiting at the right hall with your name, 60 minutes of waiting included, fixed price, door to door.
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