A Tale of Two Airports

It's a vital part of travel: navigating the airport. Here are how to get through two that are challenging in different ways

- Alan LaGuardia

If you're traveling internationally in 2026, you're almost certainly going to be doing so by air, at least for one leg of the journey. It's also quite possible that you'll be traveling through an airport that you've never been to before; and, just maybe, in a country you've never been to before; and triply maybe, featuring a language you do not speak fluently.

If this sounds like you, then it never hurts to do some preliminary research on your first destination, be it Terminal B or 空港ターミナル (that's Kūkō tāminaru, or “airport terminal” in Japanese.) Here are a few handy tips for two possible destinations of yours, and two possibly challenging airports in both places.

Charles De Gaulle (CDG): The French Connection

Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is one of the world's most critical transit hubs - it's also, perhaps, one of the most confusing, expansive and maybe even foreboding landing spots in Europe. Add a language barrier and a tight turnaround for a connection, and you're in for a world of anxiety if you are not prepared.

But there's no need for fear: You can be a Paris airport pro just by packing a bit of knowledge prior to your flight.

Prioritizing speed is essential at CDG if it's your connecting flight waypoint. Your primary goal is rapid and precise movement through the terminal so you don't have to stress. There is an extensive internal transport system available, and while it may seem intimidating at first, you'll be able to navigate it easily with some preliminary information.