Find a Flight to Cairo

Cairo International is the busiest airport in Egypt and the second busiest in Africa, hub for EgyptAir, and served by most European, Gulf and African carriers.

Before you book

Three terminals, several kilometres apart, connected by a free shuttle and an automated people mover between T2 and T3. T3 is EgyptAir and Star Alliance; T2 takes many European and Gulf carriers; T1 the rest. Check which one your flight uses.

Visas. Most European, North American, Australian and many other nationalities can buy a visa on arrival at the bank windows before immigration, in cash — US dollars, euros or sterling. An e-visa obtained in advance is smoother. Check your own nationality’s position before travelling and carry cash for it.

No rail link currently reaches the terminals reliably; Metro Line 3 has been extended eastwards in stages. Uber and Careem both operate at the airport and are the simplest way in. See airport to the city.

When fares are lowest

May to September — which is also when Cairo is 40°C. January after the New Year period is a good compromise: cool weather and moderate fares.

October to April is the season and the busier half for hotels, though Cairo prices remain low.

Fares spike around Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, when a very large number of people travel.

Combining Cairo with the rest of Egypt

Luxor and Aswan are an hour by air and are the other half of any Egypt trip. EgyptAir runs frequent domestic flights and they are inexpensive.

The overnight sleeper train from Giza to Luxor and Aswan is a genuine alternative, with two-berth cabins and dinner, and is a pleasant way to travel.

Do not attempt Luxor as a day trip from Cairo. It is 500 kilometres away and deserves two nights at minimum.

Money

The Egyptian pound has been devalued repeatedly. Bring cash for the visa, withdraw pounds from a bank ATM on arrival, and treat any published price in pounds with suspicion.