Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport is one of Europe’s most important air cargo gateways. It is a major hub for air freight moving between France, Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and other global markets.
The airport is located northeast of Paris, France. Its IATA code is CDG and its ICAO code is LFPG.
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is often used for:
- Express cargo
- eCommerce parcels
- Pharma cargo where permitted
- Fashion and luxury goods
- Aerospace parts
- Automotive parts
- Electronics
- Perishables
- High-value goods
- Documents and samples
- Time-sensitive commercial shipments
Airport Overview
| Airport Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Airport name | Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport |
| City | Paris / Roissy-en-France |
| Country | France |
| IATA code | CDG |
| ICAO code | LFPG |
| Airport type | International airport and major European cargo hub |
| Main cargo area | Paris-CDG Cargo City |
| Main cargo role | European air freight hub, France gateway, express cargo hub, and international logistics platform |
| Airport operator | Groupe ADP / Paris Aéroport |
| Best for | Express cargo, eCommerce, pharma cargo where permitted, fashion, luxury goods, aerospace parts, automotive parts, perishables, and urgent shipments |
Why Ship Air Cargo Through Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport?
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is useful when cargo needs fast access to France and the wider European market.
It gives shippers access to:
- One of Europe’s leading cargo airports
- Paris and the Île-de-France consumer market
- Strong air routes across Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and the Middle East
- Cargo City at Paris-CDG
- Express cargo and eCommerce logistics networks
- Pharma, perishables, luxury, and high-value cargo services where available
- Road links to French and European distribution centers
Many companies use CDG when ocean freight is too slow or when the shipment is urgent, valuable, or linked to a fixed delivery date.
Main Cargo Handled at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
| Cargo Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Express cargo | Parcels, documents, urgent small shipments |
| eCommerce cargo | Marketplace parcels, DTC orders, fulfillment stock |
| Fashion and luxury goods | Apparel, accessories, perfumes where permitted, premium retail goods |
| Pharma cargo | Medicines, diagnostics, vaccines, healthcare products where permitted |
| Electronics | Computer parts, mobile devices, accessories, consumer electronics |
| Aerospace parts | Aircraft parts, maintenance parts, tools, components |
| Automotive parts | Components, replacement parts, EV-related parts where permitted |
| Perishables | Food products, chilled goods, frozen cargo, flowers where permitted |
| High-value goods | Luxury goods, premium electronics, secure cargo where accepted |
| General air freight | Cartons, pallets, commercial cargo, packaged goods |
Air Freight Services Through Paris Charles de Gaulle
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport supports several air freight options:
- Express air freight for urgent parcels
- Standard air freight for commercial shipments
- Consolidated air freight for smaller cargo
- Direct air freight for urgent or high-value goods
- Temperature-controlled air freight for pharma and perishables
- Dangerous goods air freight where accepted by the airline
- Airport-to-airport shipping
- Door-to-door air freight
For urgent shipments, air freight is often faster than ocean freight. For heavier or less urgent cargo, ocean freight may be more cost-effective.
Shipping to Paris by Air
Importers use Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for fast delivery into Paris, Île-de-France, and wider European markets.
Common air imports include:
- eCommerce parcels
- Fashion and luxury goods
- Electronics
- Pharma and healthcare products where permitted
- Food products and perishables
- Aerospace parts
- Automotive parts
- Machinery parts
- Cosmetics where permitted
- Documents and samples
- High-value goods where accepted
- General commercial cargo
Paris Charles de Gaulle is useful for cargo moving to:
- Paris
- Roissy-en-France
- Saint-Denis
- Le Bourget
- Cergy
- Versailles
- Orléans-linked routes
- Lille-linked routes
- Lyon-linked routes
- French and EU distribution centers
When shipping to Paris, compare the full landed cost. This may include air freight, fuel surcharges, security fees, terminal handling, customs broker fees, storage, inspection fees, duties, VAT, local delivery, and insurance.
Use the iContainers air freight calculator to estimate shipping costs.
Shipping From Paris by Air
Exporters use Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for fast shipments from France to global markets.
Common air exports include:
- Express parcels
- eCommerce orders
- Fashion and luxury goods
- Cosmetics and beauty products where permitted
- Pharma and healthcare products where permitted
- Aerospace parts
- Automotive parts
- Electronics
- Machinery parts
- Food products where permitted
- Documents and samples
- High-value goods where accepted
- General commercial air freight
Paris Charles de Gaulle is useful for exports that need fast delivery, strong global routing, or access to European and intercontinental air cargo networks.
Express vs Standard Air Freight
| Option | Best For | Main Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Express air freight | Parcels, documents, urgent eCommerce orders | Fastest delivery |
| Standard air freight | Commercial cargo and regular shipments | Balance of speed and cost |
| Consolidated air freight | Smaller shipments | Lower cost than direct air freight |
| Direct air freight | Urgent or high-value cargo | Faster routing |
| Temperature-controlled air freight | Pharma, healthcare cargo, perishables, chilled and frozen goods | Protects sensitive cargo |
| Dangerous goods air freight | Batteries, chemicals, restricted cargo | Moves regulated goods when approved |
Use the iContainers transit time calculator to compare shipping times before booking.
Customs Clearance at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Air cargo through Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport must follow French and EU customs rules.
Shippers may need:
- Product description
- HS code or TARIC code
- Cargo value
- Country of origin
- Shipper and consignee details
- Importer of record details
- EORI number for EU customs processes
- Air waybill
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Import or export licence where required
- Product certificates where required
Some goods are controlled, restricted, or need extra approval. These may include medicines, food, plants, animals, chemicals, batteries, electronics, medical devices, cosmetics, textiles, luxury goods, and dual-use goods.
For general guidance, read iContainers’ guide to air freight customs clearance.
Documents Needed for Air Freight Through Paris Charles de Gaulle
Most air freight shipments need:
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Air waybill
- House air waybill, when using a freight forwarder
- Cargo manifest
- HS code or TARIC code
- EORI number, when required
- Importer details, when importing into France or the EU
- Exporter details, when exporting from France or the EU
- Certificate of origin, when required
- Import or export licence, when required
- Insurance certificate, when applicable
- Dangerous goods declaration, when applicable
- Safety data sheet, when applicable
- Lithium battery documents, when applicable
- Temperature-control instructions, when applicable
- Food, health, plant, veterinary, or inspection certificates, when applicable
Incomplete or incorrect documents can delay cargo release.
Common Air Freight Routes From Paris Charles de Gaulle
| Route | Common Cargo |
|---|---|
| Paris CDG to Europe | Express parcels, eCommerce cargo, pharma, fashion goods |
| Paris CDG to North America | Luxury goods, aerospace parts, pharma cargo, electronics |
| Paris CDG to Asia | Fashion goods, cosmetics, electronics, machinery parts |
| Paris CDG to Middle East | Luxury goods, retail cargo, machinery parts, documents |
| Paris CDG to Africa | Medical supplies, retail goods, spare parts, commercial freight |
| Paris CDG to Latin America | Pharma cargo, fashion goods, machinery parts, high-value goods |
| Paris CDG to domestic France-linked routes | Express parcels, samples, documents, urgent commercial cargo |
Cargo may move by freighter aircraft, passenger belly cargo, express network, truck-air service, or road feeder service.
When Should You Use Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Instead of Ocean Freight?
Use air freight through Paris Charles de Gaulle when:
- The shipment is urgent
- The cargo is high-value
- The shipment is small or lightweight
- The goods are time-sensitive
- You are shipping samples or documents
- Fashion or luxury cargo has a launch deadline
- A production line needs spare parts
- Pharma or healthcare cargo needs controlled handling
- eCommerce orders need fast delivery
- Ocean freight transit time is too long
Use ocean freight when cargo is heavy, bulky, low-margin, or not urgent.
FAQ About Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport is located northeast of Paris, near Roissy-en-France, France.
The IATA code is CDG.
Yes. Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport is one of Europe’s most important air cargo hubs and France’s main international air freight gateway.
It is best for express cargo, eCommerce shipments, pharma cargo where permitted, fashion and luxury goods, aerospace parts, automotive parts, electronics, perishables, high-value cargo, and urgent shipments.
Yes. CDG is useful for eCommerce because it has strong European and intercontinental air cargo links, express networks, and access to Paris-area logistics facilities.
Cargo City is the main cargo area at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. It includes cargo facilities, logistics operations, and air freight services for international shipments.