Marking 50 years of Paris-Charles De Gaulle Airport | Airlines

During 2024, not only has the city of Paris been hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games, but Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) has been celebrating its 50th anniversary. It handled its first flight in March 1974 and has since become one of Europe’s busiest airports in terms of annual passenger numbers. In 2023, the airport saw 67.4 million travelers pass through its terminals and is expecting even more in its 50th anniversary year.  

AeroTime looks at the history of the airport – its conception and growth over the past half-century, its iconic and groundbreaking terminal design, and the key events over that period that have earned CDG a place in aviation’s history books, for better and for worse. 

Background to CDG Airport   

Following the conclusion of the Second World War, France experienced economic recovery on an unprecedented level. As the country clawed its way back from the ravages of war and German occupation, its economy began to boom, with annual growth rates peaking at 5% per annum. Additionally, demand for air travel soared in the post-war years, going on to reach even higher levels once the jet age arrived in the late 1950s.