Passenger flow at Paris-Charles de Gaulle: a major simplification
As a leading hub in Europe, Paris-Charles de Gaulle has undertaken to rename its terminals as part of a major overhaul of airport navigation and passenger flows. A massive project that is essential to make the airport easier to navigate while improving its efficiency and appeal, for the benefit of passengers, professionals and the regions.
Simplification: a strategic priority for one of Europe’s leading hubs
Voted “Best European Airport” by passengers for five consecutive years at the Skytrax World Airport Awards and ranking as the European Union’s leading airport in terms of passenger traffic and France’s busiest border crossing, Paris-Charles de Gaulle is one of Europe’s major hubs.
But over the years, the naming convention for its terminals and gates, combining numbers and letters, has become increasingly difficult for passengers to understand, especially for international travelers and those with connecting flights.
This lack of clarity in the passenger journey is a source of stress. Addressing this issue is critical if the airport is to maintain its standing: at an airport as large as Paris-Charles de Gaulle, ensuring that passengers can immediately find their way is key to service quality and operational efficiency, as highlighted by surveys of international passengers. Based on the actual behaviors observed among passengers, Groupe ADP has undertaken a project to completely overhaul all of the airport’s signage.
Toward a seamless and intuitive passenger experience
The project is to revise and simplify the naming of the terminals and boarding gates. The goal is to make airport navigation completely intuitive for all passengers. The terminals will be identified by a single digit, rather than a digit and/or a letter. Hence, Terminal 1 remains Terminal 1, and subsequent terminals will be numbered in ascending order from 2 to 7. Once through security, boarding gates will be identified by letters. The parking lot for each terminal will have the same number as the terminal itself.
These new names form part of a multimodal approach, particularly in connection with the launch in 2027 of the CDG Express, a rail link that will connect Paris directly to the airport in 20 minutes.
Regardless of how passengers arrive – by train, car, taxi, ride-hailing service, bus, or connecting flight – the journey will become smoother and more intuitive, with a terminal number displayed as soon as they enter the airport and a letter indicating their boarding gate. This simplification of the signage is closely linked to the Connect France initiative, led by Groupe ADP in partnership with Air France-KLM. At an airport where more than 30% of passengers have connecting flights, clear signage is key to ensuring smooth transit times and improving the overall experience. By establishing a common framework for all measures aimed at streamlining connections, the new names complement the operational initiatives already in place.
A gigantic undertaking
Implementing these new names, across an area equivalent to one-third the size of Paris, is a major undertaking and requires an estimated investment of €20-30 million. For the 900 companies based at the airport and the 90,000 employees who work there, the project will take several months to complete. All signage will be replaced between September and December 2026 and temporarily covered with stickers before being unveiled in March 2027, when the CDG Express enters service. Behind the scenes, all industrial systems will also have their addresses reassigned, as will the 10,000 video-surveillance cameras. Hundreds of computer applications will also need to be reconfigured.
This long-term transformation will directly benefit professionals at the airport: airlines, ground staff, government agencies, carriers, service providers, retailers, and emergency services. By introducing simple, shared signage, it will streamline passenger journeys, team coordination and information sharing, thus contributing to the day-to-day efficiency of operations.
Lastly, by improving navigation and accessibility once the CDG Express begins operations, it will strengthen the role of Paris-Charles de Gaulle as a gateway to France and as a key hub for Île-de-France and its surrounding regions.