Airport operator Groupe ADP has chosen the last board meeting of 2025 to publish the draft Economic Regulation Contract (CRE 2027-34) that will govern how much it can invest – and how much it can charge airlines – over the next eight years. The headline figure is eye-catching: €8.4 billion in capital expenditure, or just over €1 billion a year, dedicated mainly to capacity expansions and environmental upgrades at the two main Paris hubs, Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY). By 2034 the group expects the works to create room for a further 18 million passengers a year while holding regulated cost growth close to the French consumer-price index.
Behind the numbers lies a delicate balancing act. The CRE caps ADP’s regulated return on capital at an average 5.9 percent, while allowing airline charges to rise by CPI + 2.6 points – a sharper increase than in the current contract but still lower than fees at rival hubs London-Heathrow or Frankfurt. Philippe Pascal, ADP’s chief executive, insisted that the pricing formula would keep Paris competitive even as the company pursues “historic” levels of investment.
Business travellers juggling multiple destinations should keep paperwork in mind: VisaHQ’s digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/) lets companies and individual flyers instantly verify visa requirements for France and connect itineraries that pass through CDG or ORY with seamless applications for onward countries, helping travel managers sync documentation timelines with ADP’s upcoming construction phases.
![Groupe ADP unveils €8.4 billion plan to modernise Paris-CDG and Orly between 2027-34]()
For corporate travel managers the most tangible changes will be felt on the ground. CDG will gain a new remote pier connected by automated people-mover, Orly will consolidate check-in areas, and both airports will accelerate installation of self-service bag-drops and biometric e-gates. ADP also pledges €800 million for sustainability measures ranging from additional shore-power stands to hydrogen-ready ground-service equipment, a move designed to help multinationals meet scope-3 emission targets on business travel.
The timing matters. With the EU’s new Entry-Exit System (EES) creating longer processing times for third-country nationals, capacity buffers at security and immigration will be welcome. ADP says the modernisation programme is being phased to avoid “Olympics-style” bottlenecks; most heavy construction will occur after the Paris 2026 Winter Youth Games, when traffic dips seasonally. Companies moving assignees through Paris can thus plan around predictable, published works windows.
Next steps: the French transport ministry opens a one-month consultation on the draft CRE on 15 December, with a final approval targeted for March 2026. Airlines have already signalled they will lobby for lower fee hikes, but ADP argues that without the tariff uplift, crucial climate-adaptation projects would stall. Either way, mobility teams should budget for slightly higher airport-user charges from 2027 – a small price, ADP says, for a faster, greener Paris gateway.
Behind the numbers lies a delicate balancing act. The CRE caps ADP’s regulated return on capital at an average 5.9 percent, while allowing airline charges to rise by CPI + 2.6 points – a sharper increase than in the current contract but still lower than fees at rival hubs London-Heathrow or Frankfurt. Philippe Pascal, ADP’s chief executive, insisted that the pricing formula would keep Paris competitive even as the company pursues “historic” levels of investment.
Business travellers juggling multiple destinations should keep paperwork in mind: VisaHQ’s digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/france/) lets companies and individual flyers instantly verify visa requirements for France and connect itineraries that pass through CDG or ORY with seamless applications for onward countries, helping travel managers sync documentation timelines with ADP’s upcoming construction phases.
For corporate travel managers the most tangible changes will be felt on the ground. CDG will gain a new remote pier connected by automated people-mover, Orly will consolidate check-in areas, and both airports will accelerate installation of self-service bag-drops and biometric e-gates. ADP also pledges €800 million for sustainability measures ranging from additional shore-power stands to hydrogen-ready ground-service equipment, a move designed to help multinationals meet scope-3 emission targets on business travel.
The timing matters. With the EU’s new Entry-Exit System (EES) creating longer processing times for third-country nationals, capacity buffers at security and immigration will be welcome. ADP says the modernisation programme is being phased to avoid “Olympics-style” bottlenecks; most heavy construction will occur after the Paris 2026 Winter Youth Games, when traffic dips seasonally. Companies moving assignees through Paris can thus plan around predictable, published works windows.
Next steps: the French transport ministry opens a one-month consultation on the draft CRE on 15 December, with a final approval targeted for March 2026. Airlines have already signalled they will lobby for lower fee hikes, but ADP argues that without the tariff uplift, crucial climate-adaptation projects would stall. Either way, mobility teams should budget for slightly higher airport-user charges from 2027 – a small price, ADP says, for a faster, greener Paris gateway.
